The benefits of being a procrastinator

20 Jul The benefits of being a procrastinator

The Benefits of Being a Procrastinator and the 7 Anti-procrastination steps to help you get on with doing what you’re meant to be doing!

We all know what procrastination is – not doing what we’re meant to be doing. But why are so many of us so inclined to procrastinate? Well, because there are some great payoffs:

• Someone may come to your rescue and do it for you.
• If you don’t do the task, you can’t get it wrong, thereby avoiding even more unpleasant feelings!
• You get to put off unpleasant tasks in favour of more enjoyable things.
• Problems may end up getting solved without any effort from you.
• You can avoid the possibility of failure-or success.
• You get to avoid the discomfort of doing something you dread.
• You can avoid the anxiety you feel about the task.

Basically, the demands placed on you get lifted, even if temporarily, when you drag your feet.

More critically, however, is that the benefits end up being well and truly superseded by the drawbacks. Chronic procrastination has been linked to increased levels of stress, anxiety, poor job performance, failed relationships, lack of sleep, loss of appetite, along with the accompanying unpleasant bad moods.

The good news is that there are some great strategies to help you reduce how often and how long you procrastinate. It has been said that while we all have the capacity to procrastinate, not all of us do. If you follow these ‘7 Anti-procrastination steps to help you get on with doing what you’re meant to be doing’, then you too can stop procrastinating:

1. Acknowledge: Notice that you’re doing it. You’re not going to be able to manage your procrastination if you’re not aware of. A good way to do this is to ask yourself: “Am I doing what I am meant to be doing right now?” And if you ‘discover’ that you’re not, then that’s a great start.
2. Acceptance: Name and accept the task or behaviour that you ought to be doing instead of the one that you find yourself doing. For example, “Rather than checking my emails, I need to work on that presentation.” If you name and accept that you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing, then you can begin to actively do something about it.
3. The Why: Ask yourself WHY this is important. What would it mean if you didn’t do it and continued to avoid it? If you don’t have a good enough reason to do it, a good enough WHY, you’re probably not going to do it.
4. Visualise: Imagine how things will be when you’ve done the task/behaviour and how good you’ll feel if it’s been done well. Visualise how others will respond, and the best possible outcome.
5. Opportunity/Choice: Then comes the tricky bit. You now know and acknowledge why and what you’re meant to be doing, how important it is, and what it will feel like when it’s done. This is around about the time that negative emotions may start to appear, such as anxiety, guilt, shame etc. (the ones you’ve been trying to avoid). But this is also the point of opportunity and choice. You are in control (and if you don’t think you are in control of you, then who is?). You can either choose to move on, or keep avoiding.
6. What/when: Break the task/what needs to be done into small bite-sized steps. Allow time to complete these steps, by blocking out time in your diary – in small manageable blocks (20 minutes is ideal). Ensure you have all that you need to complete the task. Set yourself up for success. You can even set up rewards for yourself along the way.
7. Live the commitment: Now you need to live the commitment that you are going to act, despite the negative feelings. Notice the emotions, even say them out loud, but don’t let them stop you. You’ve made a commitment to yourself that you’re going to do it, based on why it’s important.

So, c’mon, what are you waiting for?  You know how good you’ll feel once it’s done! If you follow the ‘7 Anti-procrastination steps to help you get on with doing what you’re meant to be doing’, then you too can stop procrastinating and start flourishing.