Managing Procrastination

            Not very long ago, I just had too much to do that I could not start on anything.  Instead, I spent hours getting my things in order and resting.  I just could not get myself to be productive.  And as time passed by, I only regretted not doing what I could have done.  As I began to regret the time I wasted, I was able to catch myself. 

            Procrastination happens when we make ourselves busy with less important things and end up not doing or rushing through with the more crucial tasks at the last minute.  We often end up not finishing our work on time or doing substandard work that we are ashamed to submit.  I think this happens to the best of us—some of us habitually, while others only on occasion. 

            Procrastination is obviously a behavioral problem.  As such, the best solution is just to do what we set out to do, plain and simple.  However, this problem is not as simple as it seems, as we often have many reasons, known or unknown, that stop us from doing what we need to be prioritizing.  Here are some of these reasons: 

1.      Fear of failure.  When we are too afraid of failing, we tend to avoid what we perceive as difficult tasks.  We are already defeated by the overwhelming feelings brought about by our evaluation of the task at hand. 

2.      Perfectionism.  This is often accompanied by the earlier reason, and is ruled by unreasonably high and rigid standards. 

3.      Last minute workers.  Some prefer the burst of productivity when there is pressure to finish something quick.  These people typically slack off when there is still time, and work very hard when they are panicking at the last minute.  They are thrill seekers who feel good about themselves when they know they finished a difficult task in such a short time. 

4.      Lack of interest.  Some people procrastinate because they are simply uninterested in the task at hand.  This reason warrants digging for more reasons beyond simple lack of interest.  Could it be that not doing the task fulfills some need or goal?  

5.      Having too much to do.  For some of us, we procrastinate because we have taken more than we could actually handle.  We are constantly busy and unable to manage our tasks well enough because there is simply too much. 

            Whatever your reasons for procrastination, you may gain from reflecting about your behaviors and what these might mean to you.  I invite you to assess your thoughts and understand what beliefs prompt you to procrastinate on your work.  On August 6, 2010, I wrote about challenging beliefs and making alternative philosophies on this blog.  You might want to go back to that entry and practice the ABC-DEF steps in managing one’s feelings better.  I believe this is a helpful process in understanding your motivations in procrastinating, and creating alternative thoughts that would enable you to be more productive. 

            On the behavioral front, you might want to engage in some of the following behaviors as a way of building habits that run counter procrastination: 

-   Prioritize your tasks and set aside more time for the higher priorities. 

-   Make a detailed and realistic schedule that you will follow every day. 

-   Just do what you can right now, and do not think of how difficult the whole task might be.  There will be a time for the rest, just do what you can right now. 

-   In planning your tasks, also include little rewards (e.g., short and frequent breaks in between, having a candy bar, a 10-minute phone call with a friend, etc.) that you can give yourself when you have accomplished certain segments of your activities.  Make sure that these rewards do not take longer than the task you accomplished.  When you have completed a bigger task, you can also reward yourself with something more substantial (e.g., going out with a friend, eating in your favorite restaurant, etc.). 

-   Write down the thoughts that helped you accomplish your tasks, so that you can get back to them when you are defeated by your procrastination again later on.   Remember that this is an ongoing struggle that you need to be ready to endure. 

-   Ask a friend to check up on you every so often, and to be a cheerleader of sorts.