Procrastination

I had always planned for January’s theme to be procrastination. The idea of resolutions and intentions doesn’t always sit well with me, particularly as I find it hard to get the motivation to make significant changes in the midst of winter. However, having now all received the news of a further lockdown – throughout the whole of the UK – this theme resonates with me even more. I suppose I just wanted to reassure everyone that it is OK to put things off, to not be full of energy and motivation to make significant changes – particularly just now.

What is Procrastination?

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing a task or set of tasks. Human beings have been procrastinating for centuries (probably forever). Ancient Greek philosophers called this behaviour Akrasia, which is the state of acting against your better judgement. Perhaps you do one thing even though you know you should do something else.

My Story

This topic is dear to my heart as I am a HUGE procrastinator! If something doesn’t have a deadline, I often won‘t get it done. Things can sit on my to-do list literally for years. I’ll give you an example: I used to run a preserve-making business, which I stopped 3 years ago. I still have a cupboard in my kitchen (and I’m talking a storage cupboard – floor to ceiling) full of all the things I used for farmer’s markets. I have no need for any of these things anymore. Some I could sell, some need to be binned, some could go to a charity shop. But still they sit there. Why? Because there’s no deadline, no push to get it done, and we don’t really need the space – so there’s no motivation.

I'll give you another example: I recently left my job as a Social Worker. Part of my role was to write reports, when a client completed a groupwork programme. These reports are a mammoth task – around 15 pages long, and highly detailed. I would always put off writing one, leaving it until the last possible moment to complete it. However, when I sat down to finally write it, the words would come easily and I think this is because I put it off. Although I had procrastinated over it, the words had been forming when I wasn’t really thinking about it.

I do find that I‘m torn about procrastination – I think it can actually be useful, and can give space for creation. On the other hand, it sometimes gets in the way of getting things done.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

Of course, there’s not just one reason! But I’m going to explore some that I’ve read about. The first is “time inconsistency”: Behavioural Psychology research indicates that the human brain values immediate rewards more highly that future rewards. We humans really like instant gratification – not long-term pay-offs. I know that I enjoy ticking things off my to-do-list – this means I can get caught up in little tasks that don’t have much long-term pay-off, rather than focusing on bigger projects – which take longer, but have larger rewards. We have this tendency to get caught up in the minutiae of life, rather than being able to stand back and see the bigger picture. You ever feel that you’re constantly busy, but not getting anything done? There’s the time inconsistency.

(Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash )

Another reason that we procrastinate links to perfectionism – wanting to get everything perfect, but knowing that we haven’t got the time to reach that standard, we simply put it off – to that magical time in the future (which never comes) when we’ll have the space to make it perfect. Fear of failure can also mean that we never start.

Of course, sometimes we genuinely are too busy to even start the task that we’re putting off. We look at our diaries, and they’re jam-packed – there’s no more space for anything. If this is the case, it’s worth considering – is the busyness a form of avoidance? If so, take a moment to ask yourself – what am I really avoiding? And maybe have a look at your plans – what’s essential? What’s not?

How to Stop:
Perhaps ask yourself first, do I need to stop? As I indicated, procrastination isn’t always a bad thing, and it’s actually thought to be linked to intelligence (can I give that excuse to Phil next time I’m avoiding clearing up my mess?!). If it really is getting in the way, it’s best to work out why you’re procrastinating, and to take it from there.

I'd love to hear about your experiences with procrastinating - does anything in the article resonate with you?