Many individuals face a daily struggle to accomplish tasks regularly. People who constantly battle chronic procrastination often find themselves in this situation, witnessing their life crumble gradually. However, with the assistance of mental health experts and robust support networks, it is feasible to conquer chronic procrastination.
Chronic Procrastination
Procrastination refers to the act of delaying or not finishing a task within the given time frame, while shifting focus towards less important tasks or activities.
Procrastination can be situational for many individuals, but approximately 20% of adults globally experience chronic procrastination. Chronic task-avoidance differs from regular procrastination as it transforms into a repetitive and all-encompassing behavioral pattern that impacts significant areas of life including work, school, personal relationships, finances, and health.
Chronic procrastination is primarily caused by an ongoing feeling of unease and an incapacity to manage emotional triggers. Consequently, utilizing avoidance as a coping mechanism becomes the sole way to deal with the situation. Regrettably, this approach can seriously impair a person’s general state of health.
The temporary alleviation of delaying a task is brief and surpassed by physical problems such as digestive issues, headaches, or hypertension, as well as psychological problems including heightened stress, feelings of guilt and shame, and a negative self-perception.
Symptoms of Chronic Procrastination
The symptoms of chronic procrastination can differ from person to person, but they could potentially encompass the following:
- Prioritizing less important tasks
- Convincing yourself that certain tasks are not important
- Distracting yourself with pleasurable activities
- Believing that completing a small amount of a large task is good enough
- Not holding yourself accountable for completing work
- Making excuses for yourself to not do something
Ways to Overcome Chronic Procrastination
Chronic procrastination can be extremely draining on a person’s emotional and mental well-being, preventing them from fully experiencing and appreciating important moments in life. However, it is possible to change this pattern of chronic avoidance. By carefully strategizing, taking proactive steps, seeking support from others, and seeking professional assistance, it is entirely possible to successfully manage and overcome chronic procrastination.
Here are some strategies to combat chronic procrastination:
1. Start With Self-Compassion
Starting with self-acceptance, the path to change can sometimes be initiated. Being a procrastinator or desiring to procrastinate is usually not what people want. Rather, it indicates a more significant problem. Strive to comprehend the underlying cause of your procrastination and give yourself some leniency. By practicing self-compassion, you can begin your journey to success.
2. Monitor Your Behaviors and Gather Information
To gain power, begin enhancing your consciousness of behaviors, thoughts, and feelings, and subsequently observe and record them.
What factors should be taken into account:
- Behaviors: Are you consistently avoiding certain tasks or responsibilities? Are you unable to stick to those tasks or projects?
- Consequences of these behaviors: Which aspects of your life are being negatively impacted by these behaviors?
- Identify the triggers: What situations, irrational thoughts, self-doubt, or fears are causing or triggering your procrastination?
- Frequency: How often is this happening?
If you are experiencing a mental health issue that is contributing to your tendency to procrastinate, it is advisable to either conduct online research about your condition or consult with someone who is well-informed in this area. Additionally, you can involve your family or close friends by requesting their honest feedback to determine if they have noticed your difficulties and if they are personally affected by your behaviors and actions.
By collecting information from both oneself and other sources, one can gain guidance on how to move forward and meticulously formulate a course of action.
3. Discover Why You’re Procrastinating
If you ever find yourself delaying a task, pause and question yourself, “What is the reason for my delay on this task?” Identifying the underlying cause will enable you to find the appropriate remedy. The following are typical causes of procrastination, both in ADHD individuals and generally.
- Getting motivated is hard until things are urgent and a deadline is close.
- Negative thoughts and feelings get in the way of doing the task.
- Not knowing how to do the task makes it hard to get started.
- The task looks tedious and boring.
- The task seems large, complex, and too overwhelming.
Since you are now aware of the reason, you can utilize the subsequent suggestions to assist you.
4. Break It Down Into Small Steps
If you encounter a large or complicated task that is making you feel stuck or overwhelmed, try breaking it down into smaller, manageable parts. A large project can be compared to climbing a mountain, but by breaking it down into smaller steps, it will seem more like a small hill. This approach will enable you to work more efficiently and be more productive.
When experiencing symptoms of ADHD, it can sometimes be challenging to envision a project. Grasping the overall connection among its components can prove to be difficult. In such instances, seeking assistance from a trusted friend or individual can aid in comprehending and arranging the necessary steps. Nevertheless, it is essential to exercise caution and not get too absorbed in minute details, thereby impeding any progress made.
Several adults with ADHD often become excessively focused on planning details, resulting in a situation where they never actually commence working on the project. Consequently, planning transforms into a type of procrastination.
5. Challenge False Beliefs
To effectively overcome procrastination, it is important to recognize that some of your beliefs about yourself, work, and completing tasks may be partly or entirely inaccurate. These beliefs can hinder your progress. Begin by assessing your commonly held beliefs and their influence on your tendency to procrastinate. Verify their accuracy and make an effort to replace negative self-talk with more positive thoughts.
6. Stay Focused on Your Strengths
Once you have identified the areas where you are struggling, utilize your own strengths and gather the necessary tools and resources to effectively combat chronic procrastination.
- Commit to modifying the undesirable behaviors—this must be always present.
- Get access to self-help books/ workbooks.
- Register for a self-help workshop or webinar.
- Join a support group or Facebook page for procrastinators.
- Process your thoughts and feelings with close friends and family.
- Journal—detox your mind and write down your thoughts, feelings, struggles and challenge any irrational thoughts.
By employing their own skills and strengths, individuals can overcome challenges and feel a sense of control. This can be achieved through various means such as utilizing self-help resources, participating in support groups, seeking assistance, or incorporating healthy coping mechanisms. Moreover, this approach aids not only in minimizing chronic procrastination but also in enhancing one’s self-assurance.
7. Give Yourself Deadlines
If the problem lies in deadlines set by someone else, it might be necessary for you to establish alternative deadlines for yourself.
When others create deadlines, you may feel a sense of defiance and may want to challenge the system to regain power and control. However, by setting your own deadline, you regain control over the situation. Even a slight variation in the timeframe could be sufficient to alter your habits.
8. Alternate between two tasks.
If it is not possible for some individuals to sustain attention for a prolonged duration, they may find it beneficial to alternate their attention between two tasks. By setting a timer, one can fully concentrate on one task and then shift to another. This approach aids in maintaining the information as new and interesting.
9. Manage Your Stress
Engaging in tasks that involve personal, health-related, financial, home, work responsibilities or making critical decisions, which necessitate problem-solving skills, can be a source of stress.
If you fail to manage your stress levels effectively, it is highly probable that you will completely avoid these crucial tasks. The effective management of your stress can greatly aid in handling your daily duties and hinder the occurrence of chronic procrastination.
Here are a few suggestions for managing stress effectively:
- Spot signs of stress such as feeling tired, on edge or sad, lack of sleep and increase in alcohol/substance use.
- Take care of yourself by tending to your physical health, engaging in regular exercise, and incorporating relaxation practices in your life.
- Have realistic expectations regarding your goals and priorities.
- Maintain social connections and support
10. Use Positive Social Pressure
By having an accountability partner, you are frequently motivated to initiate a project and remain active. Commit to sharing your goals and timeline with a partner, be it a friend or co-worker. This mild social pressure can assist in propelling you towards progress.
An alternative is to collaborate with another individual on the task. This social interaction assists in maintaining the project’s stimulation and engagement.
11. Make Boring Tasks Appealing
If a task is dull or uninteresting, it may not provide enough mental stimulation to motivate you to act. If this is why you are delaying, inquire, “How can I transform this tedious task into something engaging?” There exist numerous methods to enhance the appeal of a task. Provided below are a few instances.
- Turn into a competition with yourself. How many plates can you wash in five minutes? Use a kitchen timer to help you.
- Make it fun by playing music while you work.
- Have a reward waiting for when you have finished.
12. Replace Negative Thoughts
Our thoughts and feelings hold great power. By engaging in positive self-talk and acknowledging recent accomplishments, taking action becomes more manageable. Conversely, being trapped in a negative mindset makes it difficult to escape the cycle of avoidance.
If you find that negative thinking is a significant cause of your tendency to avoid tasks, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be helpful for you.
CBT is a therapeutic approach that assists in identifying the root of negative thoughts contributing to chronic procrastination. By becoming familiar with these patterns, one can acquire the skills to substitute them with more beneficial thoughts.
According to research, CBT has been shown to be a useful method for decreasing procrastination. During a study, individuals who struggled with severe procrastination received either self-guided internet CBT (ICBT) or group CBT for a duration of eight weeks. In both instances, the treatment effectively reduced procrastination while also enhancing anxiety, depression, and overall well-being.
