Practical Tips for Procrastinators, Part 2
So, now that you know some of the underlying causes of procrastination (see Part 1), you can try to work through some of the angst. As promised, here are a few specific tips:
Tips for Overcoming Procrastination
Put the lie to putting off. A common underlying thought when putting something off is “I’ll feel better if I don’t think about this now”, or “It will be easier to do it later”. The truth is exactly the opposite. The shame, guilt, and anxiety associated with procrastinating only gets worse with time, never better. And so, in an effort to feel better, we make ourselves feel worse. Instead, we can choose momentary discomfort (doing the action) over longer term pain (procrastinating). If we don’t do it now, we are not free. We pay for it in stress. Feeling better about our work load comes from doing the things that we want to be doing.
Break it down. This works especially well for tasks that are overwhelmingly large or long. We think about the entire task and we’re exhausted before we start. The truth is that the only way to accomplish any task is to take one step at a time.
Force yourself to pick one small step to start off with. Don’t spend too much time thinking about what to do – that will give the anxiety time to kick in. Action is the name of the game here. Pick a small piece of the task, and do it. In the best cases, this can lead to a sense of relief of having started the job, and it will be much easier to continue than it was to start. Continuing with this technique, focus on doing small, manageable pieces of the puzzle. Before you know it, you will have done a whole lot.
Embrace imperfection. Being perfect is exhausting. It’s also impossible! The idea of perfection is so daunting that it scares us away from even trying. Be realistic, and lower the bar. This is painful for perfectionists, but necessary if they are to be productive. Say to yourself, “I’m going to do a pretty good job. And that will have to be good enough”.
Use a timer. An old-fashioned egg timer or the timer on your phone will do. The goal here is just to get started. Remember, it’s much easier to continue than to start. Set the timer for a short amount of time (15 minutes, or even 5), and get going. No distractions. When the timer buzzes, it’s up to you to decide if you want to stop or keep on going.
Do a cost-benefit analysis. This is a more advanced technique. Try to figure out what you gain from procrastinating. Take a piece of paper and list the benefits of doing the task now alongside the benefits of putting off the task. Some payoffs to putting off may be avoiding fears, retaining the right to feel bad or complain about it, taking the easy way out, the hope that someone else may do it eventually, etc. There are many payoffs to procrastination. That’s why we procrastinate in the first place. Bringing these hidden motives to the light is the first step to addressing them.
Focus on what you have already done. Too much focus on what still needs to be done can be overwhelming. If you’ve started the task, even just a little bit, give yourself a pat on the back. You’ve started! That’s great! Try this the next time you’re reading a book. How many of us flip to the back to see how many pages are left? Instead, try flipping to the front and show yourself how much you’ve already read.
Cut the list down to size. Are there things that have been on your list for weeks, months, or years? If something has been sitting untouched on your to-do list for that long, that may be an indication that you’re just not ready to do it. Cross it off, and let it go. When you are ready, you’ll come back to it. Or, if you want, keep a separate “wish list” and revisit it once a month or once a year.
If procrastination persists, and especially if it significantly interferes with your life, it may be time to consult a mental health professional. A therapist can help guide you through the issues that are holding you back, so that you can finally do all those things you wanted to. You can be free from the anxiety of procrastination. You can do it tomorrow. Or you can do it today.
A similar version of this post originally appeared in the February 2014 Jewish Press mental health supplement Mind, Body, and Soul. It is posted here with permission from The Jewish Press.