I am a chronic procrastinator. There, I said it. It’s something that I have been ashamed of for the longest time. I got to the point where I would just right it off as laziness and thought it is just the way I am.
Recently, while putting off writing two important research papers I came across a book that opened my eyes to what was really going on.
Procrastination: Why You Do It. What to Do About it NOW by Dr. Jane Burka and Dr. Lenora Yuen
Here are my top 3 takeaways from the book that I have implemented to help me fight back the urge to procrastinate:
1. Focus on Being Present
If your mind is often stuck in the past, it’s likely drumming up a false narrative about how things played out worse than reality.
Similarly, if your mind hangs out in the future for too long, you will start envisioning the catastrophic failures that are surely headed your way
These are LIES.
We must stop these patterns of thinking, especially those of us who are chronic procrastinators. To help me with this I have started a daily 5-minute mindfulness training to notice when my mind wanders too far from the present so I can snap out of it and refocus on the present.
2. Break The Habit
In their book, Jane and Lenora explain that because procrastination has become habitual for chronic procrastinators, you can start to correct it like any other bad habit.
The habit loop has the required steps to turn an action into a habit. It consists of a cue, a routine, and a reward.
Interrupt this loop and you can start to get rid of habits that aren’t serving you.
To break the process, put your focus on the routine. Likely you will notice this before you even know you are stressed, and this is the part of the loop that making a change will be meaningful.
When you notice yourself escaping, use your new mindfulness skill to acknowledge it, take a breath and then start working on the thing that you are putting off, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
3. Be Nice to Yourself
I’m so bad at this that other people regularly defend me from myself.
If you are anything like me, then just automatically switching to positive self-talk is out of the question.
Instead, be intentional and set aside some time to hype yourself up. Acknowledge your accomplishments, tell yourself you’re doing a good job and remind yourself that each day you’re a little bit better than the day before and that is progress.
Because I’m so awkward, even just around myself I choose to go for a 15-minute walk to talk myself up.
The constant movement helps me not feel so uncomfortable and get some extra steps and sunlight in.
Final Thought
Overall this book allowed me to rethink procrastination completely and devise a plan to stop it when it starts. Well worth a read if procrastination is something you or a loved one struggle with.
Leave a Reply