If you’re anything like me, when you have a task or a goal to accomplish, you probably love getting to work and outlining the perfect plan of action.
Maybe you create a beautiful calendar, or a sexy to-do list – of all the required steps to take you there. Maybe you take great joy in coming up with the ideas, finding resources, and deciding the best way to get from A to B.
But then what?
Then comes the hard part: we have to actually do the plan. Sometimes (or often) this is the most challenging piece.
Call it procrastination, call it lack of motivation, low energy, willpower… whatever. This is where much of my self work has needed to be.
I’ve always been a procrastinator.
Some people I’ve met in my professional life wouldn’t believe this. It’s true though.
I was always the student who would wait until the day before the paper was due to write it.
Since the day I started having to set an alarm clock, I learned about the snooze button and struggled to break this awful habit well into my adult life! (Just another form of procrastination.)
Many times, I’ve put off applying for jobs, starting a workout or program, making phone calls, reaching out to friends or family that I truly do want to connect with, making challenging decisions (hell, even making simple decisions!)
I’ve been a pro at avoiding all kinds of things that I knew were good for me, but that I wasn’t ready to face or exert the energy towards. (Unfortunately, though, avoiding takes energy too!)
It’s so easy to say:
“I’ll do better next week”
“I’ll get started tomorrow”
“The time isn’t right, right now”
“Just for today…”
The planning has rarely been an issue for me. When I know where I want to go, it’s typically not that difficult to map out a plan to get there. To think about the steps that would be required. To make a template. I take great joy in nerding out and organizing my thoughts this way. And if ever I do get stuck on something, well, let’s be honest: the internet has plenty of resources to help with the idea-generating.
It feels great to have a plan! And I think it’s incredibly important, too. When we have a defined plan, we aren’t fumbling our way through – we have a clear path and fewer decisions to make each day.
But here where it gets frustrating: we can’t get anywhere if we don’t put the plan into action, can we?
Have you ever felt this way? Made a plan and then decided to put off starting the plan? Determined exactly how to get from point A to point B, but delayed taking any of the steps – maybe for days, for weeks, for years even??
Some people delay things due to indecision. Not knowing where to start. While others simply don’t start.
There can be a number of reasons we procrastinate. It helps to understand your own reasons. It also helps to share with & learn from others. Since I have struggled, this is where I think I can be of service, to some extent.
Some of the things that have helped me procrastinate less:
1. Committing to the smallest step in the plan:
Usually once we manage to gain just a little momentum, Queen Motivation will think about showing up and saving the day. As we see progress, we suddenly feel like doing more.
A lot of people – especially us procrastinators – wait to feel motivated to start.
But the truth is – you actually have to start, to get motivated. That’s the harsh reality of how our brains often work!
It can help me to start with a simple step – something that I know I can knock out really quickly. By crossing that item off the list, I will often start to feel the drive to do more things. And if not, well, at least a little progress was made…
2. Committing to five minutes of effort:
This is similar to suggestion #1, but it can help when you don’t have a specific task that will serve as a really ‘quick win.’
Maybe you’ve been procrastinating starting a big project. Cleaning the house. Doing a workout. All these things are going to take an hour or more, right?
Can you convince yourself to do 5 minutes of whatever the thing is that you’re avoiding?
If I’ve been avoiding tidying the house, sometimes I say to myself “Okay, I will just empty the dishwasher.” once I’ve done that, usually I can then muster up the willpower to load any dirty dishes into the dishwasher. And then I might continue with tidying the rest of the kitchen. Etc, etc…
If I’ve been avoiding a project I’m working on, sometimes I will set a timer and start writing down ideas for 5 minutes. If I can really get lost in the work, then I generally find the inspiration to continue, because I need to get those ideas out on paper (or screen!)
The key with this one is to tell yourself you can stop after five minutes if you really want to go back to whatever you were doing (or not doing!) It’s a good way to convince the mind to get the wheels in motion… And if you only do five minutes of the positive behaviour, so what? Five minutes was probably more helpful than zero.
3. Re-evaluate priorities and focus on what lights you up:
There are some things we may not be able to avoid. Like making that dental appointment. Taking the car in for service. Certain items in your work or business or family life that you just can’t farm out to someone else.
But are there things you’re procrastinating that are actually not necessary?
Oftentimes, in my corporate career and in my business, I’ve sat on tasks that I thought were important for a long, long time, letting them stress me out.
“I need to work on building this program.”
“I really need to draft that document.”
“I need to start doing this 2x/week, instead of once, like I planned.”
All the while, the guilt over procrastinating the thing is constantly growing!
Plans are made to be adapted. Maybe some of the things we once placed importance on are no longer so critical.
We should be constantly re-evaluating priorities and actively trying to focus as much of our energy as possible on the things we actually want to do. Those things are so, so much easier to find motivation for!
Again, I know there are some tasks we can’t avoid or farm out to others. But consider: where in your life are you spending energy that would be better used elsewhere?
Are there things you could delegate to a partner, colleague, or another resource? Have you discussed with your partner which tasks or chores they would most prefer (or least hate) to do? Are there things that simply don’t matter that you could spend a little less time and energy on?
Are there things you are are doing because someone else said they were important?!
4. Consider your triggers and emotional drivers
This is really critical in any behavioural change. And procrastination is no exception.
Procrastination is not simply caused by ‘laziness.’ (Read more about that here.) It’s more often caused by the feelings we have associated with doing something.
Maybe we avoid the task because we think it will be unpleasant.
Or, maybe we avoid it because we’re scared of not getting it right. Because of perfectionism, or even: imposter syndrome.
Maybe we avoid it because of other emotional factors that we haven’t even consciously considered.
When you understand your emotions, it becomes much easier to work with them.
I personally believe it’s important to consider where our patterns, behaviours and emotional responses came from. In this way, we can often give them space, acknowledgement, and perhaps begin to move forward.
This starts from awareness. Awareness usually starts with allowing yourself space to feel the feelings and tune into the thoughts.
If this is unfamiliar territory, a therapist, or another type of professional who is well-versed in navigating the emotional landscape, can be an incredible support.
5. Release the need to be productive all the time:
I remember when I was a student in university, I was constantly procrastinating homework, in what must have been one of the most unhealthy ways possible. I would go as far as to have the textbooks I needed right next to me, for hours and hours while doing all sorts of other things. Telling myself I was going to get started in another minute, ten minutes, whatever. This could go on for hours, days, weeks. It seemed to be a constant state that I lived in.
And all those books sitting there ever did was make me feel guilty that I wasn’t studying! So, in this way, I always felt guilty. Ugh.
In hindsight, this was (obviously) a terrible strategy.
In my – let’s say- “adult life,” I have since learned that it’s much better to allow ourselves times where being productive is simply not a requirement.
If you need a few hours to rest (as we all do!), take that time and work on letting go of the expectation that you “should” be doing something else. (In other words, put the textbooks away!)
I think procrastination can be addictive, in a way. The more we “get away with it” or allow ourselves to do it, the more we want to do it. The more it becomes a habit. Putting ourselves on the productivity hamster-wheel only feeds that behaviour further by adding more hours in the day where we feel like we’re procrastinating something. Where we’re consumed by the guilt, the expectation, the weight of the looming task.
Let rest be rest. Let work be work.
Not easy, I know. But something to progress towards.
6. Learn how your brain works and leverage it:
When all else fails, consider how you can use your dopamine-driven behaviours to your advantage.
Many procrastinators work well under deadlines. In other words, when procrastination is no longer an option.
I’m not saying it’s a good idea to wait to get started until the day before a big project is due. Or to delay reviewing your notes until the night before a big performance. Or to put off cleaning anything in your house ever until some important guest of honour is due to arrive. But sometimes we can arrange our lives, our work, the things we want or need to do in such a way that the deadlines can motivate us.
Maybe we create mini-deadlines (and not just with ourselves – we have too much power to delay those! Think: a check-in with someone who will actually hold you accountable.)
Maybe we chunk up the things we need to do in smaller pieces that allow smaller, regular achievements.
Maybe we create a reward system to remain motivated.
Like everything in life: find what works, and lean in.
I think we need to experiment from a place of awareness & consciousness. Us procrastinators may share a lot of common traits, but each individual has their own motivators, drivers and ways of being successful. There is no single secret – we simply look for what works for ourselves, within our own set of experiences and circumstances.
I am only here to share what helps me. What helps me might possibly help someone else.
One of my favourite accounts of procrastination is Tim Urban’s Ted Talk – “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator.” It’s real, relatable, and pretty funny, too. It’s definitely worth a watch if you haven’t seen it!
If any of this resonated or offered comfort, reach out and let me know! I’d love to hear from you.