I’ll tell you all about procrastination tomorrow…

It took me ages to write this article about procrastination. I just kept putting it off. Get it? Boom boom. All jokes aside, procrastination can have a pretty big impact on our mood and mental health. According to Britt Frank, licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and procrastination researcher, procrastination is not a character flaw but a coping mechanism that people use to manage their emotions. I personally would probably go a step further and describe it is a defense mechanism people use to avoid their emotions altogether, although I am pretty sure Britt makes this connection as well.

Frank’s research has found that one of the main reasons people procrastinate is fear of failure. When faced with a daunting task, people often fear that they will not be able to complete it successfully. This fear can lead to anxiety and stress, which in turn can trigger procrastination. Instead of confronting their fear head-on, procrastinators often delay the task until the last minute, when the fear of not completing it becomes greater than the fear of failure.

Another reason people procrastinate is because they are easily distracted. In today's digital age, we are constantly bombarded with notifications and distractions from our phones and computers. These distractions can make it difficult to focus on important tasks, leading to procrastination. There are just soooo many other, perhaps more interesting things to focus on!

However, procrastination can also be a form of self-sabotage. When people have low self-esteem or lack confidence in their abilities, they may procrastinate as a way of avoiding the task and protecting themselves from potential failure (or the pain of failure to be precise). By procrastinating, they can tell themselves that they didn't have enough time or resources to complete the task successfully. Again, I would add that this serves the ultimate purpose of avoiding potentially uncomfortable feelings of shame or embarrassment as opposed to maybe failing the task, feeling all the uncomfortable feelings and using them to motivate ourselves to learn, grow, and evolve.

There are also a number of psychological conditions for which procrastination is potentially a symptom. Perfectionism is kind of the obvious one and is closely linked to a fear of failure. I mean a task is not worth doing at all unless it is done absolutely right, right? Best I put that off until I am in a better mindset, have more time, greater resources, have more references, the right clothes, the house is in order, the desk is tidy, yadda yadda yadda. Perfectionists can set the bar so high that they become frozen, a deer stuck starring at the headlights, constantly putting it off for another day when the conditions are just “perfect”.

But did you know that procrastination can be a symptom of ADHD? People with ADHD often have difficulty with executive functions, which are the mental processes that help us plan, organise, and complete tasks. This can make it difficult to start tasks, keep track of time, and prioritise activities. As a result, people with ADHD may struggle with procrastination, especially when it comes to tasks that are not immediately rewarding or interesting.

Procrastination can also be a symptom of depression although technically speaking I would classify this as feelings of being overwhelmed by tasks and lacking the motivation to start them and/or failing to see the point, purpose, or meaning inherent in doing anything at all, as opposed to true procrastination whereby we put off till ‘morrow. Still, clients describe their lack of motivation as procrastination and vice versa. In either case, we would need explore the feelings behind the thoughts behind the words in order to understand the subtle difference here.

Anxiety disorders can also result in a great deal of procrastinating as we avoid situations which we believe are going to be highly distressing for us. We may find ourselves engaging in an array of unnecessary activites and indulging in every distraction in order to steer clear of our perceived doom. Obsessive-compulsive disorder may also give rise to symptoms similar to procrastination although again, I would argue that tasks may be merely delayed due to compulsive checking and re-checking behaviours as opposed to classic procrastinating. It is not that the OCD mind is putting a task off until tomorrow but rather it is compelled to complete more tasks, urgently, in order to gain a sense of assurance, safety, and control. In doing so, this takes up time which can be mistakenly labelled as procrastination.

So how can people overcome procrastination? Treatment would vary depending on what is causing you to procrastinate. However, broadly speaking Frank suggests several strategies, including breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones, setting realistic goals and deadlines, and avoiding distractions. She also recommends developing a positive mindset and reframing failure as a learning experience rather than a reflection of one's worth. A psychologist can help you to identify the underlying causes of your procrastination and assign exercises designed to break the habit of perpetual avoidance. A client told me recently of a neat trick he heard which I have called the Blast Off technique. This is where you count down from five either in your head (or out loud if you want to really hold yourself accountable!) and when you reach one you have to ‘blast off’ meaning you have to get up and get on with the task at hand. It’s surprisingly effective! Go on, try it yourself and let me know how it goes!

By understanding the underlying reasons for procrastination and adopting effective strategies to manage it, people can overcome procrastination and improve their productivity. Britt Frank's work is a valuable resource for anyone struggling with procrastination, and her insights can help people lead more fulfilling and successful lives. Britt’s book “The Science of Stuck” is a great place to start, or if you prefer a more visual medium she has a number of popular TEDx talks on the topic.

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