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Procrastination
Information and resources for overcoming procrastination and anxiety and depression
Understanding procrastination
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What is procrastination?
"Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow"
~ Mark Twain Procrastination is the delay or avoidance of a task or decision against our own intentions.
We may "put things off" in many areas of our life, such as in our work, in our social life, and in our health.
Procrastination typically includes both minor issues - such as waiting till the last minute to post a letter, and major issues - such as delaying making a decision about whether to leave your job.
Examples of procrastination
- Putting off calling back your friend after a missed call
- Not starting on an assignment that you've had for weeks until just before it is due
- Not going to the dentist despite having had a painful toothache for months
- Putting off paying bills until after the due date
- Putting off doing your tax
- Not replying to invitations before the RSVP date
- Not being able to make a decision about whether you will catch up with friends
- Taking too long to make a decision about where you want to travel for a holiday, so that all the flights are booked out
- Not making a decision about where to have dinner, so that your friend is forced to choose.
Why is it a problem?
Most people procrastinate. But not everyone is a procrastinator - someone who regularly puts things off which causes unneeded suffering. It may seem okay to procrastinate because putting things off helps us to avoid unpleasant tasks or decisions, at least in the short-term. It may not even seem like a major issue because eventually most things still seem to get done. However, chronic procrastination can be very costly.
Research shows that “procrastinators” often perform poorly and do not achieve their desired goals, missing out on many opportunities. They may have strained relationships because of their procrastination, and experience poor mental and physical health, and unhappiness.
Do you recognise any of the following procrastination tendencies?
Thoughts:
- Do you spend a lot of time worrying about an upcoming task or decision instead of doing something about it?
- Do you think in "musts" and "shoulds" that set extreme standards for yourself? For example, "I must do this task well or not at all" or "I should be able to do this task easily or I must be stupid"?
- Do you constantly doubt your decisions and actions, fearing that you’ll make mistakes?
- Do
you find it difficult to stay in the present moment, with your thoughts
focused on worrying about the future or ruminating about the past?
- Do you obsess over details, sometimes to the extent that you lose sight of the bigger picture?
Feelings:
- Do you feel overwhelmed because of the imagined effort to complete a task or make a decision?
- Do you find it distressing when there are unpleasant tasks or decisions?
- Do you find it stressful where there are things you "have" to do?
- Are you often stressed, anxious or depressed because you regularly avoid things and put things off?
Behaviours:
- Do you have a tendency to delay and put things off - both with minor tasks and major ones?
- Do you waste time even there's things you ought to be doing?
- Do you often postpone and avoid things that are difficult?
- Are you ever paralyzed by perfection where you procrastinate or fall behind because of a need to do something “just right”?
- Are you too cautious to try new things in case you don’t do them well?
- Are you indecisive, delaying until you can make the correct choice?
Tips for overcoming procrastination
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Tip Sheet for Overcoming Procrastination 
Below we provide some tips for challenging your procrastination.
Sometimes
we have many subconscious thoughts that drive our procrastination behaviours. Here's some examples, with some alternative ways of thinking
about the issue:
Procrastination thought
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Healthier alternative
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"I’ll do it later” is my default thinking—I can’t seem to get motivated to do things even though putting it off makes it more difficult in the long run.
| Sometimes I just need to get things done, and on time. I can try giving it a go —it may actually take less time and energy than I imagined. Besides, I’d probably waste more energy by putting it off and worrying about it.
| I can't seem to get motivated to do things even though I know putting it off will make it more difficult for me. | Sometimes I just need to get started. Think of how good it will feel if I can get it completed and on time so I can do more pleasant things. | I always wait until I feel “in the mood” to do a task, or feel like I have the energy to tackle it later on, especially if it’s a difficult or unpleasant task.
| I can still get things done even if I don’t feel “ready”. Even if the task is unpleasant, I can still be effective in it. Belief is half of achievement. | I get overwhelmed and apprehensive where there is an unpleasant task or decision. I usually try to avoid it for as long as I can. | I know that if I put it off it will just make me feel worse in the long run. I can deal with a little bit of discomfort in the short term from the unpleasant task so that I get the benefits in the long-term (no pain, no gain)
| It's difficult for me to make a decision until I have all of the information.
| I may not be able to get every piece of information to make a “perfect” choice. Sometimes it is better to make a decision now, based on current circumstances. I can adjust later if new information comes to hand.
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How can I do things differently?
Being uncomfortable doesn't have to stop me from getting things done
We often shy away from tasks and decisions because they are
unpleasant—our instinct is to avoid any discomfort. We may wait until
we feel “ready” to face these situations: we postpone until we feel “in
the mood” - waiting for our energy levels to be full, our skills
capable, and our confidence high. It’s as though we believe we can’t
function properly until we’re comfortable. However, being uncomfortable isn't the same as it being unbearable, and discomfort is not the same thing as danger - and avoiding things
until we’re at ease won’t get our tasks completed.
Instead, we can
choose to work within our discomfort, managing our distress whilst
getting things done—dealing with our short-term pain for long-term
gain. There are many techniques for relaxation and sitting mindfully
with discomfort. If feeling overwhelmed, step back to acknowledge your
distress, prepare to deal with it, and then step forward to achieve your
tasks.
Explore: Relaxation techniques; managing worry; distress tolerance; discomfort tolerance;
mindfulness; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; approach-avoidance
motivation; positive psychology.
Uncertainty and a fear of mistakes won’t stop me from starting
We often look for certainty before we make choices or take action. We
fear making mistakes or doing the wrong thing, and we feel indecisive
and constantly doubt our actions. As such, we do as little as possible
so that we can avoid errors—we procrastinate until we’re sure we can act
“perfectly”.
When we are unsure, it can be hard to move forward, so
try creating a bit of certainty: test a decision or action to reduce the
ambiguity. Try things out—take small risks and test different options,
allowing for mistakes. This will provide feedback about what works and
what doesn’t, and the small steps allows chances to learn and adjust.
These explorations give you practice, helping you to feel more certain,
and it’s more likely you’ll do the tasks well.
Explore: Indecisiveness; decision-making; fear of failure; perfectionism; positive risk-taking.
Giving it a go—moving from “I’ll do it later” to “now is the time”
We may not yet have the confidence or know-how to consistently get
things done on time. However, with persistence, knowledge, and
self-belief, there is much we can achieve. We can choose to be
proactive rather than reactive.
Plan to “get things done”: start
earlier than you need to, and give yourself time to understand what’s
involved in the upcoming task or decision—what’s the big picture and how
can it be broken down into smaller steps? A mountain is not climbed in
one leap! Achievement requires action—start small and keep moving,
gaining confidence from every step you complete.
Explore: Goal-setting and SMART goals; planning; time management; achievement.
Self esteem and the need for approval
We
may delay and avoid because we don't feel we have the competence to do a task or make a decision. We feel that others will look down on us or we will upset them if we do poorly on a task. We want others to value us so we procrastinate because we don't believe we're "good enough" to achieve without losing face.
However, we are often our own worst critics, being overly critical of
our performances and doubting our ability to get things done. Being perfect or free from error won’t make others love us—acceptance
comes from within.
Explore: Self-esteem; self-worth; self-acceptance; assertiveness; positive psychology.
Perspectives on procrastination
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now
| Chinese proverb
| You may delay, but time will not, and lost time is never found again
| Benjamin Franklin
| Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week
| Spanish proverb
| Procrastination is opportunity's natural assassin
| Victor Kiam
| Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried
| Unknown
| Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday and avoiding today
| Wayne Dyer | If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it
| Olin Miller | That which matters the most should never give way to that which matters the least | Lulu Lemon | It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark
| Howard Ruff
| The maxim, "Nothing prevails but perfection," may be spelled PARALYSIS
| Winston Churchill
| If you look for perfection, you'll never be content
| Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
| We learn from failure, not from success!
| Bram Stoker, Dracula
| Why would anyone want perfection when growth comes from flaws?
| Shannon L. Alder
| The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything
| Theodore Roosevelt
| A person who makes few mistakes makes little progress.
| Bryant H. McGill
| The greatest mistake you can make in life is continually fearing you will make one
| Elbert Hubbard
| The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake - you can't learn anything from being perfect
| Adam Osborne
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Mental Health Professionals You
might find it helpful to discuss your procrastination experiences with a
health professional who can provide insight and perspective on the
issues. Some therapists specialise in dealing with procrastination and
will be able to provide tips and techniques for managing problematic
aspects of procrastination.
Courses and Workshops
- ADAVIC runs lectures and workshops for managing procrastination. Please see our current events.
Peer SupportYou might like to share your experiences and seek support from fellow 'procrastinators'. ADAVIC can link you in with others who understand your experience, via our:
Websites
Test Yourself
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Articles and Research
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Peer Support
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Online Learning
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Tools and Techniques
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Books
Feedback Did you find this page helpful? 
Acknowledgements This webpage on procrastination was made possible through the support of Community Enterprise Foundation™, Rotary Club of Balwyn and City of Boroondara via the project; “Practical tools for overcoming perfectionism and procrastination”.

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