The Subject of Procrastination

It’s funny that this post is about procrastination as I’ve been procrastinating in writing it! What causes so many of us to procrastinate? What is it that compels us to put something off for as long as possible? If we are so prone to doing this, then is the task that we are supposed to complete worth the effort? It is probably safe to say that we all procrastinate from time to time. The thought of studying for that exam or of doing the big kitchen clean out can feel quite off-putting. That is a natural response. It is only when this becomes an ongoing pattern that hinders a person’s ability to succeed, do we need to find ways to overcome it.

In the work I have done with some of my clients, procrastination is one of the main internal blocks that stops them from moving forward towards achieving their goals. They have a clear goal that they can easily visualise and certainly desire but taking the steps towards this is where they tend to stall. When we explore the issue further, there is usually something else that lends itself as the root of the procrastination. It seems that procrastination is really a symptom of something deeper and it is interesting to see how this unfolds through the coaching process.

In my own experience as well as the experiences of clients, I have noted several key themes that are present when it comes to procrastination and one or more of these could very well be the root cause. It is these root causes that need to be untangled so that the obstacle of procrastination can be dismantled. There is uncertainty. I don’t know where to start, I don’t know how to do it, I don’t know what to do, I don’t know the outcome. Sound familiar? These uncertainties can lead a person to spend much of their energy on overthinking and then procrastinating, after which they feel drained and this then leads to more procrastinating. The cycle continues!

There are also the fears. Fear of change, fear of success, a lack of confidence, perhaps a degree of imposter syndrome. Believe it or not, although a person may have a specific goal they very much wish to achieve, these fears can present themselves once the journey becomes real. We tend to be creatures of habit and the thought of change, even for the better, can be uncomfortable and so it may be more comfortable to stay with the familiar. A fear of success (as strange as this sounds!) can be linked to a person’s inherent belief in their own abilities and whether they believe they are deserving of the success. It isn’t so much the success they fear but their deservingness of it and their ability to uphold the success once they achieve it. There can be thoughts of being “found out” or seen as a fraud, despite the evidence that indicates the person rightfully earned their success. These troublesome thoughts can lead to procrastination. It is really your brain’s way of protecting yourself from threats – real or perceived, big or small. Is the subject of procrastination starting to become clearer?

What is important to remember is that the task we ultimately want to complete must be worthwhile otherwise we wouldn’t even need to consider it and procrastination wouldn’t be an issue! There are many ways to work through the limiting beliefs and fears that present themselves as procrastination. When I end a coaching session with a client, I ensure that they have identified the very first step they need to take towards their goal and when they are going to do this. I also check their commitment level and how they will know when they have completed this first step. Progress can be made with a single step. What’s stopping you from taking it?