Everyone procrastinates, it is a natural response to ambivalence.
One part of yourself wants to do something, or believes that it should be done. At the same time another part of you is worried about the consequences of doing what you want to do or is more interested in doing something else with your time and energy.
A lot of energy can be expended in this tug-of-war, further draining your resources. The net result is paralysis. You put off any action until later.
Sometimes later means the last possible moment before reaping the consequences of waiting. That is why the post office stays open late on April 15th.
At other times, later means never, and a constant inner voice telling you how bad (selfish, dumb, lazy, etc.) you are for not doing what you know you should do. When this inner voice becomes too uncomfortable, you may finally start a project in a half-hearted way, and run out of steam before it is complete, and the procrastination gridlock begins again.
If you want to complete something, but feel stuck, try these steps. It's best to go through them with at least one trusted friend.
1. Each of you list several things you are procrastinating about.
2. Take turns telling each other "I don't want to ...." Complete the sentence with the procrastinated project. "I don't want to clean my closets."
3. Respond to each "I don't want to..." statement with "It's OK to feel that way." (This isn't permission to not do an important activity, it is permission to know how you feel, and honor those feelings.)
4. Think about why you do not want to do the activities and share the reason with your friend. This is a critical step.
Often you will discover that you are procrastinating about a task that is on someone else's priority list. Another frequent reason you may procrastinate is that you want to do something that is very complex and they don't know how to get started. You may feel discouraged because you wish for support and encouragement and think they should be able to be tough and do something alone.
By the time this step is complete, you may have developed a plan to get the help you need to do the job.
5. Take turns describing the consequences of not doing each activity.
6. Decide which tasks you will do, and which you will discard because they really don't fit for you now.
7. Make a realistic commitment to your friend about when you will complete each activity you decide to do.
8. Support each other with phone calls or meetings, or get outside support to keep your commitment.
Related Articles
Procrastination Solutions
By: Lael Johnson | 18/09/2005 | Motivational
I find
procrastination especially frustrating to handle, when it
disguises itself as irritability, confusion and anger, pointing
my heart and mind away from where.
Procrastination-A Dangerous Obstacle For A Successful Home Business
By: Kanaga Siva | 29/05/2006 | Home Business
You started a Home Business with a lot of anticipation. You seem to be doing everything right but Procrastination seems to be getting hold of you and the progress you hoped to make in your Home Business appears to be eluding you.
Summer's Over - Back To Work!
By: Vicki Miller | 24/09/2006 | Business
During summer, those of us who are self-employed tend to pull back from our businesses somewhat. The heat of summer, vacations, kids out of school, and so on, logically bring about a slower pace.
Small Business Spoiler - Procrastination
By: Lorraine Cohen | 13/02/2007 | Business
One of the most common issues that comes up for business owners is procrastination -wasting time, putting obstacles in the way of taking action towards goals, making excuses for delays, creating confusion/ ‘busyness’ etc. Procrastination is a self-defeating behavior.
Dealing With Procrastination
By: Richard MacKenzie | 07/05/2007 | Self Help
Procrastination is a problem that usually affects students, but it can be found in the working world, as well. For many students, getting an assignment that is due in two months is a great thing. They have two months to slowly work on the assignment, making necessary improvements all along...
Persist to Success
By: Dennis Harting | 22/08/2007 | Self Help
The successful persevere through all conditions. Developing persistence in all that you do is one of the key components to attaining success. Life has a way of giving us lessons in the form of negative situations. Learn the lesson and move on. You will be able to apply it in the future.
Better Decisions Equals More Success
By: Dennis Harting | 22/08/2007 | Leadership
Many people resist making decisions. The fear of being wrong often leads them to make no choice at all. This often is the worst option. Good decision making comes from practice. The more we make them, the better we are at them.
A Five-step Plan to Overcome Procrastination
By: Jane Straus | 08/09/2007 | Goal Setting
Most of us think we are simply lazy when we procrastinate. But the truth is that the cause of most procrastination isn’t laziness; it’s fear. We may be afraid that the task at hand is overwhelming or we may be afraid of failing at it. These are the two biggest fears that tend to keep us in approach/avoidance mode.
Here are five key ways to get past your resistance and get “it” done, whatever the “it” is:
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
I know my mother's family but not my father's
By: Karen | 08-07-2008
My name is Karen-Jean Salvas.This is my grandfather JOHN B. SALVAS, 94, of Dale Avenue, an Apco Morseburg Co. employee for more than half a century before retiring, died Monday at Sturdy Memorial Hospital.He was the husband of Flora E. (Farnsworth) Salvas, who died in 1992. Born on Dec. 23, 1909, in Norton, Mass., a son of the late Joan Baptist and Exilla (Paul) Salvas, he and his family had traveled to Quebec, Canada, many times in his childhood to visit relatives. I would like to know if I have relatives still in Canada. I know my mother's family but not my father's. My E-Mail is lyndia50@aol.com
How do I use Twitter.com?
By: Frank | 08-07-2008
My daughter from Canada wants to keep up with me here in Massachusetts via Twitter but the link I used to find out more about twitter got kicked back,what now? please help and Thank You! Frank Kelley wndkelley@aol.com
I was just wondering if Nell Thompson and her ...
By: Michelle | 06-07-2008
I was just wondering if Nell Thompson and her family were still members of Tabernacle Baptist Church?
Responsibilitys
By: badass | 06-07-2008
Why will tim strope not take responsibility for his daughter? How do men get a away with not taking there responsibility for there children? Why do woman have totake all of the responsibility that men should take too.
Very personal e-mail me back as soon as possible!
By: Roseanna | 04-07-2008
Hi, i want to find my cousin david g from california Brothers alex, ricky,
Trying to locate any record death, property ...
By: wixopala | 04-07-2008
trying to locate any record death, property, emigration, etc.) of John Wickham, who settled in Sarnia, Ontario in the 19th century. Where do I start?
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Time Management Articles
Procrastination - Why People Delay
By: Andy Smith | 19/07/2008
To delay or postpone an action that needs to be done is procrastination. I will do this afterwards. There is enough time still. What do these people think by setting deadlines? I have my own priorities. This is boring. What I do not do this work at all? Ultimately what will I gain by doing this? Why cannot I have some freedom? Why everything needs to be done on time? These are all typical thoughts of a procrastinator.
Learn Proven Techniques To Accelerate Your Reading Speed
By: Francis Hesse | 15/07/2008
Speed Reading is a skill that you can learn to master and change your life forever.
Lower Stress With Better Time Management
By: Andy Smith | 15/07/2008
Why is it so stressful to have an irregular schedule? I don't know, but it's certainly the case. Perhaps it is because it gives us mental clutter. If you are feeling a lot of stress these days, here is one technique you can use for giving yourself less stress.
Time Management Tips: Nine Ways to Leave the Office by Five
By: Sharon Mann | 12/07/2008
Are you usually the last one to leave your office every night? Do you have trouble managing projects? This article is designed to provide you with some time management tips that will guarantee you'll never have to stay late at work again. Specifics may vary from person to person; however, the following information includes helpful and important guidelines from which everyone can benefit.
Comprehension and the Art of Speed Reading
By: Francis Hesse | 11/07/2008
Speed reading is a skill that all can acquier. There are steps that you must follow that will help to increase your reading speed and most importantly your comprehension as well.
What Is Effective Time Management
By: Paul Hata | 10/07/2008
Some people view time management as a list of rules that involves scheduling of appointments, goal settings, thorough planning, creating things-to-do lists and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to developing a efficient personal time management skills.
Technology: Time Savers or Time Wasters?
By: Cindy Hartman | 06/07/2008
Voice mail, text messaging, email, IM, cell phones…the list goes on and on when it comes to communication. How do you control the flood of incoming and outgoing communication? A little structure and self-imposed guidelines can make a big difference.
Time Management Tips: 10 Things You Can Do to be Effective With Your Time
By: prakhar maheshwari | 04/07/2008
If you find yourself constantly frustrated at the end of the day, with a pile of things that need to be done and wondering why you weren’t able to do it, you’re not alone. Plenty of people suffer from an inability to make the maximum use of their time, but there is a solution! By implementing these simple time management tips in every area of your life, you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish – and how quickly things will get done – every day.
Self Improvement 
