Are you worried about how to beat procrastination? There will never be a lack of articles, books, studies, and discussions on the subject. Not only is procrastination a common problem, but there is also a strong consensus that it is an issue that must be fixed.
The problem of procrastination, however, may not be in its presence. But, moreover, in the obsession of creating its absence.
Procrastination is a stubborn foe. The more you tell it to go away, the more persistently it stays looming over your head. But if you really want to conquer this issue that plagues you, you will be better served to not see it as an issue at all.
Here are 5 reasons that you are constantly worrying over procrastination when you really shouldn’t. You may be perfectly in the right place for these right reasons:
You’re Not Aligned | You’re Not Interested | You’re Not Comfortable | You’re Not Prepared | You’re Not Procrastinating!
#1 You’re Not Aligned
Alignment is the energetic synchronization of your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Essentially the intangible, intuitive, inspired version of you syncs with the practical, grounded, and tactical part of you and then you take action. When these parts and pieces come together you experience a sense of being in the zone, moving unconsciously and fluidly, and having little to no hesitation in what you do.
Contrastingly, when you are not aligned these parts and pieces are disconnected. You do not feel inspired to move forward. There is a lack of energy toward your goals or potentially a lack of clarity on how to accomplish your goals.
In your futile attempts to push forward, you feel a sort of all-stop mode kick in between your idea and your action. You may have the desire to get things done but you feel totally unsupported by your inner self.
How Do You Cure a Lack of Alignment?
When you feel stagnation in your energy, use it as an alarm system to make you aware that a specific area of your life may require attention. For example, pay attention to any issues that you have that may cause you distraction, dysfunction, lethargy, or a sense of hopelessness.
Know that while you are facing these challenges to your mental, physical, or spiritual balance it may not be possible to accomplish your goals. You may have significant blockers thwarting your ability to perform simple tasks, organize your thoughts, or maintain emotional balance.
The energy of the mind is the essence of life.
Aristotle
Therefore, it may be the ideal time to take heed to your internal distress call and focus on healing yourself. Even simple activities can lift your energy leading to a more productive state.
- Clear your mind with a long walk, a healthy meal, or even a good cry
- Relax your body with a soothing bath or a much-needed, overdue nap
- Connect with spirit through meditation, prayer, or listening to inspiring music
Listen to your needs and tend to any significant imbalances first before attempting your task. Focusing on your alignment when you know that it is lacking can unlock your resistance and inspire your action forward. You can beat procrastination by having gratitude for its presence directing you to take time for yourself.
#2 You’re Not Interested
Everything that you believe you must do is not necessarily something that you have any interest in doing. Obligations are just that, things that you are obligated to do. However, an obligation is not always fulfilling, gratifying, or rewarding.
We are fortunate when what we have to do and what we want to do are the same. But it can feel very unfortunate when what we have to do is something we dread and see no purpose in completing.
How Do You Become Interested in What’s Not Interesting?
You don’t. Do not try to change your initial and engrained emotion toward the task as it will likely require even more time than just doing the task.
Abandon a need to like the thing.
Instead, explore if there are any redeeming and motivating aspects when envisioning the task completed:
- The sense of relief that you no longer have to think of the task
- The reduction in pressure from a boss, parent, partner, or anyone else who has a joint interest in the task being completed
- The pride in knowing that you found a way to overcome your stagnation and got it done
In order to carry a positive action,
Dalai Lama
we must develop here a positive vision.
Finding an alternative reason to produce drive and focus can help to inspire motivation regardless of interest. Creating a vision of your state of being with all things complete can instill passion when before there was avoidance.
Another thing to consider is if you have no interest but still feel obligated, why? Is it absolutely necessary that the task is completed or completed by you?
Obligations can create feelings of guilt, a tendency toward people-pleasing, and irrational compromise and conformity. Find your way to accept that it’s okay to prioritize your needs even if someone else’s needs are not met.
Honor yourself by doing what you elect to do, have an interest in doing, and are willing to do for others of your own accord. Sometimes beating procrastination is accomplished by simply avoiding saying yes to things you don’t want to do.
#3 You’re Not Comfortable
Everything that is a to-do task or an inferred obligation is not something that you feel okay with doing. Sometimes you are just uncomfortable with what you have been made to believe you should do.
An off-request from your boss or a choosing-sides favor between feuding friends can place you in an uncomfortable spot.
What is worse is that the person who expects your participation does not understand or even consider that they have just placed you in an uncomfortable position. But even if they do not realize it, don’t ignore the fact that you do.
How Do You Diminish Procrastination Due to Discomfort?
You would think that this would be the easiest procrastination problem to resolve. If it makes you uncomfortable, just don’t do it.
But, in reality, you may feel damned if you do and damned if you don’t!
Refusing to take on the task asked of you may make you feel aligned with your values, but it can take a toll on your relationships. And if you have been procrastinating you likely have given a false impression that you were at one point onboard. So, you not only are uncomfortable but have had a growing discomfort from the beginning that just keeps building.
It may not be what you want to hear, but you have to decide when you will stop the cycle. The ability to regain your power and remove your procrastination is in your hands. Not only do you have to be comfortable knowing exactly what the right decision is for you. You need also to become comfortable with owning your decision when dealing with others. You are the only one who has the final say on what you will or will not do.
To beat this version of procrastination is to stop beating up on yourself for honoring what you believe in. And at the same time show respect to the requestor by telling them honestly how you feel. Pull the plug. Rescind your acceptance. And make amends in the best way you can. To move forward and ignore your gut feeling may create a trend that you will regret over time.
#4 You’re Not Prepared
Not every task requires preparation, but when it does and you are not prepared it can feel awful. An unprepared endeavor can lead to anxiety, doubt, insecurity, and frenzy. The next thing you know in order to alleviate these feelings you run from the task altogether.
You can also have what you need to do your project, but simply feel unprepared. When you regularly experience self doubt and insecurity in what you do, you can cut yourself off from progression before you start.
How Can You Conquer Procrastination with Preparation?
Whether real or feared, poor preparation does not have to stop you from moving forward. The real prepping is strengthening your resolve.
- Take inventory of what you really need to move forward. Many times, you may have made the image of unpreparedness bigger in your mind than it is actually. Being practical and skimming things down to necessity can empower you that you are more ready than you originally believed.
- Be comfortable to be creative. Every problem to be resolved or task to be conquered is not executed perfectly from beginning to end. If you should have had certain things in order but don’t, what alternative can you put in place to still reach your goal? There often are many paths to success.
- Check in on your perfectionism gauge. Whether truly prepared or not, you may feel less than your best if being perfect is your goal. Not only will you stop yourself from starting but you may start and never finish if you are attempting an impossible route to get things done.
Focus on reducing your self doubt and highlighting your ability to make the most of what you have. You may discover both in your tasks and your mental resolve you are more prepared than you think.
#5 You’re Not Actually Procrastinating
How are you worried about procrastinating and at the same time not procrastinating?
When someone else decides to label you a procrastinator when you clearly feel that you are not.
- When are you going to get married – your mom says
- Why haven’t you started your paper yet – your overachieving roommate asks
- How are you comfortable in that go nowhere job – your partner nags
Despite your innate desire to go at your own pace, you seem to always find someone who finds issue with the pace you’re going.
But the key thing to remember is to honor what is yours.
Every suggestion, observation, and even nagging intrusion is not necessarily coming from a bad place. More often than not a very well-meaning person in your life who cares about your well-being is attempting to help.
But when you start to internalize their view instead of trusting your own, you may find that you have labeled yourself a procrastinator.
You Don’t Have to Beat Procrastination if You That’s Not What You Do
Removing your procrastinator label may take some courage, but the steps are clear. Honor yourself by owning your own life decisions. And honor others by respectfully asking that they start honoring your life decisions.
While everyone is welcome to have their own opinion, do not let anyone else’s opinion to define who you are.
Conclusion
You may be worried about procrastination but, really, you shouldn’t be. While you may have hesitations, they may be there to serve you to be more self aware . Take inventory of any internal obstacles on your path, your true feelings about what must be done, and whether not you are the right person for the job.
The best way to beat procrastination is to decide if you actually own that you are. You may have just mislabeled a deeper issue.
Share this post with someone you know it could help today. Or if you know reasons why procrastination is not a problem, share it in the Comments section.
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