Stop Procrastinating, July 2003

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1. IN THIS ISSUE
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Most of us procrastinate at one time or another. There are many reasons why people procrastinate, but one of the reasons is that we find it harder to start something new than to maintain what we are already doing. Implement the strategies discussed in this issue to help you make progress on the things you would rather put off indefinitely.

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2. WHY DO WE PROCRASTINATE?
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All of us procrastinate on occasion. For some people, it is a chronic problem; for others, it is only a problem in certain life areas. Procrastination is always frustrating because it results in wasted time, lost opportunities, disappointing work performance, and generally feeling bad about yourself. Procrastinating in making changes to improve your health can be down right dangerous.

When you procrastinate, you allow less important tasks to take up the time and space that should be devoted to more important things. You do things like visiting with coworkers when you know an important deadline is approaching rapidly. You watch TV instead of beginning that exercise program your doctor wants you to start. Or, you talk about trivial things with your partner to avoid discussing important issues in your relationship.

Most people do not have a problem finding time for things they want to do. But once they see a task as too difficult, painful, boring, or overwhelming, the procrastination behaviors begin. You are not alone if you have ever made any of the following excuses to yourself:

1.  I'm too tired to exercise today. I'll wait until tomorrow when I have more energy.

2.  I've got too many other things to do first.

3.  I'll do a better job when I can concentrate on this project.

4.  I still have lots of time to get this done.

5.  I feel fine right now and my cholesterol isn't really that high anyway.

6.  I work better under pressure.

7.  It's too noisy to work when everyone else is home.

8.  I should get the shopping done now because the stores will be more crowded later.

9.  I can eat this pie tonight, because I'm starting my diet tomorrow.

10. This problem is too hard to talk about. I wouldn't know where to start.

Most of the time, these excuses seem fairly innocuous, but they are not as innocent as they seem. These excuses can keep us from accomplishing important goals and lead us to feel bad about ourselves.

So why do people procrastinate?

Obviously, there is no simple answer to this question. There are many reasons why people put things off. Here are a few of the most common (check those that apply to you):

_____ Avoiding discomfort. Wanting to avoid pain makes many people shift into procrastination mode. However, the longer we delay, the worse the discomfort usually becomes. The pounds keep adding up, the tooth hurts more, or the brakes squeak even more loudly.

_____ Perfectionism. Those who believe they must produce only perfect results may spend so much time and energy seeking perfection that they never make any real progress toward their important goals.

_____ Laziness. Sometimes people delay tasks that involve slight inconvenience or minor discomfort.

_____ Thinking you are not good enough. Some people are certain that they are incompetent. They think that they will fail and so they procrastinate to avoid ever putting their skills to the test.

_____ Self-doubt. If you second-guess yourself, you probably suffer from procrastination. You may avoid new challenges and opportunities unless you are certain that you will succeed. 

_____ Workaholism. Many people who work excessively procrastinate about dealing with other important tasks in their lives. Work becomes an escape from other things that need attention, such as their health or an intimate relationship.

Why Don't We Just Say "No?"

Since procrastination produces mostly negative outcomes in the long run, why don't we just change our behavior and eliminate these undesirable consequences? The reason for this is that we have a built in resistance to change. If you have ever taken physics, you may remember Newton's First Law of Motion, which basically says that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, whereas one in motion tends to stay in motion. In other words, we tend to keep on doing what we are already doing. This principle certainly describes how we humans behave. For some reason, it is more difficult for us to start making changes than to maintain a change we have already made. We avoid getting started by cleverly diverting our attention and energy from the things we really should be doing. 

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3. HOW TO STOP PROCRASTINATING
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Although awareness will not automatically cure your procrastination, being aware of the "creative" ways you put things off is a good place to start. Once you are aware of the ways you procrastinate, you can start to change your behavior. Here are some tips to help you get started. 

Choose a few of the strategies outlined here. Keep working at it until you understand what you need to do to stop putting things off.

1. Set Specific Goals: The most effective goals are specific, measurable, and achievable. An example of a good goal is, "I will order tuna salad and water when I go out to lunch on Friday." This is better than saying, "I am going to get healthier."

2. Set Priorities: Write down all the things that you need to do, and place them in order of importance. The most important tasks belong at the top of your list and the distractions go at the bottom. Start at the top of your list and work your way down.

3. Organize Your Work: Set up a system for yourself. Prepare a daily schedule and keep it within view during your working time. List the tasks for each day. Check things off as you complete them. When you are working on a project, lay out all of the needed supplies or materials before you begin.

4. Divide and Conquer: Sometimes a project is overwhelming if you think about all of the work that is involved. Do yourself a favor: Break the activity down into smaller steps and set progress goals for each of the steps. This is especially helpful when you are beginning a writing project, studying for a degree, or building a new set of skills.

For example, if you need to write a report, make an outline before you start writing. If you have to clean your house, make your goal to do the first two rooms by 10:00, two more by noon, and two more by 2:00. Check tasks off your outline 
as you complete them.

5. Make It a Game: Turn the temptation to avoid working into a challenge. Use your imagination. For example, if you need to study the first five chapters of your history book, pretend that you will be teaching the material to someone else later. Take notes and organize the information into an outline that you could speak from. Sometimes changing the frame around a situation makes it more interesting and less of a chore.

6. Schedule a Small Amount of Time: Tell yourself that you will only spend five minutes on the task right now, just to get your feet wet. For example, walk for five minutes and then choose whether to continue for five more minutes. Continue doing this until you decide to stop, or when you are finished with the amount of walking you ideally want to do. Most of the time you will find that if you can just get started, the activity is not as bad as you imagined.

When you are tempted to substitute a fun but unimportant activity (such as reading a magazine or watching the weather channel) for an important project (such as exercising), make the substitute activity your reward for doing the important task. Do the high-priority task first and then reward yourself with the fun activity.

7. Ward Off Self-Defeating Thoughts: Telling yourself that you are going to do a poor job or even fail can seriously undermine your ability to function. It is important to realize that your negative statements are not facts. Keep your focus on the present moment and the positive steps you can take toward accomplishing your goals. If these thoughts are based on a need for perfection or low self-esteem, you may want to work on these issues.

8. Make a Commitment: Make a verbal and written commitment to completing the task or project. Write a contract and sign it. Tell someone about your plans and ask them to follow up with you. For example, one way I got over procrastinating about writing a newsletter is by making a commitment to my readers that the newsletter would be published monthly. If you are working with a coach, ask your coach to hold you accountable for the tasks you want to complete. 

9. Remind Yourself: Write notes to yourself and post them in conspicuous places. Leave them where you will see them, like on the outside of your briefcase, the bathroom mirror, refrigerator, television, your front door, and the dashboard of your car. The more often you remind yourself of what you plan to accomplish, the more likely it is that you will follow through with action.

10. Reward Yourself: Reinforcement is a very effective way to motivate yourself. When you complete even the most minor task, be sure to acknowledge what you have done. This is especially important in the beginning when you are struggling with procrastination behaviors. After you have successfully overcome your procrastination, don't forget to celebrate your accomplishment. You worked hard for your success and shouldn't take it for granted.

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