Each of us was faced with a situation where it was necessary to complete a task within a certain period of time. But instead, we put it aside and started doing something else. In other words, they were procrastinated.
For practical reasons or not?
Of course, we often put things off for practical reasons: we choose which tasks are the most urgent and which ones can be “paused”.
Procrastination begins when a person realizes that some job is the most important on the current list, but doesn't make it, instead doing useless and not very urgent activities.
Why is this happening?
There are various reasons, but the essence of procrastination comes down to one thing: for some reason, a task that we put off until later is perceived by the body as a threat. Therefore, the body includes a defense mechanism: the amygdala, which is responsible for fear, immediately releases adrenaline into the bloodstream.
Everyone knows how we react to stress: the body's most natural and ancient response is described by the simple “fight, flight or freeze” formula.
In the case of procrastination, a person chooses the second option — by all means to avoid the frightening task.
But why is work seen as a threat?
Where does fear come from
- We attach too much importance to the case
On a subconscious level, each of us is afraid of failure. The fear that the job will not meet the high standards we have set for ourselves prevents us from starting a business.
- Not sure if we'll get any reward in the end
The anxiety that the work will go unnoticed or that it will not benefit anyone prevents you from starting to do it.
- We are afraid of being judged
What if I don't do it right and nobody likes my job? But what if she gets blown to pieces?
Fear of judgment, mistakes, and unjustified expectations can also greatly interfere with the completion of an important task.
- We are afraid of the deadline
Remember how the day before the exam we are ready to do whatever we want—even weed the beds so as not to open the textbooks. Emotional tension and stress are another reason why we get stuck at the start.
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It's all about emotions
When procrastinating, a person experiences a kaleidoscope of unpleasant emotions: horror, a sense of incompetence, lack of self-confidence. Even worse, the further we push back the illusory “later”, the harder the job seems to be. The feeling that the task is very difficult to cope with only increases over time.
Scientists conducted an interesting study: school students received “reminders” throughout the day that it was time for them to start studying. If they got to work right away, everything was fine. But if it was delayed, the process ended up being much harder.
Undoubtedly, emotions and attitudes towards the situation are involved here. Procrastination is more likely to happen to those who have low self-esteem, who focus on the negative, and who find it difficult to regulate emotions. It doesn't matter how well a person is able to organize their time, attitude decides everything. Procrastination is usually accompanied by anxiety, depression, shame, and even physical malaise.
Not to be confused with laziness
By the way, under no circumstances should procrastination be equated with laziness. When we're lazy, we have no energy for anything—we're just lying on the couch, unable to get off it. When it comes to procrastination, energy is all right; it just goes the wrong way—to do anything but the most important thing.
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How do you get out of the vicious circle?
It was previously believed that a strict regime and the use of time management techniques could solve the problem of procrastination. However, scientists have now changed their opinion on this matter.
The most important thing we can do in a procrastination situation is to recognize the feelings that an uncompleted task causes and reduce emotional intensity.
Simple techniques
There are a few simple ways to help you gently get out of procrastination:
- Divide work into small tasks so that the volume doesn't seem so daunting.
- Write down negative emotions in order to face fear and understand its causes.
- If possible, remove all distractions.
- Be kinder and don't set too high demands — if it doesn't work out right away, remember that it will be better next time.
