March Into Action, Part I: Put Off Your Procrastination

Posted on May 04, 2020 by Gina DeRosa, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

(Original blog post from 3/01/2020. See all posts on Sixth Gear Series’ site.)

“Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday.” – Napoleon Hill

Hi, friends – I hope the New Year is going well for you so far. If you haven’t made as much progress toward your goals that you had planned or hoped to make by now – don’t worry! It’s easy for all of us to get sidetracked for a number of reasons and requires only a bit of self-reflection and re-calibration to get back on the road to your destination. You’re in good company with me and millions of others!

Apparently, National Procrastination Week is celebrated during the first week of March…or whenever people get around to it. It’s interesting to me that this is the timing for such, given that March is a month of change, action, and progress. We set the clocks ahead an hour, we welcome the first day of Spring, we start to “clean out” and reorganize our homes, and we assess the progress we’ve made so far on the goals we set for ourselves at the turn of the New Year.

I’ve always been fascinated by what makes people tick, and how – despite the level of one’s motivation and desire – we are all subject to the alluring grip of procrastination. There is a lot of shame that comes along with being labeled as a “Procrastinator,” as if one is a louse or hopeless human being, or that if they procrastinate with one or two things that they must take that approach with everything in their life. Instead of automatically lumping yourself or others into this misunderstood category, follow my lead to unpack this innocent barrier to progress so that you can expand your understanding of it and learn how to navigate it more productively.

Don’t get me wrong – procrastination can be a not-so-great thing. It can lead to loss of money, job opportunities, relationships, assets, and more. Even if we care about something, we might put off following through on it for a reason that somehow is more compelling than the achievement of the actual thing itself, inherently risking the diminishment or loss of that thing. Have you ever put off saving money, reaching out to a friend from high school, scheduling an informational interview, exercising, or replacing your 50-year old furnace?

Sometimes procrastination is more of a nuisance, to ourselves if not also to others. Even though we might look at that thing that we “need” or “want” to do, it just sits there sweetly blinking its beady little eyes waiting for us to pay attention to it, meanwhile causing us inconveniences in some way. Have you ever put off washing the dishes, organizing your desk, reading that book your friend recommended, getting your car’s oil changed, or going back to school?

On the flip side, procrastination can be beneficial. It can lead to a higher quality result of our efforts than if we had taken a more proactive, methodical approach to tackling it. Have you ever written a school paper in one sitting that then received a high grade, finished getting a good night’s sleep that led to a more productive day compared to previous sleep-deprived ones, or caught up on your remaining list of must-listen podcasts that subsequently launched you into action more than when you listened to only one?

All of us know that in order to recover from a physical illness, you need to know the cause of your symptoms so that you can more effectively manage the illness until it runs its course (or, as in the case of a chronic condition, is more easily managed). However, fewer of us realize that the same approach goes for cognitively-driven phenomena like procrastination – that it benefits you to understand the root cause of your thoughts and behaviors so that you can determine a course of action to get yourself back on the road toward success.

Sparing my non-nerd readers the academic background of Aaron Beck’s cognitive theory, I’m going to fast forward to the part about cognitive distortions as they relate to procrastination – I’ll keep it light and applicable, because it’s important for you to understand your own thought processes and how they impact your behaviors (as well as your emotions, but we’ll save this piece for another time).

Aside from the heaviness of the term, cognitive distortions are simply patterns of thinking about or believing in things that lack a rational or factual basis in reality. Like physical symptoms that get ignored, these distortions can lead to negative psychological consequences if not identified and addressed. Below is my own take on a few original ones that I think relate directly to procrastination, complete with my own interpretation of the description, potential root cause, and suggested solutions for each.

All-or-Nothing Thinking

Description: Believing that you either complete the task all at once (from start to finish) or don’t tackle it at all
Root Cause: Fear of failure (shout out to my fellow perfectionists out there)
Basic Solution: Weigh the pros and cons of taking some action now versus taking no action until you’re willing/able/ready to complete the task all at once
Stretch Solution: Right now, take the first step towards accomplishing the task, and reassess what it would take to tackle the remaining steps leading to completion

Mental Filter

Description: Considering only one negative factor of starting the task now versus multiple positive factors of doing so
Root Cause: One or more negative past experiences with tackling this or similar tasks
Basic Solution: Make a list of all positive and negative factors of immediately starting the task
Stretch Solution: Practice considering only the positive factors of immediately starting the task

Fortune-Telling/Mind-Reading (two-for-one here)

Description: Basically, making assumptions or predictions about what others are thinking or what the outcome of accomplishing the task will be
Root Cause: Fear of rejection
Basic Solution: Consider the positive alternatives to your negative assumptions/predictions
Stretch Solution: Seek substantial “data” (e.g. information, feedback, etc.) to support or refute your thoughts

Should Statements

Description: When you tell yourself what you “should” be doing, “need” to do, or “must” do
Root Cause: Low self-confidence
Basic Solution: Take a moment to think about what led you to put this task on your mental to-do list
Stretch Solution: Focus on what you stand to gain from accomplishing the task, and believe that you deserve it

Magnification (Catastrophizing)/Minimization (another two-for-one here)

Description: Either blowing a task way out of proportion or totally disregarding its importance or scope
Root Cause: Inexperience
Basic Solution: Push aside observations or hearsay of others’ experiences and focus on the potential outcomes of your own experience with tackling the task
Stretch Solution: Make a list of all of the steps involved in the start-to-finish process of accomplishing the task

We’re all a work-in-progress but it doesn’t have to take years or even weeks to make a change to the thought patterns that slow us down. In the words of cancer survivor Michael Johnson: Today is tomorrow’s yesterday.

Don’t want to tackle your procrastination alone? Get an “accountability partner” to help keep you on the track you want to be on: Hire a coach, talk with a mentor, or buddy up with a trusted friend or family member. And don’t put it off until tomorrow!