Are You A Procrastinator?
Posted on May 27, 2012 by Anahi Ortiz, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
You don't have to have ADHD/ADD to be plagued by procrastination! So, what can you do about it?
Procrastination is not only an issue for those with ADHD/ADD; many of us have a recurring problem with procrastination! For those with ADHD/ADD, procrastination can be the result of cognitive avoidance or deliberately postponing tasks because you can focus more easily when you are closer to the deadline. Or, as with many of us, it can result from perfectionistic expectations for the final product. So why do we procrastinate?• Perfectionism or fear of negative evaluation for a less than perfect product
• Difficulty getting started unless there is a time pressure
• The overwhelming nature of the issue
• Difficulty finding a starting point
• Unattractive nature of the tasks
• The thought that it makes sense to wait when there is enough time
Basically, by procrastinating you are avoiding negative feelings. However the consequences may cause you more distress! Some of the consequences may be:
• Stress related to waiting till the last minute
• The task, which is already unattractive, now seems even worse
• The risk of missing a deadline
• Tendency to feel worse about yourself afterwards
• The final product may end up not as good as it could have been
How many of these do you recognize? Now, what can you do to decrease the stress? First of all list the situation contributing to the procrastination – write it down. Then list your automatic thoughts regarding the task and identify the feeling connected to them. Are you afraid? Bored? Etc. Next try to think of a rational response to these thoughts.
Once you have figures out what is holding you back or causing the procrastination you can come up with a specific plan. For example, maybe you realized that your goal is unreasonable. Now you can break it down to a reasonable goal or set of goals with specific timelines and associated action steps.
I think the most important step here is to find out why you are procrastinating and many times this will solve the problem. If you find you have a real problem you cannot handle with procrastination please contact me at info@ao-coachandorganizer.com or call 614 565 5538. .
