The Cycle of Procrastination
Posted on June 07, 2015 by Toni Cay Snyder, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Is it YOU that prevents you from getting stuff done? Read about the cycle of procrastination, and see if it rings any bells with you.
It’s not always a bad thing to decide to put off doing something. Sometimes we need to wait before beginning a project. Maybe we have to wait until other tasks have been cleared out of the way first. If the project or task requires creative thinking, then the unconscious mind may need time to develop ideas, and forcing creativity will only slow matters down.
However, when the only thing preventing us from getting started is ourselves, our lives are made less efficient, organized, and successful, causing procrastination to work against us.
Most of us have procrastinated at some point. We put off doing what we know we should get done. Some of us can spend hours, days, or weeks avoiding getting something done when it would only take a few moments to complete if we just did it!
There is a cycle of procrastination that most of us go through. See if it rings any bells with you. The cycle goes something like this:
1. There is something you need to do, like writing a paper, cleaning the garage, fixing the sink, doing your taxes, etc.
2. You have the good intention of starting because you know you really should, but then you get a subtle inner feeling of resistance. Maybe it’s a feeling of anxiety about the task because it feels too overwhelming, and you don’t know where to begin. Perhaps you really want to do a good job, but you’re afraid of not being able to do it well. You could be feeling sulky or rebellious, or the task you have to do is boring or difficult. When you think about it, you don’t see why you even have to do it right now. You have plenty of time, right? So the task gets put off as a vague, nonspecific, future event, something you’ll get around to… eventually.
3. Then the old distraction activities kick in, and somehow television, surfing the internet, a phone call to a friend, or a trip to Starbuck’s becomes the priority. At this point in the cycle, we justify our actions by kidding ourselves that there are excellent reasons for these other activities.
4. The pressure starts to build. The deadline approaches. Disappointment, disgust, or impatience with ourselves hits us. The boss or some other outside influence starts to put pressure on. Like many tasks, it becomes more painful NOT to do it than to put it off again. Maybe it has to be handed in tomorrow, or if the taxes aren’t sent tonight, the IRS will find you. You have no choice. The task just has to be completed.
5. Now you are finally doing the task itself. It often turns out to be far easier than all the messing around and avoidance tactics. And when the task is done at last, you feel relief along with a little regret that that you just didn’t do it in the first place. You could have bypassed all of that grief and stress by getting off your backside and taking the first step!
I know, I know. It’s easier said than done sometimes. But why battle with yourself and make each day a struggle?
An inner sense of resistance is at the core of all procrastination. You’ll find that when you learn the tools and techniques to calmly and efficiently get your stuff done, your life becomes easier, more productive, and more fulfilling as a result.
Remember, the best way to get something done is to begin!
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like help releasing your cycle of procrastination so you can move forward and create the life you’ve always wanted!
