What We Wish We Knew About Procrastination
“Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn’t the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment.”
Preamble
My colleague and I were having a conversation. She has a habit of cleaning her house daily. On weekends, she does thorough cleaning. On the surface, this is good. However, this is what I struggle with; why clean a house when you are fatigued? Why can’t the task wait? I call it imprudence. She calls it procrastination.
I make to-do lists. For me, once I write it, there is a high probability it will get done. I do mine on stick-it notes. For long-term projects, I use a visual board. Sometimes, I work through my to-do lists, starting with the easiest task. Other times, I work through it, starting with the most urgent task. If a task is difficult, it takes several days/weeks/months to get off the to-do list. Is this procrastination?
What do some experts say about procrastination?
Ali Schiller and Marissa Boisvert are the co-owners of Accountability Works®, a mindfulness-based coaching company that helps highly driven professionals accomplish their goals without sacrificing their health. They have a five-step process that has provided the structure their clients need to organize and achieve any of their goals.
They say that there are four main types of avoidance archetypes, or procrastinators: the performer, the self-deprecator, the overbooker, and the novelty seeker.
The performer
They typically say: “I work well under pressure.” These procrastinators force themselves to focus by shrinking the time they have to tackle a task. Ali and Marissa say the real reason behind this is perfectionism. If they’re tight on time, there’s no way they do the task to their unreasonably high standards anyway, right? For others, the issue is simply falling back into old patterns and beliefs about 11th-hour saves. They conclude that being in the habit of putting pressure on yourself is not sustainable.
Biggest challenge: Getting started.
Solution: Flip the script and set a start date. When you focus on when you’re going to begin a task — and not when you hope to end it — you’ll take a tremendous amount of pressure off of yourself.
The self-deprecator
They say: “I am so lazy right now”.
They are not lazy. They are just hard on themselves when they don’t get something off their to-do list. Ali and Marissa say this is common with male clients. They blame inaction on laziness or stubbornness rather than admit they are exhausted. What they really need is to be more compassionate with themselves.
Biggest challenge: Taking a break.
Solution: Recharge. Try taking a walk to give yourself space and rebuild your energy.
The overbooker
These say: “I’m so busy”. These are pros at filling up their calendars and are often overwhelmed. Interestingly, Ali and Marissa have noticed that some of the busiest people get the most done. When busyness comes up as an excuse for not doing something, it’s usually a sign of avoidance. Rather than facing a challenge head-on or admitting they don’t want to do something, it’s easier to place the blame on having other important things to do.
Biggest challenge: Creating chaos to avoid facing what you know you need to face right now.
Solution: Take a moment of introspection. Ask yourself: What am I really avoiding?
Finally…
The novelty seeker
They say: “I just had the best idea!” There is a terminal case of Shiny Object Syndrome. They’re constantly coming up with new projects to take on — and then getting bored with them a week later. They’re intrigued by the latest trend and will be quick to implement but not follow through.
They are great at making decisions and taking action. However, they end up inadvertently losing a lot of time and burning out because they don’t take consistent action in one direction long enough to see results. Many entrepreneurs fit into this category.
Biggest challenge: Completion.
Solution: Make it stick. Literally. Write new ideas or projects on a sticky note — but don’t pursue them until you finish what you are currently working on.
So, am I a procrastinator? Is my colleague right about her idea of procrastination?
“Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn’t the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment.”
— Robert Benchley