Can a Procrastinator Become Productive?
We all have those tasks that we just do not want to do. Eventually, though, we’ve got to suck it up and just get things done. Whether it’s in your professional or personal life, procrastinating is normal, but that doesn’t make it healthy. So, can a procrastinator actually become productive? The answer may surprise you!
Why do I procrastinate so much?
We naturally want to avoid discomfort, and when we put something off, it’s generally because the thing we’ve got to do is uncomfortable. Contrary to popular belief, procrastination isn’t a sign of laziness. Instead, it’s a behavior caused by stress or our beliefs. It’s actually a pretty normal human process. That doesn’t make it easier though, and you may feel bad for not being able to stop procrastinating so much.
Procrastination is a stress and emotional regulation challenge, not a problem with your time management. Often, it takes working with a coach or therapist to help you move through those challenges. Sometimes, though, we procrastinate as a way to think through our tasks more and create more space for creativity and innovation. All of that’s to say, procrastination isn’t all bad!
So, take a deep breath. You are not the biggest procrastinator ever, I promise! There can be many reasons why you procrastinate. Let’s break them down.
Procrastination examples
So, what happens when you procrastinate? Obviously, your productivity suffers, as does your self-confidence as a business owner. Procrastination in itself is a pretty amorphous term, so sometimes it’s helpful to have some real life examples of procrastination.
I’ve already talked about being averse to certain tasks. Let’s use household chores as an example. I hate doing laundry. Actually, I hate putting my laundry away. So, I may do other chores instead, like the dishes or bathing the dog. This is a prime example of productive procrastination.
Productive procrastination happens when we procrastinate on something important by going and doing something different. That something different, like the dishes or dog washing in the above example, is still productive. It’s just not the big thing (laundry) that I need to be doing.
Here are some other ways that we procrastinate:
People who are struggling financially will procrastinate paying their bills or checking their bank accounts due to the anxiety that it produces.
When we anticipate something putting us in a bad mood - like making a difficult phone call to a friend who’s angry with us - we’ll put it off.
Perfectionism is also a major challenge for procrastinators. If you’re so set on something being perfect that you don’t finish the projects you need to, it’s a problem.
When you anticipate a task taking a lot of energy or time to get it done, it’s easy to procrastinate.
We all procrastinate. How bad of a procrastinator you are is really based on how often it happens and how much you criticize yourself for it.
We procrastinate for a number of reasons…
Fear, anxiety, perfectionism, and a lack of interest.
Why do you procrastinate?
Procrastination help
You’ve made it this far in the post, so you must want to learn how to prevent procrastination or even how to stop procrastinating today. Here’s the thing: you’ve got to shift your mindset about the tasks before you. This may require the help of a coach or therapist to help you make some headway. In the meantime, here are a few methods to avoid procrastination.
Use the Pomodoro Method. If you’re unfamiliar, the Pomodoro Method is built on the foundation of 25-minute sprints of activity, followed by 5 minutes of rest. A full set of Pomodoros takes you through four rounds of these sprints, followed by a larger break at the end of 30-60 minutes. This is a great technique for getting things done because it gives you a short period of time in which to do focused work.
Prioritize your to-do list. Grab your highlighters or different color pens and write out a list. Highlight the tasks that must be done in a certain color - bright yellow, for example. Make the commitment to mark off one or two of these significant tasks each day.
Don’t be so hard on yourself. We’ve all been there, wanting to stop procrastinating and get things done. If you’re really good at productive procrastination, use that to your advantage. Shift your focus to just five minutes of working on those hefty, intimidating tasks before going on to other tasks. Finish smaller tasks while you procrastinate the bigger ones, and you might be surprised how much you actually get done - and how often you realize that the things you’ve been putting off really aren’t all that horrible after all!
So the answer to the question isn’t whether a procrastinator can become productive, but that you are productive even when you procrastinate. AND…there’s always room for improvement.
If you’re ready for an accountability partner and spiritual business coach who can help you overcome procrastination, let’s talk!