2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43
Recently, procrastination has become a pressing problem. Many people complain that they lack the strength to complete certain tasks. They see the problem in the lack of willpower, lack of motivation, which leads to a constant search for inspiration, "tightening the screws" and tightening the framework of self-control. So what exactly is procrastination, who is the type of constant postponement, and what to do about it?
Responsible people who take on increased responsibility tend to procrastinate. There are many perfectionists among procrastinators (“do it perfectly, or not do it at all”). Procrastination occurs in busy people who do not have enough time to complete tasks, people with increased demands on themselves. As paradoxical as it sounds, procrastinators are productivity-oriented. The peak of procrastination occurs when there is a conflict between needs and opportunities.
The most common forms of procrastination include:
· Household (prolonged repairs, postponing cleaning around the house, unpaid bills, a household appliance broken last year that cannot wait for repairs, etc.);
Neurotic (manifests itself as avoidance of decision-making - discussion of action without transition to action);
· Academic (incomplete education, study arrears, emergency preparation for exams).
The root of procrastination is multidirectional parenting styles (strictness and gentleness on the part of the parents at the same time; the prerequisites for procrastination are laid when the child learns that some clear rule formulated by the parents can be canceled by them).
Procrastinators find it difficult to determine their true desires. A lot of time and effort is spent on doing what you really don't want. They are characterized by an increased tendency to agree and accept information when they do not want to do something. But, unfortunately, human resources are not unlimited, so people do not always have enough strength, time and desire to fulfill all their obligations. What does the procrastinator do in this case? Tries to cope with procrastination by tightening the structure, rigid planning, increasing the already high demands on himself, which only aggravates the situation. You can often hear from procrastinators that they are weak-willed people, that they need constant control and strong will.
Plunging into the fast pace of modern life, people are forced to constantly achieve something, to chase after something, not giving themselves rest. Increasing your efficiency is becoming almost a paramount task. Own needs and desires are ignored for the sake of achievements, improving performance, forcing a person to "jump over his head", which in turn leads to the appearance of postponement - there are too many tasks, and at the same time there is growing guilt for not fulfilling them.
How to deal with procrastination?
Anti-diary principle. Procrastinators tend to take on more than they can do, it is difficult for them to prioritize (everything is important and urgent for them). Failure to do things causes a feeling of guilt, which in turn leads to an increase in the load as a "punishment" (this is how "compensatory affairs" appear in the procrastinator's life - he did not wash the dishes, but transplanted flowers).
A procrastinator does not mean a bum. Those who like to postpone things until tomorrow actually do a lot of work (which does not always lead to a result and often resembles marking time). A procrastinator should plan a vacation: set aside a day of the week or a part of the day when you can stop rushing, not think about deadlines and restore resources.
A rigid, clear deadline will also help the procrastinator. It is worth developing a rule in yourself that the deadlines cannot be canceled.
Avoiding lengthy preparation will be helpful. In this case, compensatory impulsive actions are performed that do not lead to a result (I was engaged in preparation all day, but I did not advance towards the goal). The main point is immersion in activity without hesitation, which leads to a renewed motivation.
Familiar to everyone, but actually useful advice not to postpone a difficult task until later, will also be relevant for procrastinators. As you do small and simple tasks, the complex and difficult task will press down more and more, and this in turn slows down the process and encourages procrastination.
The use of the Eisenhower matrix will be useful. Take a piece of paper and divide it into four pieces. Sign each part and divide the tasks into blocks:
· Important urgent matters (do it right now, otherwise it will be too late);
· Important non-urgent (to devote most of the time, useful valuable activities);
• unimportant urgent (matters that can be delegated, other people's affairs, duties, routine, social work);
· Unimportant non-urgent (a pointless waste of time, these cases can be abandoned).
This sort of assignment will help you prioritize. Cleaning your to-do lists will reduce pressure and stress levels.
It is important to specify the goal as specific as possible (“tomorrow I am cleaning the apartment” to replace “tomorrow after work I wash the floor, wash the curtains and wipe the dust”).
Bulky targets are fatal to procrastinators, so it makes sense to break them down into smaller pieces. The task, which is often broken down into sub-points, is the basis for successful implementation ("the quieter you go, the further you will be").
About bulky goals.
Often you can hear the following from prokristinators: "I am doing some kind of ernuda instead of doing something important!" In this case, it seems to people that they are constantly postponing something weighty and urgent.
What to do in this case? Concretize. Ask yourself (or a procrastinator you know) the question: "What exactly are you procrastinating?" A clear, concrete answer must be given to this question. If the answer was not found, then you should not worry about constantly postponing. It is worth looking for business and meaning.
Whether you are prone to procrastination or not, make it a rule to keep track of your true desires and periodically filter your commitments.
