PROCRASTINATION IS NOT LAZINESS. HERE’S WHY.
We all fall prey to it from time to time - some more than others. And for about 20% of us, it’s a chronic behavior. By definition, procrastination is the habit of delaying any task or project - usually the ones we dread most. And even though these feelings of dread are unfounded – they happen before we’ve begun the task! – our brains leap to a state of fear and defeat as we anticipate all the possible hurdles, instead of pausing long enough to process logical steps and a practical roadmap to get us off the starting block. Yet beat ourselves up as we may, this complex phenomenon some experts call habitual hesitation does not mean you’re lazy.
Psychology professor Joseph Ferrari of DePaul University is a well-known expert on the subject, and the author of Still Procrastinating? and The No Regrets Guide to Getting it Done. He says procrastination is an emotional gap that occurs between our intentions and our actions – a common human reaction that stems from feelings of anxiety, self-doubt and fear. “Procrastination is not a form of laziness at all,” Ferrari says. “It’s a complex emotional coping mechanism.”
“Procrastination is not a form of laziness at all, it’s a complex emotional coping mechanism.”
FROM AWARENESS TO ACTION. REVERSING OUR STRESS.
So we’re not prone to laziness! Let us all breathe a sigh of relief and be grateful. Equally happy news is that this habitual behavior is reversible. The practice of mindset shifting and a few small action steps can literally move us from feelings to action. And then each time these feelings of dread and overwhelm return, we can repeat the same steps and reset our mind to more positive thoughts and productive action. At Upways Coaching our Stress Correction Steps are a core component of our breakthrough coaching program. Here’s a look at how it works.
STEP ONE: ASSESS YOUR FEELINGS.
The first step we take for stress correction is to discuss the specific feelings a client is experiencing in tandem with their procrastination cycle. Fear of failure, uncertainty, self-doubt, anxiety and overwhelm are among the most common emotions expressed.
Once we’re clear on the disruptive emotions, we start the process designed to clear them and gradually shift our mind from a feeling-based to an action-based focus. This stress correction process has helped many of our clients make this profound and healthy shift.
STEP TWO: BEGIN THE MINDSHIFT STEPS.
Name the job and set the deadline. We begin with the end in mind and give a name to the project or task at hand and ask the client to set a firm job completion date, unless a deadline is already in place.
The detailed list. They’ve shared their feelings and named the task. With this next step our clients are rolling! Creating a detailed list of every task and an appx. play-by-play timeline, a more vivid process starts coming into view, with a realistic schedule to accompany it.
Take bite-sized actions. Regardless of your project size, breaking it down into smaller bites or subgoals and setting benchmark deadlines for each will vastly improve the quality and clarity of the project – and your general state of emotional comfort - from beginning to end. “Enjoying the process” has never been truer!
Feelings check-ins. Those occasional tinges of dread and self-doubt will still pop up now and then; remember we’re still in practice mode and are teaching our brains a new pathway. It’s this process of calmly and methodically walking out every step we have outlined towards our end date, and the completion of each subgoal, that starts to build our self-confidence, reduce our anxieties, and subdue those sensations of overwhelm that still fight to be front and center in our lives. With each new step we carry out, we are literally building a new mind path of greater clarity and certainty. It’s a mindset gamechanger!
Mini mind breaks. This is just what it says. Countless studies have shown that when we take frequent breaks throughout each day – from 5-30 minutes – it gives our mind a chance to rest and reset and our bodies a chance to move! Sounds so simple right? It’s in fact essential.
YOUR DOUBTS CREATE MOUNTAINS. YOUR ACTIONS MOVE THEM!
Fear and uncertainty is a part of life. Anxiety and overwhelm will come and go. The important thing to remember is that procrastination is not laziness; it’s just a coping mechanism. It’s a habit you can recognize and replace with a more positive mindset and intentional steps to get you moving ahead. More action, less stress.
As one of my favorite thought leaders, Mel Robbins, rightfully reminds us, “You’re doubts create mountains. Your actions move them.”
And it was one of history’s greatest political philosophers and civil rights leaders, the prominent Martin Luther King, Jr. who famously said, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.”
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.”
ADDITIONAL JUMP STARTERS
Eisenhower Decision Matrix. President Dwight Eisenhower himself developed the concept behind what would later be called the Eisenhower Matrix. He used it to help him prioritize and deal with the many high-stakes issues he faced as a US Army general, then as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Forces, and eventually as president of the United States.
Hire an accountability coach. Our family and friends can be helpful supporters, but they have their own busy lives to focus on too. If you are ready to be free from the confines of procrastination, we invite you to contact us at try.upways.co and sign up for two complimentary coaching sessions and see if we feel like a fit!
