It would seem that when you do not need to go to the office, you can use your free time with benefit – for self-development or training. Or do more work without distraction, and then rest.
But many find with regret and surprise that there is less time and more fatigue. Do we really, instead of work, flip through the news feed so much, have snacks or watch birds from the window. Is this procrastination? It looks like yes.
What is procrastination?
When we have to do something, and instead do anything that is not necessary, or just play for time, this is called procrastination. Psychologists refer to most cases of procrastination as unproductive strategies for overcoming discomfort.
We are uncomfortable with the work we have to do, so we avoid that feeling with something that gives us short-term “anesthesia” and pleasure. But the task does not disappear anywhere, and the time is running out, so the discomfort is gradually growing. We either start to work in a panic, or we do another round of procrastination.
Basically, procrastination is really a road to nowhere, because it’s always better to get the work you need done than to delay it until the very end. But, as a rule, we realize this already when the deadline comes.
Therefore, it is important to understand the causes of procrastination in order to eliminate them. And yet – procrastination does not always indicate our disorganization.
What is procrastination?
Procrastination as a strategy of avoidance arises when the task itself causes discomfort: we do not know what, how and why to do it. We are tired or mentally exhausted. Or to work, you need to do things that we don’t like very much, for example, call someone or use unfamiliar working methods. When it is too difficult and we are too tense, it will not work to work in a state of “flow”, or at least just concentrate on completing tasks step by step.
What to do about procrastination?
First of all, deal with motivation. Ask yourself what this job will give us: money, appreciation, self-respect, comfort (food, cleanliness), and also release from an unpleasant situation of conflict with colleagues or customers. We have to imagine how good it will be when we finally do this. A clear understanding of the future reward activates the so-called dopamine circuits in the brain and thus puts pressure on the “pedals” of motivation.
It may be that there will be no reason to do something at all. If we constantly feel the urge to run away from work, perhaps it really should be done once and for all. Change the field of activity. But only on condition that instead of her we find what we really want to do and that will help us to provide for ourselves. Quitting your job as an accountant to watch TV shows is not an option. An option is to become a business consultant, for example.
It also happens when our brain is not sure that the process of work will end with a reward. This happens when the task is difficult, we do not know for sure what to do, and there is no need to wait for help. The brain simulates the situation for itself: “Now I will be banging against the wall for a long time, and then nothing will work out anyway, and I will feel like nothing. I’d better make a cake and be good. ” We ourselves are looking for something that is guaranteed to give a dose of dopamine and other mediators.
But the problem is that the task will still not disappear anywhere. And you still have to look for help from colleagues or on the Internet. Only after making the cake and late at night.
What to do in this case? To motivate oneself not so much with success as with future release from the burden and new experience: “Yes, it will be difficult, but next time it will be easier, and soon it will all end.”
There are other cases of procrastination. If it is accompanied by creative thinking, and we are talking about work that just needs to be taken and done from start to finish. The pauses and distractions that accompany task pondering are helpful. Useful ideas often appear during other activities, and especially walking and jogging, and not while sitting at the table [2].
What are procrastinators?
All people are different, each has its own story.
- Perfectionists . Fear of imperfection makes you avoid future discomfort by any means. Such people prefer to do everything “perfectly”, or not to do it at all.
- Neurotics . People who are prone to procrastination do not always clearly understand what exactly, how long and why they are doing something now, and how they feel about it. As a rule, they have very low self-esteem.
- Inclined to automatism . Such people tend to have obsessive (automatic) thoughts. Which arise constantly in the head as if by themselves: “everything is enough”, “I want to go home”, as well as automatisms related to work (“what a boredom”, “I want to free myself”, “I won’t succeed”, etc.). This is known to everyone who has delayed work at least once.
Such automatic thoughts should be the target of procrastination therapy. We must question them: “Could this problem be interesting?”, “Why did I decide that I would not succeed?” etc.
When we constantly think about the same thing, this process is called “rumination” (literally, “chewing”). We seem to be in captivity of a constant set of thoughts, we cannot find a solution or leave this vicious circle to go about our current affairs [1].
Rumination is one of the manifestations and enhancers of depression and anxiety, as well as stress. Thoughts about complexity, problems, self-doubt parasitize in our minds, increase the already existing anxiety, and postpone work even more. We can think about money, relationships, health, economics and get more and more upset, worry, convince ourselves that everything is hopeless (everything can really be serious, no one devalues the problems that cause stress), and thus procrastinate – wasting time and energy. self-confidence [3,4].
In this case, it will not help to say to yourself “pull yourself together” or read about time management. We need to figure out (on our own or with a mental health professional) what the systematic problem of our procrastination is, and fix it. Overcome anxiety itself, depressive disorder, stress.
In the case of procrastination complicated by anxiety or stress, some self-empathy will help. But in the format of encouragement, not pity. Better to say to yourself, “Well, yes, it’s hard for me now. I want to rest, calm down and admit that I feel bad. But I will do this job and be proud of myself, and then I will rest. And now I need to eat (warm my legs, turn on the music, etc.) and work on. ”
On the other hand, it should be realized that in such a situation, work can be quite good therapy in itself. You understand that if you are experiencing severe stress, frustration, anxiety, then you can cling to work, like a lifeline, and do it step by step. Focus on it, track progress, make sure that there is definitely less left than it was, and thus find protection and comfort in this. There may not be a “flow”, it is worth accepting, but you can simply “hammer this rock.
