Overcoming Procrastination

Do you find yourself routinely putting off tasks, some of which you would really like to accomplish but for whatever reason seem to never be in the mood to do them? You are not alone.

by eHarmony Staff

If you find yourself routinely putting off tasks, some of which you would really like to accomplish but for whatever reason seem to never "be in the mood" to do them, you are not alone. With nearly 15-20 percent of the population reporting regular procrastination in everything from diet and exercise lifestyle changes and financial tasks like paying bills and filing taxes, to simple tasks like doing the dishes and cleaning, it can seem sometimes feel as though the fast pace of modern life renders a to-do list more like a wish list.

But there’s more to procrastination than simply having many tasks to complete. In fact, procrastination has to do more with personal inefficiency caused by lack of self-control, potential feelings of inadequacy and a relatively impulsive disposition rather than an overflowing task list. Fortunately, by getting an understanding of what procrastination is and its causes, and then employing a few simple strategies based on your personal procrastination style, you’ll be able to help yourself get done today what should have gotten done yesterday. (Or maybe two months ago...)

Are You a Procrastinator?

Nearly everyone will admit to procrastinating at least once, but a procrastinator is one with a chronic habit of putting off different goals and tasks to his or her disadvantage, no matter whether the task is one that can help further health or career, or is a simple, but necessary task not usually enjoyed such as cleaning or paying bills. Choosing one behavioral choice or task over another with the full knowledge that the avoided task is more in your self interest to complete than to avoid defines a procrastinator.

To others who do not put off tasks in these situations, procrastination may seem illogical—why would anyone want to self-sabotage efforts that would benefit his or her life? But to a classic procrastinator, the moment even the most desired goal becomes too overwhelming in the "now," somehow the ends never seem enticing enough to justify the means to get there, and so it is put off for a later date; sometimes specific ("I’ll start the beginning of next week or next month") and sometimes vague ("I’ll think about it later when the stress of my current life situation passes").

Why Do People Procrastinate?

Procrastination occurs most often because how a person thinks and feels today is much more important than that person’s perception of tomorrow. Delaying the "start date" to a later time reduces the immediate stress that a procrastinator feels, and that brings a temporary sense of relief and enjoyment. If you are a procrastinator, perhaps you’ve even heard yourself say statements like, "I just don’t feel motivated today; I don’t know why." Then a task whose benefits far outweigh avoiding it is postponed until a later date when you expect that you will "feel more like doing it."

Extraverted (relatively to extremely outgoing, likes to process information by talking aloud or "hearing oneself think"), impulsive (likes the thrill of variety and new ideas, events or occurrences) and anxious (worrisome) personality types are more likely to procrastinate than others. And even though there are similar traits found among procrastinators, each person has a unique balance of traits that point to his or her own personal motivation. This year, top procrastination researcher Piers Steel published a formula that included the following traits that are common to all procrastinators in different amounts:

• Expectancy—what do you think you will get out of completing the task?
• Value—how much you value the end goal versus your present situation?
• Sensitivity to delay—how impulsive and easily distracted are you?
• Delay—how long will you delay a task?

Why Procrastination is Bad for Your Health