7 Reasons Why We Procrastinate

Norman Vincent Peale said “The really happy people are those who have broken the chains of procrastination, those who find satisfaction in doing the job at hand. They’re full of eagerness, zest, productivity. You can be, too.”

According to research Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. They don’t pay their bills on time and leave Christmas shopping until Christmas Eve. This is a learned behavior and therefore can be unlearned.

However, some of us who think we are procrastinators are really not. In a world of unending deadlines, they just put too many things on their “To Do” list. They’re not avoiding tasks, the mark of a bona fide procrastinator; they’re getting things done, just not as many as they would like.

In the book, 59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot, Richard Wiseman writes about the why we procrastinate and what we can do about it.

7 Reasons Why We Procrastinate

According to Wiseman, here are a few of the key reasons why we procrastinate:

1. A Tendency to see projects as a whole, rather than breaking them down into smaller parts.
2. Being prone to boredom.
3. Fear of failure.
4. Inability to estimate how long it takes to do things
5. Low levels of self-control.
6. Perfectionism.
7. The feeling that life is too short to worry about seemingly unimportant tasks

Work on Things for “Just a Few Minutes”

Is there a solution to the problem of procrastination? The Ziegarnik Effect says our brains hold on to unfinished tasks.  In other words, we like to finish what we start.  Here is what Wiseman has to say, about the research:

“Procrastinators frequently put off starting certain activities because they are overwhelmed by the size of the job in front of them.  However, if they can be persuaded, or can persuade themselves, to work on the activity for ‘just a few minutes,’ they often feel an urge to see it through to completion.  Research shows that the ‘just a few minutes’ rule is a highly effective way of beating procrastination and could help people finish the most arduous of tasks.  It is also a perfect application of Zeigarnik’s work – those few minutes of initial activity create an anxious brain that refuses to rest until the job is finished.”

I must admit I have tried this technique a number of times and have to say that it really does work. I have also recommended many of the learners on my courses to test it out too, with amazing results, from cleaning out wardrobes to applying for a new job.

Dr Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago recommends these strategies for reducing procrastination – which are great strategies for work projects:

1. Make a list of everything you have to do.

2. Write a statement of intention.

3. Set realistic goals.

4. Break it down into specific tasks.

5. Make your task meaningful.

6. Promise yourself a reward.

7. Eliminate tasks you never plan to do. Be honest!

8. Estimate the amount of time you think it will take you to complete a task. mapthai Then increase the amount by 100%.

What can you work on for “just a few minutes” that might change your life?

Want to learn more about how to stop procrastinating ? Why not come along to our Conscious living workshop on the 26th Sept 2015. http://www.effectiveliving.co.uk/2015/09/08/how-conscious-living-changed-my-life-and-how-it-can-change-yours-too/#more-749

Ref: https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200310/ending-procrastination

http://http://www.sourcesofinsight.com/why-do-we-procrastinate/