“Last Netflix Episode & I will sleep”, “Just after this game I will go back & study”, “Oh, 5 more minutes of what’s app and I will finish my chores” ”As soon as I finish this easy task I will take that up” Do you catch yourself amidst this conversation? Is it often a You-are-Lazy tag or not-responsible s-tag? Aah! A classic vicious cycle of delay & avoidance: Procrastination.
But hey! Did you know, everyone procrastinates at some point or the other. What matters is how often, and do we choose to do anything about it? Well, it’s time to stop allowing your days to be stolen by busy nothingness.
Perfection, Fear or Judgement?
Procrastination is directly linked to perfection. We often fear that we will fail & our result won’t be perfect. Remind yourself why did we originally want to do the task. Detaching yourself from the outcome & keeping the focus is helpful
We often push a task when we don’t like it or find it challenging. The effort & our likes-dislikes can be blocking. Observe & figure out what you are telling yourself. A challenge can be tough as it pushes you out of your comfort zone. But hey- no pain, no gain. Change that self-talk.
Just as there is a fear of failure, we are also afraid of success. Oh Yes! We often feel the increased pressure to perform. We worry about not being able to live up to the expectations that are now set. This would be a good time to remind yourself of all your past achievements, your strengths & all the people who have been supportive unconditionally.
Social Approval & Validation are the biggest thieves of your abilities. Yes, many of us fear being judged & fear social rejection. This leads to a high social anxiety. Well! We are not what others think we are. Other’s may influence us, but we are not what others define us to be. We need to believe we are way more valuable & precious.
What is your reason to put that task away? As they say, any excuse is still an excuse. At the end of the day, it is always a choice if we want to make that tiny little change or just live with it. It can get tough but who says life must be easy. A little challenge, a little lets-push-around-a-little-bit can always be an interesting mix to spice up our life.
So level up. List, prioritize & plan to choose 1 task. Break it into mini goals. Finish it now if it takes less than 2 minutes. Stack it with your routine & reward yourself for smallest of success. Happy Working!
