The Reasons we Procrastinate and How to Stop

Originally published on Cleopatra's Worldwide

One of the great enemies of achievement, the tendency to procrastinate is a very genuine challenge and not something to be embarrassed about or seen as a personal weakness. Procrastination comes when you have this frustrating feeling that while you know you want to have done something, there are a million other ways to spend your time than in the doing.

Whether it's a website you've been meaning to create, a book you wanted to write, improving on the piano, or reorganising your wardrobe, lack of time is no longer a reason not to actually deliver on something. But while we may have been gifted some time, we may still be finding ourselves in a state of perpetual procrastination.

In his brilliant book on the challenges of the creative process, Stephen Pressfield gives procrastination an alternative guise: "resistance". Your mind and body genuinely are resisting doing the work for whatever it is you want to do.

As is perhaps helpful, I'll first tell you a bit about me and why I feel qualified to tackle this subject. I have a full time job in marketing at one of the most famous brands in the world. I run an online publication, for which I write but also edit and review submissions. I have a podcast with new episodes weekly, which I host and also edit working with a support team of four. I DJ, which includes a weekly residency and events. And I'm writing a book. With all these things going on, I do not have a lot of time to procrastinate.

There are three fundamental reasons we procrastinate. Sometimes it's a combination of all three, sometimes just one.

Reason One: Fear

We tend to think of fear as something rational, protecting us from handling dangerous animals or walking near the edge of tall buildings. In our daily life though much of our fear is quite irrational and therefore limiting. So often we put off doing something because we're afraid that when we do it, we won't get the result we want.

Say you've seen your dream job online — you can put off applying because you're scared your application won't be good enough. Or say you like the idea of being a successful content creator but you know there's also a possibility that no one will love your videos. That idea is scary and it's much safer never to create the content in the first place.

"You have to care about your work but not about the result. You have to care about how good you are and how good you feel, but not about how good people think you are or how good people think you look." — Amy Poehler

Start seeing the doing as the most important bit and any results as a "nice-to-have".

Reason Two: Lack of Specificity

The second major cause for procrastinating is that you aren't specific enough about what you should be doing with the time you have. You may know ultimately where you want to get to but not know exactly what you need to be doing right now to make the journey.

When I first started trying to overcome my personal blockers, I was inspired by certain writers, so despite not necessarily wanting to be a writer, I just started writing on a simple blog. I didn't tell any of my friends or family what I was doing. The process of having a specific task helped me start to find my way.

Reason Three: Laziness

The third and final reason — and if you're the one not looking for a life-changing move but simply putting off doing your taxes, this is you. You're procrastinating out of laziness.

It's OK to be lazy. The difference is, high achievers only allow laziness when they've earned it. Going for a walk or a run activates your system. Putting on jeans instead of leggings and playing specific music can also really help. Work with your body clock. If you know your enthusiasm wanes throughout the day, get up earlier and use the morning.

If you're procrastinating out of fear or uncertainty, then get to the core of that and your resistance will ease away. If it's laziness then it's on you to either abandon your dreams or to not accept laziness as a trait in yourself.

Either way, I hope this helps.

Blessings,

Lex x