Procrastinating is incredibly common. Most people find that they would rather put off something they have to do in favor of the activity they need to do, and simply worry about it later when the thing they are putting off is near due.
But why we procrastinate isn’t just about laziness. It’s not even just about instant gratification either. Many things play a role in procrastination, including:
- Engaging in activities that aren’t really interesting.
- Not really thinking about the long term benefits of the activity.
- Feeling overwhelmed too easily without learning stress control.
These are all reasons that people procrastinate, beyond something as simple as “being lazy.” It’s not necessarily a personality characteristic.
What to Do About Procrastination
Although I am a Long Island psychologist, I try to strongly focus on life happiness and life fulfillment. Often that means addressing issues with procrastination, which can hold people back from achieving their goals and maximizing their time. If you want to control your procrastination, consider the following:
- Give Yourself Firm Earlier Deadlines – It’s harder to procrastinate when something is always do. Develop smaller goals on a tighter schedule, and make sure that you stick to reaching those goals.
- Start it Right Away – Once you start avoiding a task, you’ll find yourself continuing to avoid it in the future. That’s why it is recommended that you start on any important task first thing, with no delays. If you delay, you’ll find that you are more likely to avoid the task in the future.
- Find Your Reasons – Explore the value of completing your goals, and make sure you keep those in mind. As mentioned, it’s not uncommon to lose sight of the long term value, which them causes you to favor instant gratification. But the more we can train ourselves to focus on what is possible if we stop procrastinating, the easier it will be to find working on the project less stressful.
In addition, learning stress reduction and motivation strategies can be a good way to control any feeling of being overwhelmed, and those that are focused on happiness often find they learn to be more motivated for all their tasks.
Call Me Today to Get Started
If you believe that your procrastination is holding you back, talking to a Long Island psychologist can help. Give me a call today, and let’s start discussing what it is that is holding you back.
