Most people procrastinate from time to time. It’s human nature to put off unpleasant tasks. But when you do, you spend time in a state of angst with a cloud hanging over your head. Even if you push away the thought of what you need to do, it’s still there, in the back of your mind, bothering you subconsciously. And while it’s better to just bite the bullet and get the job done, that’s easier said than done.
If you take the time to try and understand why you procrastinate, you have a better chance of reducing your tendency to put things off. And that gives you the gift of less worry in your future. Which will make your happier overall. So see if you identify with any of the following types of procrastinators.
Depressed Procrastinator
Telling a procrastinator to “just get it done,” is like telling a depressed person to “just be happy.” In fact, if you’re depressed, chances are you are more likely to put things off. Even the simplest tasks can become hard work. If you already have a tendency to procrastinate, depression will exacerbate it. If you are both depressed and a procrastinator you will likely find seeking treatment something to put off, which compounds the problem.
Attention Deficit Procrastinator
Procrastination is one of the symptoms of attention deficit disorder. It may really be that you are distracted more than you are putting something off. You may find you begin to do a task but switch to something else on impulse and never complete the original task. You may find it hard to manage your time. Or your organizational skills are lacking and you find it hard to complete what you set out to do.
Fear-of-Failure Procrastinator
If you never get something done you can’t fail at doing it. This is especially true for people who don’t tackle anything outside their comfort zone. There is always a possibility of failure when you’re trying something new or challenging. And procrastination is an escape for people who find they have to be perfect in all things. They paralyze themselves into inaction because they know whatever they do, it won’t be perfect.
Worrier Procrastinator
The worrier is similar to one who fears failure, but the worrier has an added layer of angst. The worrier finds tasks more challenging than they really are. With potential calamity around every corner. The worrier asks “what if” and catalogues every bad thing that could possibly happen, when the truth is, good things could happen, too.
If you spend time procrastinating, you spend time being stressed in some way when you could be using that time to complete the task. Procrastinators steal happiness from their futures. So when you think about the fact that you will be happier the sooner you get an onerous task done, you can motivate yourself to take action.
Nancy Travers is an Orange County Counseling professional. If you need safe, effective counseling services, please get in touch. You can reach her here: https://nancyscounselingcorner.com/contact-us.