8 Reasons Why You Always Procrastinate
Procrastination is not utterly a bad thing and it’s okay to procrastinate from time to time. However, constant feeling of procrastination can cause a lot of anxiety, stress and even depression. I know perfectly well what I need to do and what my responsibilities are, but I still wait till the last minute when the deadline is awfully close and such a situation recurs over and over again. To solve the problem it’s necessary to find the reason. Every problem has its prime cause and procrastination is no exception. After long considerations and observations I have found that procrastination may be caused by several main reasons:
1. The wrong job
If you wake up with a sickening feeling each time you have to go to work, no wonder you are procrastinating. I strongly believe that you can hardly do your job well if you aren’t passionate about what you’re doing. People who are enthusiastic about their job can work day and night without the feeling of fatigue and weakness. Perhaps you should think about changing your job.
2. Lots of unpleasant and difficult tasks
I really love my job, but sometimes I’m so overwhelmed with tasks and responsibilities that I just want to give up. I also put off long-term projects, which are rather complicated or unpleasant, while interesting tasks are usually tackled with enthusiasm and eagerness. But even unappealing tasks have to be accomplished. If you have the same problem, try to break the tasks down into smaller parts and deal with each part separately.
3. You are afraid to fail
I’ve always had high standards and I was often called a perfectionist. I can refuse doing a task if I cannot do it impeccably. But such an attitude can cause nothing but avoidance. Whenever I face a difficult task I am paralyzed with excessive demands. I’m afraid to make efforts and fail. The important thing to understand is that we are all human beings and we do make mistakes at times.
4. You are afraid to succeed as well
It sounds weird and it contradicts the previous point, but it’s true. I strongly believe that the better I do the task the more responsibilities I have. When you do your job well, others will have higher expectations about your possibilities and skills. But it means you will have to encounter your true limits and new challenges, which is rather stressful. In this case our subconscious and procrastination guard us against excessive stress.
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5. You can’t set priorities
The ability to set priorities and recognize the most important tasks contributes greatly to your efficacy. But it takes me a lot of time to decide what I should do primarily and what can wait. I often switch from task to task and as result nothing is done at the proper time. The only way out is to make a reasonable plan, rank your tasks in order of importance and stick to it no matter what.
6. You are so distracted
Working remotely means you’re less organized and concentrated. I work from home and I face tons of distractions and temptations like watching TV, checking e-mail or plying with my pets. But even working at office means you have constant temptation to chat with coworkers or play games. In this case you need to organize your working place with minimum distractions and distribute time so that you get your projects done on time.
7. You find it difficult to make decisions
Most of my projects are delayed due to my inability to make decisions. I spend too much time weighing potential options and deciding how to deal with the project. But the ability to make decisions in a timely manner is essential. To combat this problem try to dedicate little time daily to determine your timeline and clear the most important issues. Not only will it help you cope with procrastination, but it will also stir up your potential and creativity.
8. Lack of motivation
While it’s okay with me, lack of motivation is the reason of procrastination for most people. You can be hardly motivated and inspired if you do the job you hate. The wrong job prevents you from recognizing the real reason and purpose of you activity, while purpose is a powerful weapon against procrastination. I never suffer for lack of motivation since I love my job. If you feel differently, perhaps you need to choose another path.
No matter what’s the reason of your procrastination it always leads to the same results: uneasiness, shame, confusion and stress. When nothing is done I can’t relax and I feel guilty because of sitting around. But when I see the reasons of the problem it provides a lot of perspectives on how to deal with procrastination. I know it’s easier said than done, but if you want to tame procrastination you have to take the initiative. Do you suffer from procrastination?
