There are masses of management and self-help books out there on procrastination, yet it remains a perennial issue for most people. We sometimes just do not do what we know would benefit us if we were to do it!
Does that mean that all the suggested solutions are ineffective or that procrastination is an intrinsic and insoluble flaw in human nature?
Certainly it's too complex a subject to suggest a simple universal remedy - if people could 'just do it', they probably would. And there are many useful insights and practices that are of practical benefit, offering a variety of ways to deal with the complexities of this perennial issue.
So here is a quick review of some current thinking and resources on the subject, with ideas and theories to stimulate your curiosity to look beneath the surface, and practical strategies to move you forward ... if you get around to reading it, that is!
The causes of procrastination
Carmine Coyote suggests that the reason most solutions don't work is that they address the symptoms rather than the cause of procrastination. She suggests that there are two generic causes:
- personal reasons such as disorganisation, waiting for inspiration, simple laziness and the 'macho posturing' of delaying until the eleventh hour before deadlines.
- organisational causes such as impossible goals / crazy expectations, inadequate resources and training, excessive uncertainty and indecision on the part of leaders.
Social, cultural and emotional dimensions also influence procrastination, say Jane Burka and Lenora Juen, who note a strong link between procrastination and perfectionism. Fear is often identified as a core factor. For example, fear of:
- failure (what if I do my best and it's not good enough)
- criticism (fear of negative evaluation, often an imprint from childhood)
- success (what if I have to adjust my self-image and cope with the consequences of being successful)
- upsetting others (what if I do this and others are jealous)
- being controlled (if I don't do this, I show that I'm in control and can't be forced)
- the unknown (better the devil I know...)
Posponement vs procrastination
In her book 'Isn't it About Time?' Andrea Perry distinguishes between procrastination (which she maintains is always about avoidance) and postponing doing something, which is about deciding to do something at a later time, for a clear and rational reason. The two are qualitatively different.
Action spiral
Perry identifies a five step action spiral and claims you can procrastinate at any of the stages. Can you recognise below the point(s) where you tend to get stuck?
- Becoming aware of what you want or need to do
- Exploring and experimenting - planning and getting ready
- Choosing what you're going to do and getting involved in it
- Completing what you set out to do
- Pausing, taking a break and reflecting on what you've achieved
Realistic techniques to make a start
Burka and Juen suggest using some key techniques to start a methodical move forwards:
- Observable goals - visualise yourself doing specific actions towards your outcome
- Small steps - break down large tasks into realistic chunks
- Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be done
- Reward yourself - just for doing it, not for doing it to some goldmark standard
- Avoid excuses - learn to notice when you're making excuses and take action instead
- Expect setbacks - they're normal, not reason to stop altogether
- Use the next 15 minutes - you don't have to do it all at once, just take one step now
- Don't wait until you feel like it - that time will probably never come
- Make a public commitment - have a witness to what you're doing
"If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it."Olin Miller