Theories abound as to the causes of procrastination:
- Fear of failure -- Fear of failure can be paralyzing. If you have an anxiety disorder, you may even convince yourself that failing at a small task will result in devastating consequences.
- Fear of success -- Success should be a positive situation. Some people worry, though, that they will set too high standards for themselves if they complete a task successfully.
- Perfectionism -- A perfectionist often thinks, "Why do something if it can't be done perfectly?" Perfectionism may result in well-done tasks. Unfortunately, it may also lead to an inability to start or finish tasks.
- Boredom -- Perhaps you just aren't interested in the task. How do you motivate yourself to do something you dislike?
- Anger -- Maybe you're angry at your spouse who happens to want you to mow the lawn, so you put it off. Procrastination can be an unhealthy way of responding to a problem in a relationship.
- Lack of skills or information -- You don't start because you can't, and you're afraid to let someone know.
- Poor health -- You're tired. You're ill. You have a headache. These are rational reasons for putting a task on hold. However, be sure to make a time to get back to it or designate it to someone else.
- Distractions -- Distractions may be mental (you're mourning the loss of a loved one) or environmental (your neighbor is playing loud music) or physical (you're too hungry to concentrate).
- Task seems too large -- You're too overwhelmed to know where to start.
In Procrastination, Bill Heavy identifies six types of procrastinators: Dreamers, Worriers, Defiers, Crisis Makers, Perfectionists, and Overdoers, which he summarizes from Dr. Linda Sapadin's It's about Time! The 6 Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them. Each of these types encompasses one or more of the causes of procrastination listed earlier in this article, and Heavy provides solutions for each. As Heavy states, "The psychological underpinnings of procrastination are rooted in fear. Most procrastinators think they are just lazy. This is rarely the case, but it is easier to think that than discover and deal with underlying fears."
If you doubt the effects of procrastination on stress levels, consider a study by D.M. Tice and R.F. Baumeister (reported in Psychological Science 1997, 18, 454-458). The researchers studied the effects of procrastination on health and stress levels among college students in a health psychology course. Although those who procrastinated started the semester with lower stress levels and better health than non-procrastinators, the procrastinators ended up with worse stress levels and health by the end of the semester. Additionally, overall, procrastinators rated worse stress levels and health than non-procrastinators. As the article states, "In the long run, dawdling seems to be self-defeating."
If procrastination is a problem for you, you might want to take a look through these Procrastination Resources. However, you might also want to look beyond the time management and organization advice you'll receive via these links, and really think about why you're holding back. Procrastination may even be keeping you from moving forward in your recovery. So, think about it. Discuss it with your therapist. Write about it. And do something. Today.
