Often it tends to link procrastination with laziness when doing a task. However, reality is usually far from thatand the effort to postpone tasks It is related with problems in emotions management that occur in situations of stress, anxiety, rebellion or simply boredom.
The writer and time management expert Elizabeth Grace Saundersrecommend in an article published in Fastcompany Analyze what is causing that rejection of doing a certain task will help you find an escape and face it before It is too late.
Anxiety: just thinking about the task already scares you
Before a complicated or tedious project, the simple thought of having to face that challenge can already make you avoid doing it, even knowing that it is A self -deceptionand that in the end you will have to do it equally, but with the added component of the anxiety for not arriving in time.
In short, the fear and anxiety that generates a task that produces insecurity because you do not know if you are going to be able to do it, it already blocks you to face it again and, subconsciously, the Brain tries to avoid it at any cost.
In these cases, the key is to keep in mind that the anxiety generated by the task will not do anything other than increase as the deadline expires. It will not disappear until you finish it.
A strategy to face that initial blockage can be the become your own assistant. Dedicating some time every day to prepare the material, data or documents you need for the task can help reduce the emotional resistance of starting the process.
If you have never done a similar project before, maybe talk to a partner who has done so to know how he faced it, or ask for some idea to AI tools.
If you have already done something similar in the past, but it did not fully work out and the fear of failing is blocking you, think about what mistakes you made and how you can improve the work you did on that occasion. The simple fact of performing proactive actions to face the task already puts you on the path of reducing the uncertainty and anxiety that generates you.
Rebellion: Do not align with the task
Sometimes, procrastination appears When you do not align with a task. For example, when you have been commissioned to make a certain project that you think is the wrong or that it is not the best solution, but you also have to do it because they have ordered you and it is your work.
Gretchen Rubin, author of the book ‘The four trends’recommend aligning that task that, by rebellion, you refuse to do, with some value of your identity. For example, to think that, even if you believe that it will not serve anything, it is part of your responsibility and your work ethics prevents you from doing something mediocre or directly, badly done on purpose, when you knew how to do it well.
That change of approach links a task that is perceived negatively as something “that force you” to do, to something you “want to do” because you are a responsible professional … even if you do not agree with it.
Boredom: nothing motivates you to start the task
He boredom It can also be an activator that leads to the postponement of tasks, just like curiosity can be the engine that leads you to start others. The emotional component in this case, is closely linked to the motivation you feel to do that task. If it is a tedious task, or that you perceive of little importance, your brain may prefer not to do it.
One way to face it is context That justify why it should be done. An obvious is: if I do not do this task they will say goodbye. But that is an extreme case. For example, even if it is a tedious task to enter data into a Excelthat work can be very important for your colleagues or as a tool for your company.
Habits expert James Clear, author of ‘Atomic habits‘ Point out That, “if you have a hard time maintaining a habit because you think you are a discomfort, choose a different version of that habit. Each person likes different things. Find the most pleasant version of each habit you practice. Make your habits fun.”
This, extrapolated to initiate a task that you consider boring consists of find a way to liven up. An option can be, for example, listen to some music or a podcast while doing the task. The association of a pleasant activity with a monotonous or boring causes the second to become less heavy.
Another alternative that proposes Kirsten Milliken, psychologist and author of the book ‘Playdhd‘is to apply the Gamification to the task.
This strategy consists of set small challenges Let the task more interesting. A kind of game in the form of play that takes you to its completion. How many data are you able to enter a certain period of time? How can you optimize the task to eliminate steps and do it faster or less effort?
The objective, in short, is to disconnect the sensation of tedium and boredom of that concrete task. In this way, you will not respond when Have to do itbut you will see it as an occasion to listen to the last episode of your favorite podcast or review the songs of your playlist.
Image | Unspash (Johnny Cohen, The Drink)