Postponing important things for later is called. What is Procrastination? Psychology of a Procrastinator. Techniques for dealing with procrastination

You made a lot of plans for the weekend: you need to have time to tidy up, cook dinner, finish the report on work by Monday and finally start studying English - the video course purchased six months ago is gathering dust on the shelf. But Saturday passes, followed by Sunday, and you are sitting at the computer, diligently studying the political situation in distant Syria, or just lying on the couch with a book ... hastily» abstracts for the report, but wave your hand in English: there is no time!

If this has happened to you at least once, then you know firsthand about the phenomenon of procrastination. Sometimes even very purposeful, self-confident people become victims of this “ailment”. True, it quickly passes for them, and they again rush to conquer their Everests with renewed vigor. What is procrastination, if you look at it through the eyes of a psychologist?

A simple lazy person or a mysterious procrastinator?

The term came to us from English-speaking countries. In translation, it means something like this: "postponing."

The procrastinator knows perfectly well that he needs to complete or start specific things (he can even neatly list them in an extensive list), but he does absolutely nothing to achieve this goal.

“Well, this is it!” you exclaim. You are partly right. Procrastination can be compared to laziness in the sense that a person is in no hurry to achieve some goals, preferring to just have fun. However, a true procrastinator is distinguished from an ordinary lazy person by some signs, in particular:

The procrastinator knows that he has to get busy, while the lazy one only talks about it, but in his heart he does not intend to do anything;
The lazy person doesn’t care what will happen if he lies on the couch all day (remember the classic Oblomov), and the procrastinator is tormented by his conscience because of his own weakness of will;
Sometimes a procrastinator can develop a flurry of activity if he feels that “X time” has come, and things stand still. That is, he is able to take control of himself! Perhaps a lazy person can also, but he just doesn’t want to ...

Who is more prone to procrastination? Maybe this is a sign of our difficult times? Yes, not at all! Remember Emelya on the stove from old fairy tales. While Cinderella (they have in the West) busily worked for the future, creating the prerequisites for happy life, our Russian Emelya only dreamed: “But if ... But when I ... I can do everything, I can do everything ...” As a result, I will independently part with comfortable stove he couldn't because he pushed his procrastination to its extreme limits. In other words, he condoned her. In part, perhaps, this is a national character trait, but we will not explain our idleness in this way. Because this is also a sign of procrastination.

Let's start to act. Let's first analyze the reasons that lead to this deplorable phenomenon. Knowing what procrastination is, we will be able to draw up a plan to get rid of this scourge. So why and when does it occur?

Any person who:

prone to;
possesses and does not struggle with it;
suffering;
finally, it does not suffer from anything like that, but simply.

In the first case, a person is too demanding of himself. The roots of this phenomenon lie in childhood. If parents constantly demanded ideal results from a child, and he did not always succeed, he may, as an adult, simply fear that he will not be able to complete the task perfectly, in fact high level. The result is the constant postponing of an important matter for later, replacing it with simple, everyday trifles. As a result, towards the end of life, a person is upset: “I never achieved what I wanted! But he could!

If a person is characterized by low self-esteem, he will also try (and with all his might) to avoid unnecessary difficulties: “Why suffer something? I still can't do it!" Of course, at the same time, he realizes that he should try, at least try, he is tormented by a feeling of guilt ... But he can’t - that’s all! Like a wall in front of him. Here, too, parents could play a significant role, who did not trust the child with serious responsible matters, motivating this by his ineptitude: “You still can’t do it. Come on, I’m better, you won’t succeed.” And over time, the growing child began to believe in it. If it doesn't work, there's no point trying. This is already a direct path to procrastination. True, a grown child should not blame everything on his parents, he needs to take his fate into his own hands.

An increased level of anxiety is characteristic of this type of temperament as a melancholic. Melancholics are extremely responsible, therefore, if they have already taken upon themselves the obligation to complete some task, then, as they say, they will die, but they will do it. However, it is very difficult for them to start this responsible work. As a result, they worry, put things off until later, and then get nervous and in a hurry. The result is too much waste of strength, which melancholics have little from birth.

If a person is chronically tired at work, in household chores, then he also becomes prone to procrastination. He understands that it is necessary to urgently redo a lot of cases, but there is no strength. Procrastination is persistently knocking on the door.

Procrastinators strive for a sense of pleasure, trying to avoid boring and difficult duties. They try to rest at a time when they should be working, but as a result, the balance between work and rest is disturbed, they cannot recover for a long time. This does not lead to anything good: depleted nervous system, since the procrastinator is constantly in suspense, plans collapse, relationships with colleagues and friends are upset, who are forced to state that the procrastinator is violating agreements.

If you recognize yourself in the description of the procrastinator, it's time to think about it. The reason is not always serious enough: sometimes procrastination arises from fatigue and is “cured” by a change in activity and rest. However, if such a state has become almost the norm of life, it is time to sound the alarm. Do you feel how your life flows by itself, as if without your participation, and you manage to do only the most necessary? Are you constantly to someone (and most importantly - to yourself) to blame? So it's time to make a conscious decision to fight procrastination.

There is no need to fight with yourself, it is detrimental to the psyche and peace of mind and is fraught with health problems, but with procrastination, which unceremoniously interferes with your plans, you need to fight a little.

Well, are the goals clear, the tasks set? Get to work, comrades!

Video

An interesting video from the network on the topic of the article:

Greetings readers of the online magazine "site"! Today we will talk about procrastination: what is it in simple words who is called a procrastinator and how to deal with such a phenomenon.

After studying the presented article from beginning to end, you will also learn:

what are the causes, signs and consequences of procrastination;
is it worth the procrastinator to fight it;
what are the best ways to stop procrastinating.

At the end of the publication, we traditionally answer the most popular questions on the topic.

So let's go!

About what procrastination is in simple words, who is a procrastinator, how to stop procrastinating and start acting - read in our publication

1. What is procrastination and who is a procrastinator in simple words - an overview of concepts 🔎 + an example of procrastination 📝

Despite the fact that this phenomenon has always existed, its scientific research began to be engaged relatively recently. Literally concept procrastination (from English. procrastination ) is translated as "delay" or "postponing for tomorrow".

This term first appeared in 1977, then were released 2 scientific publications on this topic. However, in Russia, the study of this concept began only in the middle 2000s years.

Before proceeding to a detailed consideration of the phenomenon, it is important to familiarize yourself with its definitions. So, procrastination - what is it?

From the point of view of science:

✏ procrastination- this is a person's tendency to regularly postpone urgent and important matters, as well as to replace such tasks with extraneous activities.

In simple words:

✏ Under procrastination understand the phenomenon when a person puts off important tasks until later. They can be difficult and unpleasant, but you have to do them anyway.

It turns out that the term "procrastinator" can be given the following definition.

✏ Procrastinator- This is a person who delays the implementation of especially important things as much as possible.

At the same time, he is well aware that such behavior can lead to both professional and personal failures. However, he cannot do anything with himself, continuing to put off an important task for later and replacing its implementation with extraneous matters.

Often the most important activities are delayed by the procrastinator so much that it will be too late to complete them. Often the timing of such cases is hopelessly missed.

Moreover, failure to complete important tasks can lead to serious problems, such as:

worsening financial situation;
other life troubles;
psychological problems.

The procrastinator understands all this very well, but can't help it. He is aware that he needs to complete specific tasks, but usually replaces them with entertainment, as well as household trifles.

Even if you have not heard the term procrastination before, you have almost certainly encountered a similar phenomenon. Many consider people who suffer from this phenomenon to be lazy. But such a definition is fundamentally wrong.

Lazy people usually do nothing, waste time.
Unlike them, procrastinators are always busy doing something. It's just that their activities are usually unproductive and do not lead to self-improvement, increasing the level of security.

Most Full description phenomena can be found in the study of Professor Pierce Steele . He presented the results of his work in a work called "The Procrastination Equation" .

The author is sure that the modern rhythm of life forces a person to constantly postpone various important tasks for later. In his opinion, the root of the problem lies in the fact that many do not have the habit of clearly following their intentions, as well as in personal psychology itself.

📝 An example of procrastination

A typical example of procrastination can be found in the life of every student. For example, the student makes a decision on the day off to proceed with the implementation term paper to be submitted in the near future.

The student turns on the computer and discovers that a lot of letters have accumulated in the mailbox. Some of them require a response, so he decides to parse the mail immediately.
When this business is finished, it turns out that it is time for dinner. However, it needs to be prepared. When the table is already set, it turns out that the bread has run out. The student decides to go shopping.
Leaving the house, the young man meets a friend who asks to help him translate things. The student cannot refuse a friend, so he returns to the computer late in the evening.

Eventually the day has passed, but to write important work failed to get started. At the same time, it cannot be said that the student did nothing all day. He was busy all the time but not what was really needed.

Thus Many people experience procrastination in their lives. In order not to find yourself in a difficult situation, it is important to understand the causes of this problem, as well as learn how to deal with it most effectively.

2. What are the causes, symptoms and possible consequences of procrastination 🔔

Despite the fact that procrastination is a fairly common phenomenon, few people think about its causes, symptoms and consequences. Meanwhile, a study of this phenomenon was carried out in the laboratory.

As a result, it became clear that procrastination manifests itself as a result of opposition of processes in 2 th areas of the brain:

One of them is responsible for the pleasures received at the moment, which, in fact, is an unconscious part of human life.
Other part brain is a kind of planner, whose task is to take care of long-term well-being.

The conflict of these parts of the brain does not allow a person to work at full strength, as well as perform tasks in a timely manner.

✅ Causes of procrastination

Do not think that only the physiological characteristics of the body lead to the development of procrastination. There are a number of other reasons that lead to this condition. The table below shows the main ones.

Table: "The main reasons leading to procrastination"

Cause of Procrastination	Cause Description
Job you don't like	If a person’s work is unpleasant and seems boring, in order to do it, you will have to constantly force yourself. This is the most common cause of procrastination.
Manifestation of perfectionism	Perfectionism refers to the desire to perform any tasks exclusively for the ideal result. Such behavior leads to the fact that a person begins to find fault with trifles, change finished work, focus on the result. At its core, perfectionism cannot be called a negative phenomenon, it is important to ensure that it does not interfere with the completion of tasks on time and does not become a reason for a complete abandonment of classes.
Spirit of contradiction	It is not uncommon for people to become irritated when programs and sequences of actions are imposed on them. Such individuals unconsciously try to free themselves from them. As a result, postponing various tasks until tomorrow becomes a certain manifestation of independence.
Failure to prioritize	A person cannot independently distribute the importance of the tasks facing her. As a result, a person rushes between different things, making in the end the simplest decision - to do nothing.
Low self-esteem	Underestimated often leads to a person's doubt that he will be able to perform a certain task. As a result, he gains confidence that there is no point in wasting time and effort on such a thing.
self-restraint	This kind of psychological problem leads to the fact that the individual is afraid to stand out among people, to become more successful. There may also be a fear that in this case too much will be required of him. Also, self-restraint can be the result of the inability to constructively perceive criticism addressed to oneself.
Lack of time management skills	Time management or proper organization of time can significantly reduce the likelihood of procrastination.

The above reasons often lead to the manifestation of procrastination. But it should be understood that in any case, for each individual, they can be combined in different ways. In addition, there may be other factors that will lead to the development of the phenomenon.

✅ Symptoms

To accurately determine the presence of procrastination, it is important to know its main symptoms. Below are the most common ones.

Signs by which you can know about procrastination:

Missing deadlines for important tasks. A person’s lack of punctuality, that is, the habit of arriving on time, as well as meeting deadlines, can be a dangerous symptom.
Regular failure to complete the assigned number of tasks. If it is planned to complete a specific number of cases in a certain time period, and at the end of it it turns out that it was not possible to start some of them, it is worth considering. When this situation occurs regularly subject to realistic deadlines for implementation), most likely there are manifestations of procrastination.
Constant delay in the fulfillment of various promises, which leads to a deterioration in relationships with family and colleagues.

If the symptoms described above are constantly observed in a person, it is almost certain that he is prone to procrastination. In this case, you should be wary and think about how to change the situation.

✅ Consequences

It is important to understand that procrastination can lead to quite serious consequences. Most often these can be:

job loss;
lack of promotion;
financial difficulties;
reduced level of personal effectiveness;
depressive states;
irritability;
nervous tension;
frustration, that is, a state of depression;
prostration, that is, depression and indifference;
chronic sleep deprivation and insomnia;
constant conflicts with relatives and colleagues.

Of course, these consequences are very unpleasant. However, often everything related to the manifestations of procrastination in a particular person can be exaggerated.

Important not only to identify this phenomenon in oneself, but also to study it more carefully. This will help you understand how to deal with it.

Areas of a person's life where procrastination can affect personal finances

3. How procrastination interferes with financial well-being 💸 - a description of areas in which laziness is unacceptable

Not everyone understands, but procrastination can greatly interfere with financial well-being. Meanwhile, there are certain areas of life in which it is impossible to postpone things for later. Below we consider the most important of them.

1) Payments for various obligations 📋

If you postpone making various payments until later, you can lose considerable amounts. Delays on loans, late payment of taxes and payments for housing and communal services entail accrual of fines And penalties .

It seems that such accruals are insignificant. However, if violations of the terms of making payments are allowed regularly, the sanctions are cumulative in a significant amount.

To avoid excuses For example, payments are not made on time, since after work there is no way to go to the bank), you should carefully study all possible ways payment (in the round-the-clock terminal, online and others).

Another effective way to get rid of the habit of postponing payment until later is to reward yourself. You should please yourself with small purchases if payments are made on time.

2) Visits to the doctor 💊

Many find a huge number of excuses not to undergo preventive examinations by doctors. In the meantime, putting off going to the hospital until something hurts can cost you a lot of money.

It's important to understand that you can take regular tests and visit doctors under the policy of compulsory medical insurance absolutely free. At the same time, you will have to pay for the treatment of already manifested diseases, at least by purchasing medicines in a pharmacy.

In order not to postpone visiting doctors for later, experts recommend uniting in this activity with friends and relatives. Together it is much easier to take a queue, to wait for an appointment.

3) Work

While at work, it is easiest to succumb to an attack of procrastination. As a result, often at the end of the working day, the necessary amount of work remains unfulfilled.

Here, distractions such as:

regular tea parties;
calls to relatives;
elementary computer games;
social media.

Procrastination in such a situation can lead not only to the accumulation of important cases, but also to the deprivation of a bonus, a reprimand. If the problem is not addressed in time, you might even lose your job.

To minimize the effects of procrastination, experts recommend at work, give up smoking breaks and limit communication with colleagues. The work process should bring career growth and financial well-being. You can also chat after the end of the working day.

4) Free time ⏱

Many people consider watching TV as well as exploring social networks as the best pastime after the work day. Meanwhile, such activities significantly tire the brain, distract from household chores, and do not allow communication with relatives.

Besides, often, such cases backfire emotionally, leading to irritability, envy, and frustration. As a result, it interferes with personal development and income growth.

In order not to waste time, experts recommend giving up watching TV, mobile and computer games and the Internet.

Instead, in your free time, it is better to do useful things:

enroll in development courses;
start reading quality literature;
spend time with children
get creative.

Such hobbies help to recharge with positive and emotionally unload. Ultimately, this has a positive impact on workflow and financial well-being.

5) Shopping 🎁

Procrastination can be a serious obstacle to budget planning. Creating a shopping list, calculating costs, comparing prices takes time and some effort.

It is much easier to replace periodic purchases with the necessary for spontaneous purchases of products in the nearest store. It is even easier to order ready-made food for home delivery.

However, it should be taken into account that such actions could lead to increase expenses several times.

To overcome procrastination in shopping, it is important to compose exact list of necessary goods . Shopping at the supermarket just once a week can save you a lot of time and money. That's right, we wrote in one of our articles.

Thus, there are several areas of life in which manifestations of procrastination can lead to serious financial problems.

Read also our article on being and successful from scratch.

4. Do I need to fight procrastination?

As we have already said, there are certain areas in which procrastination can lead to serious financial and other problems. That is why many consider this phenomenon extremely negative and are trying by all means to eradicate it.

However, some scientists believe, that fighting procrastination is useless. They are sure that it helps to save energy and can act as a kind of insurance against various disappointments.

Often, postponing things for later allows you to eventually complete more assigned tasks. Since there are people who short time able to mobilize and do everything more quickly and efficiently.

Those who consider procrastination to be a useful phenomenon argue that by postponing the matter for later, you can understand how important it is. This allows you not to waste energy, performing only the really necessary tasks.

In fact such an attitude towards the phenomenon under consideration can be effective only in the case when the case postponed for later is new and completely unfamiliar to a person. In those situations where the goals and effect of the task are absolutely clear, procrastination can only be seen as a cover for one's own laziness.

Thus, in any case, it is necessary to deal with such manifestations. You just need to do it reasonably, avoiding self-flagellation. It is best to rely on Scientific research and combine them with regular practices.

How to deal with procrastination - the main ways to deal with the constant procrastination

5. How to stop procrastinating - TOP 5 ways to get rid of procrastination 📝

In fact, minimizing the manifestations of procrastination is quite realistic. However, this issue should be approached with the maximum degree of pragmatism. It is also necessary to understand that remarkable patience is required, because it takes a large amount of time to eradicate any habit.

Let us immediately note that there is no one-size-fits-all method to beat procrastination . To each his own. Below are the most effective ways to get rid of procrastination.

Method 1: Make a to-do list regularly

The effectiveness of any activity is largely determined by the ability to correctly allocate the available time. Can help with this making a list of tasks , early planning for the next day.

When compiling a list of tasks, it is necessary to consider the importance of each case. Ideally, the list should include only those tasks that need to be completed on a specific date. It turns out that if the task is not in the list, there is no need to do it.

The most important thing in this case is not the rejection of secondary matters, but the compilation of a list. In any case, this approach will help to fight procrastination. It is best to make a list of tasks based on their feasibility.

For this you can use Eisenhower matrix . In accordance with it, all tasks are divided into 4 groups according to the degree of urgency and importance:

IN important and urgent matters, the execution of which will not be delayed, such tasks should be done first. If you do not do them today, it can lead to serious trouble.
Cases from the category important, but not urgent. When the tasks from the previous category are done, it is worth starting with them.
Unimportant but urgent matters does not bring you closer to achieving a specific goal. However, they must be completed within a short period of time. Usually such tasks are imposed on a person by someone. If possible, their implementation should be shifted to other people.
Unimportant and non-urgent matters. This group usually includes the so-called time eaters. At the same time, they usually want to do it the most.

This approach to completing tasks helps you not to waste your time on trifles, allows you to more effectively move towards personal goals and achieve well-being faster.

Method 2. Divide large cases into parts

Moreover, the difficulties with small things are not so scary. If one task fails, you can proceed to another.

When choosing this method of dealing with procrastination, it is worth bearing in mind that division of the task into parts must be done visually – on paper or V in electronic format . In fact, with some practice, you can break almost any task into small parts.

It is important to remember Chinese wisdom, which claims that every big journey starts with a small step.

Therefore, it is worthwhile to forget about the ultimate goal for a while and go towards it by completing small tasks. This will help reduce the manifestations of procrastination in your life.

Method 3. Come to terms with your own imperfection

Often the occurrence of procrastination is associated with the manifestation perfectionism . A person may be afraid to do something imperfect. This slows him down and prevents him from moving towards his intended goal. Meanwhile, it is better to fail at the beginning than to do nothing at all.

Lack of self-confidence can interfere with the development of a person. As a result, he fails to achieve goals, earn income, create. It is impossible to become successful if, instead of striving for a goal, you constantly think about possible failures.

By the way, we wrote about that in our life in one of our publications - we recommend it for reading.

Method 4. Learn to delegate part of the tasks or completely refuse to perform them

You don't have to do all the tasks yourself. You can always delegate some of them to someone. This will save you a lot of time and effort.

For this purpose, you can use one of the options:

seek help from family and friends.
hire a specialist to perform certain tasks. Of course, you will have to pay for his services.

Often, manifestations of procrastination are associated with postponing tasks that have lost their relevance. In some cases, the importance of affairs is not completely lost, so a person cannot decide to refuse to do them.

However, such tasks take time and attention of the individual. Therefore, it is important to learn how to work with them.

In order not to waste time on irrelevant matters, it is important to learn how to analyze them. Some tasks that have lost their importance can be reformulated and solved quite quickly. Some things can be completely abandoned. In this case, they will stop taking time.

Many tasks and small things are not of particular importance, but they kill a huge amount of time. They must be boldly abandoned, because they can ruin even a very promising and profitable project.

Method 5. The workplace should be as isolated as possible

It is important that the workplace has a minimum ↓ number of distractions. Not worth it use work computer games, correspondence in social networks and others entertainment.

Most often, procrastination due to filling the working time with extraneous matters occurs in freelancers . When working remotely, it is much more difficult to control yourself and not be distracted. This is due to the lack of leadership, which monitors the implementation of tasks.

The experts consider that often procrastination is associated with the impulsiveness of the individual. Work efficiency decreases ↓ if you are constantly surrounded by various distractions. It is important to eliminate them as much as possible not only in the workplace, but also in computer shortcuts.

Ideally, it is good to have your own office for work. And remember that the physical order on the desktop helps to clean up the thoughts.

To make it easier to compare the proposed ways to combat procrastination, their main parameters are presented in the table below.

Table: " Effective Ways struggle with procrastination, a description of the essence of each of them "

Way	Description of actions	What is the effect of the method
No. 1. Using the task list	Make a to-do list, use the Eisenhower matrix	Unimportant tasks are easier to single out and refuse to do.
No. 2. Dividing large tasks into components	A global business needs to be divided into several smaller tasks	It is easier to get down to business, as fear and self-doubt disappear
*No. 3. Accept your own imperfections*	Don't get hung up on trying to achieve the ideal	Decreased fear of doing something wrong
No. 4. Learn to delegate and completely refuse some tasks	Analysis of assigned tasks and rejection of irrelevant ones	Frees up time to do things you need to do
*No. 5. Maximum workplace isolation*	Remove all unnecessary and distracting away	Increased concentration on important tasks

6. The main mistakes in the fight against procrastination ⚠

Often, even those who are sure that they are well versed in the features and manifestations of procrastination make mistakes in the process of dealing with it. However, many of them are characteristic of a large number of individuals. Below are TOP 3 mistakes that occur most frequently.

Mistake #1. Fixation on the dangers of procrastination

Without a doubt, often procrastination is a harmful phenomenon. However, it does not make sense to go in cycles in the fight against it. Many mistakenly believe that procrastination is an absolutely useless habit, which, moreover, can only interfere.

However, this phenomenon manifests itself only as body's defense reaction . Therefore, it is most effective to perceive procrastination as a natural manifestation. It is important to live in peace with yourself, then everything will work out regardless of the obstacles.

Mistake #2. Constant dissatisfaction with oneself

Often, procrastinators experience constant dissatisfaction with themselves, constantly reproach themselves. This behavior is due to the fact that a person thinks he is doing something wrong, but is not able to overcome unfavorable habits.

In fact, self-discipline is harmful. This in most cases nullifies all efforts. It is much better to think about something positive. This way you can avoid depression.

"Tomorrow, tomorrow, not today - that's what sloths say" - do you know how to capaciously and in one word express this phrase from a German children's song? It suffices to use the term procrastination, formed from two Latin words "pro" (instead of) and "crastinus" (tomorrow). Some call it a manifestation of elementary laziness, excuses from work, and similar words. Probably, in the eyes of a man with an iron will, this really looks like an elementary manifestation of weakness. However, the fact remains that psychologists in many countries recognize that procrastination is taking over the world, and all more residents of large cities acquires the features of a real disease. What makes her so "popular"? In this article, we will talk about what procrastination is, what causes it, and how to deal with it.

Procrastination: Definition

In general, the everyday meaning of the word "procrastination" means the constant tendency of a person to postpone everything for later: affairs (both work and household), decision-making, etc. This term also includes the actual postponing of what, in theory, should be done right now. And the more unpleasant the thing that needs to be done, the longer it is postponed, and instead of it, more and more new ways are invented to occupy oneself, including inventing what to do.

In psychology, procrastination is also understood as quite serious deviation from the norm when a person puts off almost everything for later, including rather “innocent” things, from dressing and brushing your teeth to eating. The reasons for such procrastination are associated with psychological ailments, and it is worth working with those for whom this phenomenon has taken the form of a serious illness. However, to one degree or another, putting off unpleasant things for later is common to all of us (recall those same students).

In addition, we advise you to read the article on the delayed life syndrome - a form of endless procrastination of life goals and plans.

One of the unpleasant traits of procrastination lies in the fact that due to the constant postponement and non-fulfillment of plans for the day or certain work norms, it causes a person to be dissatisfied with himself, which only aggravates the psychological problems of the individual, including the same procrastination. Other consequences include chronic guilt, being in constant stress and things like that. Many tasks that have been postponed almost to the deadline are carried out in a hurry, and therefore the best way it is not possible to make them, which, again, leads us to dissatisfaction with ourselves and other above-mentioned troubles. As a result, the circle closes.

How to deal with procrastination?

As psychologists say, if you do not have enough willpower to get rid of a bad habit (and in a weak form, procrastination can be mistaken for bad habit), turn it to your advantage.
In general, this can be formulated as follows - figure out how to plan things so that no one (including yourself) suffers from your habit of putting everything off until later. Below you will find some practical advice.

Globally, there are two basic ways to deal with procrastination. One is based on a kind of self-deception - you recognize procrastination for yourself, but make it work for you - the second will require you to be honest with yourself, because you will try to eradicate the habit of postponing things for later. Let's talk more about both approaches.

Reception one: more simple

To use the first method, let's turn to to-do lists. To make the procrastination habit work for you, make a list of what you need to do as detailed as possible. Then think what would you least like to do. Can this be postponed? Most likely, yes - after all, you would have postponed it anyway. So instead of doing the most unpleasant task, do the second or third thing you don't want to do. Anyway doing something useful is better than doing nothing at all or doing something useless.

With a little practice, putting off something that is most unpleasant, you will learn to do everything on time. After all, you will know that by doing what you don’t really like now, you will still put off what you like even less.

Reception two: more effective

The second approach to how to overcome procrastination is more rational. It is more efficient, but it will require more effort from you. Here we are talking about the following principle: to get rid of procrastination,
get rid of the cause. For example, if you are afraid of not being able to cope with something, think about who you can turn to for help, and if you are just bored, come up with a reward for a job well done.

As we have already said, this method is associated with honesty with oneself. This mainly concerns search for the real reason why you don't want to do something: it's not always easy, especially when it comes to fear of failure. Exactly the same honesty will be needed for search for a motivator which will work best for you. And asking for help from many will also require sufficient courage.

Let's talk about the most common causes of procrastination and how to level them.

Procrastination: the main reasons

Within the framework of this material, we will not take cases of clinical procrastination, as well as cases related to general dissatisfaction with life or profession. Why? Regarding the first point, we note that this is a matter for specialists, regarding the second - that the process of changing jobs or a radical change in lifestyle, as a rule, is postponed for an even longer period than household or work affairs, since such decisive steps cannot but frighten the unknown. You can read more about this in the article about the delayed life syndrome (link above).

final, causes of procrastination Everyone has their own, but they can highlight something in common. Let us turn to those problems and questions that are encountered most often.

It should be noted that many of the reasons are based on the same mechanism, which we analyze in the article on the “Three brains” model by Paul McLean.

1. Lack of personal motivation

Not everyone has the will power to just sit down and do something that is not interesting, and if you are one of those people who
need a "light", enthusiasm for accomplishments, think how can you motivate yourself.

If you choose one of the most simple ways Dealing with Procrastination “I'll do it and then do something nice afterward”, most importantly, don't fool yourself. Having said: “I will do this and watch an episode of my favorite TV series” - first really do it, and then watch it. Note also that for some people, another way is more effective - first do something pleasant for yourself, improve your mood, and then do unpleasant things. Do not follow the canons (first lunch, then sweet), determine what is best for you.

2. Fear of failure

For some, procrastination becomes unconscious escape route from cases that in the past ended in failure or led to something that one would not like to repeat. Postponing such activities seems quite logical, but you understand that you still have to complete this or that task.

In this case, the main thing is to understand what exactly the failure is connected with and why it upsets you so much, and also to decide how to avoid what you don't like. For example, if a work project failed because you didn't know something, chances are you already know it by now. Think about or ask your colleagues what else you could benefit from learning before embarking on a new assignment.

The same group of causes of procrastination include fear of not doing well or not show up at all.
Fear has big eyes. Get started and you will see that you will succeed. Step by step. And if it doesn't work out, ask for help - it's not embarrassing at all.

Problems last time arose because you did everything in a hurry? The more you put off, the greater the chance that you will complete this project in a big hurry. Nobody likes being scolded, and some react to criticism (especially non-constructive) very painfully. And if you understand that it will not be possible to avoid criticism from the management in any case (after all, criticism is not always related specifically to you, remember that bosses are people too, with their own psychological problems), at least soften the blow. For example, instead of face-to-face communication, switch to email communication. But in any case, you should not give your boss a new reason for dissatisfaction related to the fact that in the workplace you do anything but work.

3. Dislike what needs to be done

you basically don't like the job? Unlike the first paragraph, where it was more about indifference, in this case we are talking about complete dislike of what you need to do.

Not everyone has the courage to take radical steps (change of job or even type of activity), but in any business you can find some nice moments, even if in your eyes they look like trifles, but those trifles that you love. Look for them and focus on them as you get down to business.

4. Pressure of debt, lack of choice/freedom

Someone even in everyday affairs, not to mention workers, most of all does not like the fact that they all "forced" by someone else. Even the phrase "You should brush your teeth twice a day" unsettles them. From the spirit of contradiction (most often unconscious), such things are all
put off and put off just to prove to others that "I can do what I want to do." True, then you have to do what you need to do in a big hurry and it’s not a fact that it’s good, and therefore there is a chance that the next thing that you want to postpone will be related to reason number two.

To get rid of this problem, it is important to show yourself that you decide to do something. Accustom yourself even mentally to say not “I need”, “I must”, “I must”, but “I would like”, “I want”. It will also help to get rid of feelings of guilt or anxiety if you do not have time to do something, because some people include a month's work in their plans for the day, and then get upset when the plan is not completed by the evening. So not "I need to do this project by Monday", but "I would like to do this project by Monday".

5. Procrastination as a way to spur yourself on

Some people it is easier to work just when they are literally pressed by the time frame, and while the project is still far from being delivered, they simply cannot bring themselves to take on the job. It may take too much time to remake this character trait, and it’s not a fact that after that you will begin to do the job effectively, because perhaps your body is designed in such a way that it is easier for it to strain once for a short time than to “activate” several times for a short time.

If you consider yourself to be this type of personality, train yourself to leave enough time for a certain compromise: find a time at which you already begin to feel the press of the "hour of X", but so that it is enough for the quality performance of all tasks.

6. Fear of big assignments

Another common reason is fear of not being up to the task. You are so afraid of its size that you simply do not want to even start it. In this case, break a big task into many small ones and deal with them sequentially. Remember that small parts make up a big whole.

In addition to the two main ways to deal with procrastination described above, we will describe a few more simple and at the same time effective tips.

Definition of procrastination

Procrastination is a special condition in which all significant things are involuntarily postponed until later, which turns into numerous problems. This psychological phenomenon differs from ordinary laziness in that a person in a state of procrastination realizes the importance of completing tasks, but cannot overcome himself to complete them.

Almost everyone has experienced procrastination. Often, procrastination episodes are the result of severe overwork, lack of sleep, or an emotional breakdown. In such cases, episodic procrastination is "treated" by simply restoring a normal lifestyle: extra time for rest, sleep, and relaxing leisure activities.

The danger lies in cases where procrastination becomes commonplace and affects your career and personal life. Wherein. procrastinator (a person who is in a state of procrastination) can long time hide signs of illness. For example, being under the influence of a total unwillingness to do anything, a procrastinator puts off all things for later. However, as a result, he still fulfills them, but only in last minute. It is obvious that often such work is of low quality and non-compliance with deadlines. In turn, the procrastinator himself from the outside may seem much less gifted, talented or professional than he really is.

Causes of procrastination

Despite the fact that in modern science the phenomenon of procrastination has been little studied, there is a common classification of the reasons that cause this phenomenon:

low self-esteem;
The pursuit of excellence;
fear of success;
rebellious spirit.

The most common cause of procrastination is considered to be low self-esteem. Driven by the fear of not being able to complete the task, a person falls into a state of procrastination, postponing the frightening front of work for as long a time perspective as possible. As a result, internal fears become the reason for the lack of results and the failure of the task.

Striving for perfection is also a reason to fall into inaction. In such cases, the procrastinator is stopped by the imperfection of the task or the unwillingness to do everything in the best possible way.

Fear of success can also trigger procrastination. Moreover, in this case, a person will be afraid to become higher than colleagues, to become the object of close attention of others or direct criticism of ill-wishers.

Most rarely, procrastination occurs in the form of a person’s protest in front of the tasks. The critical option is the rejection of everything that concerns the so-called “system”, under which, in the eyes of the procrastinator, the whole outside world falls with its foundations and traditions.

Techniques for dealing with procrastination

Despite the fact that procrastination is a psychological disease, almost all existing methods of dealing with it are tied to strengthening motivation. If a person begins to see the goal, it becomes easier for him to find the strength in himself to solve specific problems.

Much depends on planning. So, most often, procrastination occurs in those people whose work is a clear cycle, where it is impossible to move on to the next task without completing the previous one. Psychologists recommend changing the methodology in such a way that it is possible to simultaneously carry out several works on different tasks.

Procrastination is a phenomenon that almost everyone has undoubtedly experienced. It is often confused with laziness and unwillingness to do anything. In fact, this is a completely different concept.

What does the word "procrastination" mean?

Procrastination is a term in psychology that means a person constantly postponing important and urgent matters, being distracted by small and insignificant tasks, which ultimately turns into life problems and deterioration of the psychological and even physical condition.

Even the thinkers of antiquity noticed this trait inherent in people. This designation has Latin roots - pro- "for the sake of" and crastinus - "tomorrow". Having migrated to English, it changed into procrastination and received the meaning of "postponing, delay". In Russia, this concept was formed at the end of the nineteenth century. As a separate term "procrastination" received scientific definition only in 1977, after the publication of a number of scientific articles devoted to this problem.

Today in Russian, tracing paper is used with in English, although there are attempts to "deduce" the Russian-language designation this term. The most successful are “postponing” and “delaying”. True, it should be noted that at the moment the problem of procrastination in Russia only individual scientists-enthusiasts are engaged.

Causes of procrastination

Procrastination is not laziness, not rest and not restoration of lost strength. A person understands that it is necessary to do this important and urgent matter, but for some reason he cannot take it on, losing strength, energy and feeling psychological discomfort. What reasons can lead any person into the trap of procrastination, preventing them from living a full life and effectively realizing their life potential? There is no universal theory that explains the constant postponing of affairs and decisions, but there are several more or less successful:

The pursuit of excellence. A person is simply afraid that the results of the work will not be ideal. It is this fear of imperfection that does not allow him to even begin to carry out a responsible assignment. Additionally, such people like to do everything at the last moment, even getting some pleasure from it.
Self-doubt, low self-esteem. A person has no desire to get down to business, because he is not sure that the game is worth the candle. He won’t succeed, people won’t like it - these and other similar excuses come up with a procrastinator with low self-esteem. However, if a professional psychologist works with him, making him more confident in himself and his abilities, a person will be able to spend his strength and energy more efficiently without postponing things for later.
Self-restraint. It is also fear, but of a different kind. A person is afraid to stand out from the gray mass, to become better than others, to achieve more than others. Perhaps he does not want to be envied, or maybe he simply does not want higher demands on him in the future.
Rebellion. In this case, a person, on the contrary, does not want to be like everyone else. He protests against the role imposed on him in society and, postponing the fulfillment of the given assignments, reveals the protest in a similar way and defends his opinion. Such a person is characterized by eternal dissatisfaction with the status quo and endless, albeit ineffective, generation of ideas. As a rule, the matter does not reach their implementation.. Postponed.
The theory of temporal motivation is considered the most solid explanation of procrastination. According to it, the more benefit a person sees in what he does, the higher the reward for the work done and the less you have to wait for results, the more the person has the desire and desire to do this work now, and not to put it off until later.
The process is important, not the result. There are also pro-arkstinators who deliberately drag out things in order to enjoy the process of doing it. The result for them is no longer so important, the main thing is to reach the goal as far as possible.

How to fight

In most cases, procrastination must be fought, because, summing up his life, a person regrets more about the missed opportunities, about what he did not do.

For this developed a range of methods with different levels of efficiency. For example, to get rid of procrastination, it is enough to change jobs or drop out of school, increase motivation, develop planning skills, learn to divide things into more important, priority and less significant, secondary ones, and distribute efforts correctly.

If a person is not ready for such a drastic step as quitting a job, then you can start by developing planning skills, increasing motivation and trying to cultivate industriousness in yourself.