Procrastination is a giant pain in the ass. It stops us from doing the things we know we should do – even the things we say we want to do.
And worst of all, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Nobody is forcing us to open Facebook, organise the Tupperware drawer, or watch just one more episode on Netflix rather than do the tasks that we just keep putting off… and off… and off.
So, why the hell do we do it over and over again?
It turns out the answer is simple:
No matter why you think you procrastinate, it all boils down to emotions.
Let’s get to the heart of the real issue, shall we ladies, because who has time to beat around the bush!
What Causes Procrastination?
Procrastination is nothing to do with poor time management or lack of self-control. It’s also completely irrational. Seriously, why on earth would we make life harder for ourselves by putting off the things we need to do?
You could blame it on being overwhelmed, bored, anxious, a fear of failure, a fear of success, or lack of energy. But essentially, it’s about the inability to deal with – and manage – uncomfortable emotions consciously.
If certain tasks bring up resentment, self-doubt, frustration, insecurity – or any of the suite of feelings we all know oh so well – it’s no surprise that we want to run away and distract the hell out of ourselves to relieve those emotions.
Short Term Gain, Long Term Pain
In the short term, it feels good to not be doing the things you “should” be doing. Your mood even improves (temporarily), which trumps any future long-term gain that could be achieved by doing the damn thing.
That relief we feel when procrastinating acts as a reward, and keeps the vicious cycle going until it becomes a bloody annoying habit.
But it doesn’t stop there! Because we are all fabulous, goal-oriented, kickass ladies, we get pissed off at ourselves for procrastinating. We berate ourselves for being lazy, unmotivated, useless, and end up feeling even more stressed and unmotivated.
Shit. Procrastination really is a deep-rooted son of a bitch, isn’t it!?
So, why can’t we just stop it?
Why It’s Hard To Fight
I’m sure we have all tried.
I certainly have vowed to do better. To try again tomorrow. To become a more dedicated person, etcetera etcetera. But unfortunately, we can’t just tell ourselves to stop procrastinating and magically become the most productive people on the planet.
No time management app or Pomodoro strategy is going to help unless we learn how to become aware of, and manage, our emotions more effectively.
Once again, my lovely bad ass bitches, it comes down to knowing thyself.
Know Thyself
Spend time observing your thoughts. Watch procrastination as it sneaks in, and dig a little deeper to identify the emotions and associated beliefs that are driving it.
Stop beating yourself up about it. Practice compassion, and observe your thoughts with curiosity.
The good news is that you can become a non-procrastinator, but it will take work, practice, and a healthy dose of self-forgiveness.
Get Support
It is a lot harder to procrastinate when you have someone holding you accountable. When you have to explain to someone why you procrastinated and didn’t get the things done that were going to drive your business forward, it gets a bit awkward.
Which is why all of my programs have an accountability element attached to them. Bad ass women who are going to conquer the world still have the tendency to procrastinate from time to time.
Let me help you push through that by joining my “Unstoppable You” tribe. And, do it with a bunch of other high achieving ladies who are killing it in their businesses.
Book a time to chat with me now to see if we’d work well together!
