The procrastination CON

T s so easy to put things off, but we really will feel better if we learn to just get on and achieve what we need to accomplish, writes Linda Blair

Everybody procrastinates occasionally. But, for some, procrastination is a real problem. It can interfere with efficiency and, in the longer term, lead to feelings of guilt and low self-esteem.

To procrastinate means “to voluntarily delay an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay”, says Piers Steel at the University of Calgary.

Psychologists suggest this seemingly self-defeating behaviour is an attempt to regulate mood in the short term.

Faced with an unappealing task, procrastinators would rather feel relieved now, even though they know that in the longer term they would feel better if they put up with initial discomfort and got on with what they would rather avoid.

Steel carried out a review of 216 studies, and found individuals who are impulsive and easily distracted, and who lack conscientiousness, self-control and selfesteem, are more likely than others to put off complex, challenging tasks.

To make matters worse, a vicious cycle is then created, because procrastinating leads to a further drop in self-esteem.

Procrastinators have been found, in studies, to be more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, shame, and guilt, and report lower rates of life satisfaction, although it isn’t clear whether those tendencies lead to procrastination or are the result of it.

In a finding that will be familiar to many workers, Steel also found the longer we have to wait between carrying out a task and receiving the payoff, the more likely we are to avoid it.

If you would like to become less of a procrastinator, here’s how to go about it.

Practise self-forgiveness

A Canadian study measured levels of procrastination and self-forgiveness for 119 undergraduates just before two exams. Those who showed high levels of selfforgiveness for procrastinating before the first exam were less likely to procrastinate before the second.

Evaluate short, medium and long-term gains

When facing an undesirable but necessary task, author and businesswoman Suzy Welch suggests you follow her 10-10-10 rule: if you were to complete the task now, how would you feel in 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years?

If you were to put it off, how would you feel at each of those time points? Now decide what to do.

Reframe the way you work

Steel points out that the more we selfmanage our workload, and this is increasingly pertinent now that more of us work from home, the more opportunities there will be to procrastinate.

To avoid this, start by breaking big tasks into small, measurable steps, and attach immediate rewards to each.

Second, because the source of work for many of us – our computers – provides easy access to major distractions such as social media and non-work emails, block access to those sites while you are working towards a specific goal.

Make yourself accountable

Finally, if you wish to increase motivation further, tell someone you respect what you intend to achieve and when, and ask if you can let them know when you have achieved your aim.