Beating Procrastination: Part 2

Here is Part 2 of some ways to beat procrastination (found here) . . .

7. It could be that you will come to realize that making a commitment to someone or setting a deadline for completing a task is one way to make procrastination more difficult. It is known that for many people, setting a goal results in motivation. For this to work, ex-procrastinators have found that the goal must be something they want to achieve.

8. Maybe you will discover that doing a job in the least distracting environment makes putting off work a little harder. For many college students, homes, dorm rooms, or apartments have many distractions and potential distractions. Perhaps you will find a place like the library to study where it is quiet and is going to stay quiet until you are ready to leave.

9. Like many non-procrastinators, you may find it enjoyable to reward yourself for doing a part of a job and for completing a task. Some examples of rewards are treating yourself to some ice cream, going to a movie, visiting with friends, or just doing something that you enjoy.

10. You may find it easier not to put things off when you match the outcomes of what you do with your goals. In other words, "How will not procrastinating on a talk move me toward my goals?." Possibly, you would come to realize that it is much easier to do something if you see that it is getting You where YOU want to go. You may even begin to believe that "your life is YOUR life" and that you have the freedom to pursue YOUR OWN GOALS, if you choose to do so.

11. Many counselors and researchers have discovered that procrastination is one characteristic of adult children from dysfunctional family’s i.e., families with alcohol abuse, physical abuse, emotional neglect or abuse, drug abuse, etc. Many people from dysfunctional families find this difficult to believe, accept, or even acknowledge, at first. If you think a background similar to dysfunctional families may be one reason why you put things off, you might choose to tell a college counselor about it. It could be that you would find a way to use their training and experience to help you reduce the number of times you put things off.

12. A normal reason for procrastinating is because a person is trying to do something they really and sincerely do not want to do just now. After acknowledging that something may be difficult or distasteful, it is not uncommon for people to get the help of a friend or counselor. Many former procrastinators have found that doing something they deeply and truly don't want to do just now is a primary reason why they put things off.

You may discover, as others have that this is a normal response to distasteful tasks. By making a change to do something they really want to do, many people like you have reduced or eliminated procrastination in their lives.

13. Sometimes people are unaware of a degree of self-criticism or self-anger which is a common cause of procrastination. Through no fault of their own, procrastinators in this escapable trap lapse into a cycle of thinking, feeling, and behavior that promotes procrastination. You may choose to examine the cycle below to see if any part of it fits you. If any part fits you, you may choose to enlist the help of a professional counselor to eliminate this possible cause of your procrastination.

When some people procrastinate, they become critical of themselves and that causes them to become angry at themselves. This leads to low self-esteem and discouragement. The self-talk language may go something like this.

Part 1 “I’ll do that later.”
Part 2 “Now it’s too late and I screwed up again!” “Why do I do this? It makes me so angry when I get into this situation.”
Part 3 “I just don’t have what it takes to succeed, I guess.”
Part 4 “Maybe I’ll quit.”

The sinister part of this cycle is that you may inadvertently enter at any point and continue circling until you realize what is happening. To exit this cycle, many ex-procrastinators have chosen to practice one or more of the possible solutions listed above. By using some of these solutions to procrastination, you may realize that you are not stuck with your present degree of procrastination, if you don't want to be. You may also begin to realize as others have, that you are not powerless to modify and eventually control this behavior. You may even find that reading over this handout several times could possibly give you more ideas to try in order to reduce your procrastination behaviors. You may come to believe, as many ex-procrastinators have, that you may choose to control and even eliminate procrastination by making habits out of one or more of the suggestions listed above, when you are ready.