Procrastination

William R. Colagrande, MS

Never do today that which can be put off ‘till tomorrow is the old joke where procrastination is concerned, but procrastination is not necessarily a laughing matter. The severity of the problem can range from mild annoyance (usually most impacting those living around the guilty party) to serious impairment in the performance of critical life tasks. Though underlying causes are complex and not really that well understood, let’s take a quick look at this topic.

Procrastination is defined as the deferment or avoidance of an action or a task. Perhaps the best known procrastinator is William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, whose tendency to tarry resulted in a climatic bloodbath that could hold it’s own with any modern “slasher” movie. Not limited to either gender, it is often initially encountered during one’s college years, where the educational structure is less rigid and parental discipline is less in play.

While some may associate procrastination with laziness, it is probably more closely related to perfectionism, which in itself can be a formidable complication. Typically, the task at hand is perceived as being either too big or too important and therefore difficult, if not impossible, to approach. The conventional remedy in this case is to divide the task or assignment into several smaller pieces and commit to spending some time, even if only fifteen minutes, each day to completing a portion of the task. This approach offers the opportunity to experience small successes that build one’s confidence and make the overall task seem more manageable and less intimidating. There is a lot of literature on-line and at college counseling centers if you or someone you know need to access it.

The procedure outlined above is relatively simple and straightforward, but is crucially dependent on one factor: that the individual sees himself as having a problem with procrastination. And this is not often the case. Very often people minimize or fail to recognize the problem and engage in rationalized thinking, such as I work better under pressure or Of course I’m going to do the assignment; I just have to relax a little bit first to get myself ready. They generally have an unrealistic sense that everything is under control. The most troublesome aspect of this scenario is that at some point the individual realizes that he has now reached a do or die place and devotes himself completely to the task, often, ironically enough, doing a good enough job to earn a good grade or the boss’s approval. This positive outcome only serves to reinforce the behavior that produced it and the procrastinating tendency becomes that much more engrained. A very difficult cycle to disrupt.

Another common reason why people procrastinate is that the task at hand is distasteful or frightening. Even the US Postal Service plays the part of enabler by staying open ‘till midnight on April 15. Consider how often people put off preparing a will or health care proxy because doing so forces them to directly confront their own mortality. Adult children of aged or infirmed parents often struggle mightily with making healthcare decisions about them, a growing source of tension between adult siblings.

At base, dealing with procrastination is a quality of life issue: do you want to be driven by events or circumstances in your life or do you want to take control of your life and determine for yourself how and when things will get done? While this is easier said than done, it is a fair summary of the problem. Everybody procrastinates more or less and from time to time, but how much of an impact is it having on you and your family? Though a personal issue, it does impact significantly on others and this factor needs to be taken into consideration.

Most of us recognize that running away from a problem only makes it worse, and we’ve all experienced the warm glow that comes from stopping and confronting a problem head-on. So, prepare yourself for a shock: you are going to die someday. Once you’ve wrapped your mind around that one, everything else will seem proportionately less onerous. Stop, take a deep breath, let it out and ask yourself: What am I afraid of in regard to this task? It may be helpful to make a list, first of all your fears and then brainstorm all of the potential ways of dealing with them. Recall times in your past when you’ve faced similar or even more difficult issues and overcome them; it will help inspire you and build your confidence. Were you to share your concerns with a trusted friend, you’d see that everyone struggles with similar issues and that you are not alone in coping with doubts and fears.

Sometimes there’s a thrill factor associated with ignoring deadlines. There is often a palpable rush associated with seeing how long you can delay beginning a task and then still get it completed on time. If it’s excitement you crave, perhaps there are other more constructive outlets you can find, like sports, hobbies, dabbling in the stock market or playing video games to satisfy this need. Then you can forget about the tiresome to do lists and time management seminars and begin to create a happier and healthier life for you and your family. Start now!

2007

www.i4hd.com

I’m always interested in hearing your comments and feedback on my essays. You can send them to be by e-mailing bill@i4hd.com