THE MOTIVATION BEHIND OUR PROCRASTINATION

 

THE MOTIVATION BEHIND OUR PROCRASTINATION

Why do we procrastinate? What is the motivation behind our procrastination? I do not label myself a procrastinator, but I will admit to putting a few things off here and there (like this blog post). Add to the list dentist appointments, cleaning the sliding glass doors, organizing family photos, and more. Although many of these tasks are quite easy to accomplish, well, maybe not the family photos, since I need to rely on my scrapbooking skills, and I have years of family photos to organize! So why do I put off for tomorrow what I can accomplish today?

“Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do.” Proverbs 6:4 (NLT)

I spent some time in prayer, reflecting on this verse, and came up with a few reasons we procrastinate, such as avoidance, fear, indecisiveness, laziness, lack of motivation, over-commitment, and perfectionism.

It seems each of these reasons listed can be narrowed down to four motives for procrastination: avoidance, motivation, over-commitment, and perfectionism.

Avoidance

Why do we avoid certain tasks or situations? Is it that we believe the task may cause us pain or anxiety? Scheduling a dental appointment is easy. So, if it’s so easy, why do I keep repeating the item on my To Do list week after week? What am I avoiding? Is it the time it will take to go to the dentist? Is it the cost? Or is it the possibility of a cavity?

I’ve found that when we ask the hard questions, we get down to the real reasons behind our procrastination. It also helps to write it out or talk it out, do whatever you need to do to get the thoughts out of your mind and into the light! Once you express your reasons for avoiding the task, you’ll create a more positive perspective on the situation. And when we look at our task in the positive rather than the negative, we are much more apt to make things happen.

I find it interesting that the more we avoid, the more anxiety we build up because we are delaying the inevitable. The anxiety increases our fear, and our fear freezes us. So, do yourself a favor, schedule the appointment and check the task off your to-do list!

Motivation

We need to be motivated to tackle the tasks or projects we put off. A lack of motivation can stem from a lack of interest in the task (cleaning the sliding glass doors) or a lack of reward (so the glass doors are clean, now what?).

How do we motivate ourselves to finish a task or project? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines motivation as the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something. So, what can you do to motivate yourself to finish the task?

Let’s focus on cleaning the sliding glass doors. What motivator will help me complete this task? I could reward myself with a leisurely afternoon sitting outdoors, enjoying the view with a good book and a glass of iced tea. Or, I could reward myself by inviting a friend over to share the afternoon since I completed my task and now have time available for my relationships.

To motivate us to tackle the task, schedule the reward before we start. This will motivate and encourage us to complete the job because we’ve established a deadline and a reward.

Meeting my deadline will allow me to devote my time to doing something I really enjoy, such as spending my afternoon with a good friend. Tackling tasks with this mindset gives me a sense of reward for my work. And, if you’re like me, when completing a task, checking off the task on my to-do list is sometimes reward enough. Being productive is gratifying to me!

Overcommitted

When we overcommit, we become so overwhelmed by everything we need to accomplish that we don’t know where to start, so we procrastinate. When we overcommit, we don’t establish priorities because everything on our list feels like a priority. We then become indecisive as to what to do, so we do nothing.

My recommendation for the times we overcommit is to just start. I know this seems pretty basic, but it’s the best way to overcome overwhelm when we are overcommitted!

Start with anything, take the first step. Make a list, prioritize it, or start with the first three items. Once you complete these projects, celebrate your success and move on to the next two or three tasks. Keep the momentum going – it’s the small steps that lead to success!

Perfectionism

This is one of my major blocks to getting things done! It is said that the only way to overcome procrastination is to let go of our need for perfectionism. Easier said than done!

Letting go of the thoughts that anything less than perfect is unacceptable is freeing. We become frozen by our need to be perfect and, in the process, accomplish nothing. We think that if we study, read, research, and practice enough, we will create the perfect blog post, webinar, bible study, etc., but if we never get started, we will never know the impact or influence because we are too focused on perfection.

We’ve all heard of perfection paralysis, when our need for perfection stops us from making any progress. If we wait for the perfect time, we will never get started. At times like this, when I catch myself procrastinating out of a need for perfection, I ask myself, “When is it good enough?” After some reflection, I realize that perfectionism truly is a dream killer. The decision to move forward is much simpler if we believe, trust, and take action.

“Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.” Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NLT)

Seize the Day!

I encourage you to pray through your barriers to procrastination. Spend time in prayer and reflection when planning your time. We are called to be good stewards, including of our time. Plus, the more you accomplish, the greater the satisfaction and increased confidence. Each step gets easier, so keep moving forward! Jesus did not accept delays and excuses, and neither should we.

“No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.” Luke 9:62 (MSG)

How do you overcome procrastination? If you have any additional motives as to why we procrastinate, please feel free to share in the Reflecting Life Facebook Group – your comments are always welcome!