We are the aggregate product of our habits. Some habits put us on the mountain of success and others pull us down the valley. Procrastination is one such detrimental habit that can render even the most skilled person to worthless piece of flesh. While Google is brimming with plenty of written and video material on success, very less has been written on failure and one of its primary causes: Procrastination
It is one such destructive habit that has cost many their spouse, relatives, friends, company, money, fame, image, success, and even life. I know this is a very bold statement but unfortunately, it is a cruel reality. This blog is an attempt to dig deeper and provide enough insight into this awful habit so that you can do away with it.
Let us understand what causes people to procrastinate.
Causes of Procrastination:
- Fear of failure: Fear of failure can be placed next to fear of death. All of us wish to talk, watch, and dream about success but none of us work seriously towards overcoming the fear of failure. Hence we tend to avoid carrying out a task which we presume that we would not be able to perform well and this leads to delay. I will cover how to deal with the fear of failure extensively in my next blog.
- Ignorance: Most of the time, our ignorant approach or behaviour puts us off the track and stalls the task. You will never accomplish something that you ignore on sight. Due to ignorance, we tend to miss out on important tasks which may tarnish our image as a person and may also lead to even serious implications.
- Busyness: Glass brimmed with water will never be able to hold more. If you already have too much on your plate, you will find it difficult to take up additional tasks and do justice to them. This often causes delays.
- Priority list: If it is not at the top of your TO-DO list, you would often postpone the task thinking it is not a priority.
- Laziness: Laziness is a root cause of many human problems. The feeling of physical and mental comfort takes over important things which leads to an incomplete task.
- Forgetfulness: How many times have you forgotten to call the prospect at the time he mentioned earlier? How many times have you forgotten to reply to an important email that cost you a client, business, job, etc.? Forgetting to act on something leads to incompleteness or delay.
- Absence of deadline: There is a direct relationship between completion of the task and the deadline. Tasks without deadlines are often postponed, delayed, ignored, and forgotten not to be completed in the future.
- Lack of necessary skills: Lack of necessary skills can lead to procrastination because individuals may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about how to approach a task. When someone lacks the skills needed to accomplish a particular job or project, they might delay starting it due to fear of failure or not knowing where to begin.
For instance, imagine a sales rep who lacks strong presentation skills and needs to present in front of hundreds of people. Because he feels uncertain about how to prepare and present in front of a big crowd, he might avoid his turn, leading to procrastination. This delay is often driven by the feeling of inadequacy or the fear of not being able to meet the requirements due to skill gaps.
- No credit/ Incentive: When there’s no incentive or motivation to complete a task, people might delay doing it because they don’t see any immediate benefits or rewards. Lack of incentives can make the task seem less appealing or important, leading to procrastination as there’s no compelling reason to prioritise it over other activities that offer more immediate gratification or rewards.
- Avoidance: The habit of avoidance involves evading tasks or situations that are uncomfortable, challenging, or unpleasant. Procrastination often stems from this habit because individuals tend to postpone these tasks to escape the discomfort or anxiety associated with them. This behaviour reinforces procrastination as it becomes a way to temporarily relieve the stress of facing the task, but it ultimately perpetuates the cycle of avoidance and delay.
- Deliberate intentions: Deliberate procrastination might occur when someone intentionally delays a task they perceive as unimportant or unnecessary in the immediate moment. For instance, an individual might deliberately postpone organising their bookshelf despite having planned to do it, choosing instead to relax or engage in a different activity they find more enjoyable at that particular time.
- Lack of supervision: Most people are not likely to work unless supervised. They become relaxed and lethargic since no one is around to get them going to initiate and complete a task. The idea of somebody overseeing their assignments can keep them focused and motivated. Supervision also helps in identifying early signs of procrastination and allows the supervisor intervene before it significantly affect a task.
- Insignificant outcome: When individuals perceive a task as unimportant or inconsequential, they may struggle to find motivation to complete it. The belief that the outcome won’t significantly impact their goals or the larger picture can lead to procrastination, as they may prioritise other tasks they consider more meaningful or impactful.
- Boring or difficult process: Boring or monotonous tasks can lead to reduced engagement and motivation among team members. When individuals find tasks uninteresting or repetitive, they may procrastinate or work less efficiently, which ultimately slows down the project’s progress.
- Low self esteem: Individuals with low self-esteem may fear failure or making mistakes more intensely. This fear can lead to procrastination as they delay starting tasks to avoid the possibility of not meeting their own or others’ expectations, which could further diminish their self-worth.
- Lack of resources: When individuals perceive that they lack the necessary resources (such as time, tools, information, or support), they may feel overwhelmed by the task at hand. This sense of overwhelm can lead to procrastination as they delay starting the task due to uncertainty about how to proceed without adequate resources.
- Unpleasant outcome: Anticipating unpleasant outcomes can cause anxiety and stress, making individuals hesitant to engage with tasks associated with these negative consequences. Procrastination may serve as a short-term coping mechanism to alleviate immediate discomfort.
- Dislike: Sometimes, people are asked to do certain tasks that they hate doing or do not like. This dislike often prevents people from taking the necessary actions required to carry out tasks which eventually leads to procrastination.
- Dealing with Difficult People: As humans, we try and avoid connecting with people who are short-tempered, ill-mannered and difficult to deal with. If your task involves dealing with such people, you are more likely to delay the task and at times not initiate a task at all.
- Personal problems: Personal problems such as health-related issues, mental ailments like stress, anxiety, insecurity about future etc, financial problems like debts, unexpected expenses etc, relationship issues like heart-breaks, separations etc leads to procrastination as individuals battling with such issues do not feel like starting a project or a task.
Conclusion:
To sum up, procrastination is a problem that many people encounter frequently and which leads to unneeded stress, lost opportunities, and a reduction in productivity. However, procrastination may be addressed by comprehending the underlying causes, putting effective techniques into practice, and encouraging a proactive mindset. The tendency to put off crucial activities can be greatly reduced by adopting time management strategies, segmenting work into manageable chunks, keeping an optimistic outlook, and asking for help when required. To overcome procrastination, keep in mind that it takes time and perseverance, but the benefits such as higher output, less stress, and a sense of fulfillment make the effort worthwhile. Take baby measures today to begin approaching activities with greater initiative, and over time you will see the benefits in your life and achievements.
More reading on Procrastination:
Understanding & Overcoming Procrastination
I really enjoyed reading about your views on this topic. It was very helpful!👍
Thank you Bhoomi. Keep reading more blogs every week.