Overcoming Procrastination
We keep many of our work pending to be done sometimes later today or tomorrow. We feel like doing it but it is left undone. Even if it is done, it is done at the last minute in a hurry. Though we leave the work to be done later on in a leisurely but perfect manner, but the rush at the last moment makes it imperfect. However, if we try a little, we can easily get rid of procrastination. We can make our life more successful and pleasant.
Why cannot we get rid of procrastination? Psychiatrist Dr. Linda Sapadeen had a long research on the matter. She identified three common stances as the cause of all types of procrastination. Firstly, we want to do great work, but do not start it practically. Secondly, we are very intelligent at finding pretext for not doing a particular work. Lastly, we ourselves know that we do sabotage our happiness by this procrastination. The funny thing is that this regret again enhances the procrastination leading our life to self-defeat. The most astonishing thing is that the main reason of procrastination is not idleness. The main reason of procrastination is the fear of unknown. It may be the fear of change or the fear of losing control, the fear of unhappiness or any other anxiety that exist hidden deep in our mind. Procrastinated people always lag behind. When others step and move forward, they watch them from behind and sigh. There are six main types of procrastination.
1. Daydreamers: These types of people always want easy and unproblematic life. They keep themselves away from the reality. They submerge themselves into fantasy. They love to be in the world of fantasy because nothing is hostile there for them. They consider themselves special and therefore do not feel like following rules. This type of dreamlike attitude creates problems in their professional, familial and social life, which ultimately creates the mentality of an escapist.
Remedy: If you are a dreamer of this type, then learn to differentiate between infatuation and passion. If you submerge yourself into daydream or spend time idly in front of the TV set, it is infatuation. However, if you learn new things and spend time to expertise in a new arena, your self-confidence and self-esteem will be greater than before. This is passion. You have to move forward with the attitude of doing it right at the moment. Make a list of the things that can be done practically every day and the specific measures you can take to accomplish the task. Spend some time at the end of the day for self-evaluation. Say to yourself repeatedly that I will do today’s work today.
2. The Anxious: The anxious people always give more importance to security and safety and they do pay a lot for it. The safe and comfortable area for them is very limited. Whenever they face any risk or change, their hands and legs become frozen in fear. Anxiety runs through their mind like a continuous spring. “If this or that happens, what will be the situation” –this type of negative apprehension totally constricts their lives. If I resign from this boring job but do not get another, what will happen? They cannot leave their jobs for this feeling of apprehension. They choose this type of tedious but secured life instead of challenging the insecurity. It is usually seen that this type of anxious people have parents or guardians who come forward to fulfill their necessities and they feel happy in their subconscious mind that their offspring cannot go without their help. The anxious have got little happiness in their lives. They easily become tired.
Remedy: Almost all the anxious people have got a lively and brave personality veiled in their minds. If you suffer from monotony and do not feel interested in anything, you have to take a serious decision. Keep away from imagining danger in everything. Take decision! Because staying away from taking decision is also a decision, which is harmful for you. Avoiding all the negative sides, consider the possibility of the new situation and environment. If you think about positive sides, your feelings will be altered completely. You will be able to get new opportunities as well as get the nerve to attain a new responsibility.
3. Insubordinate: They have resentment against the authority and the power. However, they express this resentment furtively. If someone says to this type of procrastinated people ‘Please do the work’, they will reply ‘Ok, I’ll do it’. Nevertheless, they will forget their promise or do the work imperfectly or will do it belatedly. They use the same technique in the case of fulfilling the necessities of their own family members. This type of behavior gives them the feelings of power, but their colleagues or companions consider themselves as neglected or misused. As a result, the insubordinate himself is at loss. Even then, he consoles himself saying that just because he is a man with a strong personality, he is being punished in this complex world. In spite of being unhappy, he feels proud.
Remedy: ‘Act’, do not ‘react’. Consider yourself an active participator in life instead of being a victim of it. Stop thinking what other people are doing for you; rather think of what you are doing for yourself. Remember that to be an initiator and proactive is the precondition for being strong and powerful.
4. Crisis Creator: Most of us do the work well at the last moment. There is no more time in hand; there is no way of avoiding it now; our brain start working at full swing. And we complete our work. A crisis creator always likes drama. They change their attitude and mood. At first, they do not care much about the situation. They cannot start working unless they are under pressure. Later on, they become excessively active. Forgetting everything else, they devote themselves completely into the work. This procedure can be acceptable in youth but the body cannot keep pace with this process after the age of 40.
Remedy: Completing the work in time is nothing heroic; it is natural. To work after creating a crisis is not the only process of working. The crisis creators feel problem in inspiring themselves. If you can inspire yourself truly, you can start working in time.
5. Perfectionist: They wish to do everything perfectly. Whenever they work, they mix self-esteem with their performance. In most cases, they are idealistic and unrealistic in the case of spending time and energy. Request one of them to sharpen a pencil. You will see that he is uncomfortably staring at the pencil and may be he will spend the whole day looking at the pencil and thinking how to sharpen it most beautifully. Perhaps he will start sharpening the pencil and at the end of the day, will return it sharpened beautifully but you will see that the pencil would become so small that it would turn almost into a useless thing. Their attitude is such that everything should be either perfect or nothing. If they fail in any work, they consider themselves as futile. The perfectionists always think subconsciously that if they fail to do the work perfectly, they are gone. For them, procrastination is justice delayed. If you never play, you will never lose. If you do not work, you will never fail.
Remedy: You have to change your attitude. Instead of thinking what you have to do, think what you can do. No one is perfect. Therefore, no work can be perfect. Sometimes you should make mistakes. Keep the things disorderly on the table for some time. Accept a little fault on your dress for a period. When you see that the world is not turning upside down for this little fault, you will then learn that it is more important to finish the work in time rather than make it a perfect piece of work.
6. Jack-of-all-trades: Those “who are jack of all trades” never seem to be procrastinated because they are always busy. They always want to work. They want to make everybody happy and work for all of them. They cannot say “no” to anyone. Apparently, it seems that the “jack of all trades” will be successful. However, the reality is different. To be self-dependent and in the struggle for doing all the work, they fail to combine their work and time. They become desperate to satisfy those whom they wished to make happy but fail to do that. The reason is that they took more load than their ability.
Remedy: Those who are “jack of all trades” should learn to say no. You should say “yes” after considering how much time and workload you have in hand. If you cannot do the work this week, request the people to come next week. Do as much as you can and leave the rest for others. Then you will be happy and others will get pleasure, too.
Now ponder over the six to decide which group you belong to. Take measures accordingly. Advance forward to the way of a pleasant life by getting rid of procrastination.
Resource:http://article.quantummethod.org.bd/en/detail/7e8f3b1c-33b7-11e5-8913-92ec7e70c05e/Overcoming%20Procrastination
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