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“Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.” William James. This article provides some reflections on this quote and introduces the theme of procrastination — what it is, why we do it and tips to help overcome it.
This William James quote is all about procrastination. It’s about that task which has been on your to-do list for days, weeks, months, possibly even years. You made a start on it — you just didn’t finish it. For one reason or another, you are putting it off. It may only take five minutes to complete but still you cannot bring yourself to do it. As such, it remains around for what seems like eternity. It just will not go away; it is there at the back of your mind.
You feel fatigued by the task — the mere thought of it saps your energy. You put the task off for another day, but it does not bring you happiness. The avoidance of the task can cause more stress to you than the task itself.
What is procrastination?
Procrastination is when you put off doing something, for whatever reason. It may be a decision or an activity. It also involves those tasks that you have made a start on but have just not finished. People procrastinate over many things - from major decisions (should I change my job?) to small tasks (cleaning the windows). Furthermore, the task itself does not necessarily have to be unpleasant. All that is known for certain is that something is definitely holding you back.
Why do people procrastinate?
There are many reasons why people procrastinate. In fact, you may not even know why you are procrastinating. Take a look at the following, to see if any strike a chord with you:
Fear of failure. You may be concerned that you are not good enough to complete the task, or if you do it will not turn out as you had planned.
Fear of success. Perhaps you are concerned about the consequences of you achieving your desired goal or activity. Will it bring more work, unwanted attention or higher expectations?
You cannot see the point in finishing. Past experience tells you that your hard work will not be recognised or rewarded, so why bother?
The environment may not be as you would like. It may be too noisy, quiet, bright, dull, hot or cold.
Other people. You believe others are expecting you to fail, or they may be demanding your attention.
Boredom. The task is too dull to waste your time over it.
The belief that the task is too big, so why bother as you will never finish it.
Lack of motivation — you can think of no good reason to do it.
Past experience tells you the task is uninteresting or difficult.
As time moves on, you may start to doubt your ability to even finish the task.
Tips to help you overcome procrastination
Get motivated. Think about what motivates you. Do you need to reward yourself for completing the task? Do you like starting things? Then maybe think of an activity you can start only when you have finished your uncompleted activity. If you are motivated by completion, procrastination will hinder this reward, so remind yourself how good you feel when you finish something.
Set yourself a goal. Give yourself a deadline and break it down into achievable chunks. Schedule a time when you will do it; make sure it is a time when you work best or are the most motivated. Be realistic with your goals, they should be big enough to be interesting but small enough to be achievable.
Limit your distractions. Think about all the things that will get in your way and decide how you will deal with them. If you work on a computer, close down all windows except the one you are working on, including chat and email programs.
Imagine how you will feel once the task is finished. No more fatigue and no more unfinished task!
Remind yourself of why you started the task in the first place. Recall how you felt when you began the task and relive those positive emotions.
Find enjoyment in a seemingly boring task. This is especially important if it is something you need to do on a regular basis.
Make sure you are not hungry or thirsty, too warm or too cold. These can all reduce your concentration levels.
Imagery. Close your eyes and imagine yourself carrying out the task. See yourself hard at work, happy and motivated. You are thoroughly enjoying the task, nothing is distracting you. Imagine how good it feels to be engaging in the task.
Avoid multi-tasking. You will soon find yourself avoiding the task once more, as you allowed something else to get in the way.
Identify your barriers. Write down what is standing in your way of achieving the task. It may be something in your environment or thoughts that you are having. Once you are aware of your barriers, you are in a position to do something about them. You may need to challenge your thinking to achieve this.
Brainstorm solutions. If you are uncertain about how to achieve your particular activity, brainstorming can be beneficial. Write down all the different ways you can achieve your goal. Think of as many possibilities as you can. From this list, choose the most realistic, the one that will work for you. Then make a plan for carrying out your chosen solution and get started.
Copyright Julia Barnard 2007
Julia Barnard is a professional counsellor living in Adelaide, Australia. She provides an online counselling service through her website http://www.makethechange.com.au. Julia also writes articles for the website aimed at enhancing well-being and promoting good mental health.