5 Reasons You Are Addicted to Procrastination...

If you’ve struggled with procrastination, we’re sure you’re aware that you are not alone.

Just because many people struggle with it does not mean it’s a difficult problem to work with. Thankfully, we have many examples of effective strategies for overcoming procrastination. In this post we’ll be discussing the five main reasons why most people are practically addicted to procrastination, and what you can do about each of those core issues.

Someone being held back from their full potential // DALL-E

Reason #1: Fear of failure

One of the main reasons why people procrastinate is because of their fear of failure. There are many reasons this fear may come about, however, getting to the bottom of it will always be for the best. To begin, it's best to ask yourself if this may be due to a lack of confidence in yourself. If you aren’t confident in your abilities you won’t be able to believe in yourself to accomplish the task at hand. On the contrary, a desire to be perfect can raise this internal conflict as well. Be sure to consider all possibilities, and understand that overcoming procrastination and fear of failure in this situation comes down to not avoiding the problem.

Read more about Fear of Failure, and how you can overcome it...

Reason #2: Difficulty making decisions

Another reason people can become attached to procrastination is through indecisiveness. Being unable to make a decision can cause you to drag what you must do on to a point where it takes up too much of your time. When faced with a choice where there are many options, or when someone is unsure of which option to take, they may put off making a decision at all. This can come from a specific fear, or it can come from a lack of clear priorities. Being able to make decisions based on what you know to be true is an incredibly important ability.

Read more about the ways you can improve your decision making skills...

Reason #3: Poor time management skills

Procrastination can also manifest itself through poor time management. The big downfall with procrastination due to poor time management is that you can wind up feeling overwhelmed by not doing things on time, which then creates a loop. This loop keeps you where you’re at, which contributes to the feeling of having nothing finished. One way to get past this point is to create a simple schedule, or task list of things to do within certain time frames. For example, you may say that you’d like to finish writing one post within a week, or complete 2 chores in a single day. This helps lead you to feeling more effective with your time, and creates an equally powerful loop in the opposite direction, helping you feel more positive.

Read more on building better time management skills, or time management tips to reduce procrastination, click here!

Reason #4: Lack of motivation

Have you ever felt like you don’t have the energy to do something, when in reality, you do? It may have been because you lacked the motivation to do it. Lacking motivation can be a huge reason you may be procrastinating. There are numerous reasons why you may lack motivation, but in the end, no matter if you know why that is or not, you can always do something to push it in the right direction. Things like setting clear goals, or even breaking things down into small simple steps can begin increasing motivation to avoid procrastination.

Read more about some of the best ways to increase your motivation...

Reason #5: Internal and External distractions

Many people discount the possibility, but have you considered that you may simply be too distracted by the opportunities around you? When we say opportunities it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re positive. This could be anything from social media to playing video games. Distractions like these aren’t always a bad thing, as you may need a break at points, but limiting yourself is the key to being successful while using them. One of the easiest ways to limit your distractions would be to give yourself a specific amount of time with them. This would allow you to ensure that you’ve not put too much into the distractions, and that you’ll have at least a certain amount of time to do what you know you must. Read more on reducing external and internal distractions for better productivity...

In the end, overcoming procrastination is completely within your control. Telling yourself that you have the capability to eliminate distractions, build motivation, and improve your time management is different than actually doing it, but with the help of goals and step-by-step plans, you can do it without too much additional effort. Don’t let fear of failure, or decision making skills prevent you from reaching this goal as well! It’s up to you, and only you to defeat this monster called procrastination. Remember, if you ever need more help with a specific topic we covered, we have further information on each of these challenges above! Never stop improving yourself; If anyone can do it, it’s you!