Bored or Lucky? Find yourself among 5 types of procrastinators and change your life

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

We all procrastinate in different ways: some get hung up on details, some don't like what they are doing, or are simply terrified of the amount of work ahead. But the habit of putting off until tomorrow what can be done today is actually not so harmless.

The closer the deadline, the cleaner and tidier your workspace. If so, then you are most likely familiar with procrastination firsthand. The habit of putting things off until later is not good enough. Scientists have found that it is most often associated with increased levels of stress, anxiety and fatigue.

While even procrastination can be used wisely, you need to understand that avoiding important things in this way can backfire. For example, chronic procrastinators often lose their peace of mind, not only at work, but also in other areas of life, because they avoid tasks that are not only difficult, but also bring the most important results.

If you understand why you are trying not to do what you need to do, you can understand how to overcome this state. So we invite you to look at the 5 most common types of procrastinators and choose the tactics that will help you get back to work.

1. Perfectionist

This procrastinator is most afraid of mistakes that can embarrass him. When a large project needs to be done, the perfectionist thinks over the details for a long time or focuses all his attention on one part, does not keep track of the time, and then tries to have time to finish everything at the last minute. The irony is that, on the contrary, this approach usually leads to more mistakes.

2. Impostor

Afraid that everyone will find out that he is an unqualified specialist in his field, if not worse. Therefore, he postpones all matters until later in order to avoid exposure. More often than not, an impostor procrastinator appears surrounded by people who are difficult to please. When strict parents, beloved, boss, teacher do not show their gratitude, the person falls into a state that behaviorists call learned helplessness. The individual does not make attempts to improve his situation, although he has such an opportunity. In other words, he is depressed.

3. Bored

When work is overtly bored or unpleasant, we can procrastinate just to avoid it. If you really hate what you do or find your job very boring, it's hard to find the motivation to take action.

4. Overloaded

When there is a lot to do, it can be difficult to decide where to start. Therefore, some of us choose to do nothing. It doesn't matter if we have taken on so many tasks ourselves, or have been assigned by the boss. The thought that there is a huge amount of work to redo drives us into a stupor, and we procrastinate.

5. Lucky

Some people live in the belief that they do best under pressure, so they calmly wait for the moment when they are pushed against the wall. And they probably have a story about how they were rewarded for procrastination, or at least they could procrastinate for their pleasure without consequences. At school, such a person usually took tests later than everyone else, having time to come up with the right solution (or spy on it) at the last second. As a result, the relationship between procrastination and good grades has become entrenched, and already in adulthood, the lucky one habitually waits for the last moment.

How to beat procrastination

So what if you're a procrastinator? Recognizing a problem is the first step to solving it and changing behavior.

1. Make sure the job really needs to be done. If you procrastinate because you feel overwhelmed or hate your job, first ask yourself if you really should get down to business. Is it possible to optimize the task or delegate part of the work to colleagues? Often, after getting rid of unnecessary things, people begin to move mountains.
2. Split tasks. Decide for yourself what you need to do to move forward. This will eliminate the ambiguity that can provoke procrastination. Make a plan with specific timelines for each stage. This will help you understand that the matter is not as difficult as you thought at first.
3. Make a commitment. In order to have a sincere desire to take up some business, it is important to understand why you need it. For example, if you care about your health and exercise helps you feel better, you will take it more seriously. People who wrote or just talked out loud about when they would get down to business and exactly what they would do were better at dealing with distractions and actually starting to implement plans.
4. Solve one little problem. By forcing yourself to act, you get rid of procrastination. Even if you just go through your papers or draw up a short project plan, it will be enough to get in the mood for work and get a rough idea of the direction. It's like going to the gym: the hardest part is getting yourself to go there.
5. Add a new term. Adding an element of urgency can help defeat procrastination. Set a deadline for a rough draft of your project and get started with the idea that it doesn't have to be perfect. Use a timer for common small tasks. Set it for 15-30 minutes and work on the task: this will help you get involved in the project. And yes, you can add a gameplay element to the process: award yourself a small reward after completing each stage.