Procrastination

Procrastination, a common symptom of ADHD, is a problem that effects many of us. Not only is it a problem in itself, but it creates a multitude of problems. Problems such as missed promotions or raises, difficult relationships, poor grades and performance, and just plain missing out.

I have reached the conclusion that fear is the driving force behind procrastination. I also believe that many of us who suffer from procrastination are perfectionists. Short of shaking your head in denial, consider this. We put a project on hold because we are afraid that we will not be able to do it well enough. It won't meet our standards. Or, we fear that others will think it is not good enough. Rejection. The bottom line is that we procrastinate. The due date comes and goes, and the project never gets finished.

Many of us tackle the most difficult and pressing assignments last of all. Instead, we do the jobs that are easy and fun while the difficult tasks soon get buried and forgotten.

How do we turn this around?

A good start is to get to the underlying cause. Is it fear? Fear of the outcome? Is this fear driven by not accepting anything less than perfect from ourselves? Or by what others will think of us, if it is below par? We really must ask ourselves why we keep putting things off. Whether it is a decision, completing a project, or beginning an assignment or activity. Spending time doing this results in some revealing information. Information that we can use to rid ourselves of the procrastination habit. This provides a starting point that allows us to replace the negative procrastination habit with its opposite, and positive habit.

If we are procrastinating because of lack of knowledge, we must either acquire the knowledge, or be honest enough to say, "I really do not have the know-how to successfully complete his project by myself." Are we able to say this to our employer, spouse, or supervisor? If not, then we have an issue that needs our attention.

Procrastination is not our friend. We must not fall into the trap of making excuses for the behavior by saying something like, "I work better under pressure." Procrastination is a negative habit. Replace it with good habits.

A good practice is to deal with difficult assignments first. Do not move them aside. If you have difficulty with this, try spending a designated amount of time each day on "dreaded" tasks. It is important to stick to the scheduled amount of time, making it productive. In order to do this, set a short amount of time at first that you can easily manage. Add a couple of minutes to this allotted time each day. Soon, you will be working at, or even exceeding the amount of time that most projects require.

Procrastination really gets in the way of success. It is necessarry to discover what brought it into your life. If you suffer from procrastination, face the fear head on, and get it out of your life. nnn