Seven Possible Causes of Procrastination, How to Beat It, and Why Procrastination Isn't Always a Bad Thing. I decided to figure out what kind of animal this procrastination is and how to deal with it. I went through a bunch of materials, talked with several people from IT - that's what came of it.
First of#nbsp;all, let’s review what is#nbsp;procrastination
There are several definitions of#nbsp;the term "procrastination" found in#nbsp;Internet and in#nbsp;dictionaries. In#nbsp;our opinion, the following definition reflects the meaning as#nbsp;accurately as#nbsp;possible.
Procrastination is#nbsp;a#nbsp;syndrome in#nbsp;which a#nbsp;person constantly puts things off, replacing them with more pleasant activities (tea, coffee, games, etc.). As#nbsp;a#nbsp;result, life problems, stress and guilt appear, efficiency decreases, self-esteem falls.
Pay attention to#nbsp;the words "syndrome" and "permanently." If#nbsp;you put a#nbsp;few things off until tomorrow, and then again#nbsp;— this is#nbsp;not procrastination, you just postponed a#nbsp;few things.
Based on#nbsp;the definition, here is#nbsp;what is#nbsp;procrastination and what is#nbsp;not:
Sometimes procrastination is#nbsp;confused with rest: for example, if#nbsp;you play computer games, you definitely procrastinate. This is#nbsp;not so: having rest helps to#nbsp;switch the tired brain from work tasks and gives us#nbsp;energy, while procrastination, on#nbsp;the contrary, takes it#nbsp;away. And the less energy remains, the more willingly a#nbsp;person postpones further.
Procrastination is#nbsp;not laziness. A#nbsp;lazy person does not feel guilty about things not done. A#nbsp;person suffering from procrastination blames himself/herself, but cannot pull himself together and take action.
When did procrastination become as#nbsp;an#nbsp;important topic?
Procrastination is#nbsp;mentioned in#nbsp;the poem "Works and Days" by#nbsp;the ancient Greek poet Hesiod (VIII-VII centuries BC).
And do#nbsp;not put things off until tomorrow, until the day after tomorrow.
Barns are empty for those who are lazy to#nbsp;work
And he#nbsp;loves to#nbsp;put things off forever: wealth is#nbsp;given by#nbsp;diligence.
Baggy struggles with troubles all his life continuously.
Probably, procrastination has always existed, it’s just that the name for this syndrome was invented relatively recently. According to#nbsp;Google Trends, people in#nbsp;Russia have been talking about procrastination since more or#nbsp;less 2004. in#nbsp;July’s people are less interested in "Procrastination"…
Reason 1. Problems with Rest
Do#nbsp;not lay down the time to#nbsp;switch the brain. Fatigue often manifests itself in#nbsp;defocusing: when the brain is#nbsp;overloaded, it#nbsp;is#nbsp;difficult for it#nbsp;to#nbsp;focus on#nbsp;a#nbsp;task and it#nbsp;begins to#nbsp;look for a#nbsp;way to#nbsp;unload and relax. As#nbsp;a#nbsp;result, a#nbsp;person begins to#nbsp;get distracted too often.
Procrastination due to#nbsp;sleep inefficiency
The quality of#nbsp;sleep is#nbsp;also important: it#nbsp;is#nbsp;he who helps to#nbsp;restore strength and work more productively.
Reason 2. You’re about to#nbsp;burn out
When a#nbsp;person gets tired systematically, he/she can even hate the thing that was previously loved. Interest in#nbsp;work and the quality of#nbsp;its performance are falling, irritability appears. Strength and desire to#nbsp;work less and less. Typically, burnout is#nbsp;related to#nbsp;stress at#nbsp;work. This stress always has a#nbsp;reason#nbsp;— usually it#nbsp;is#nbsp;something that you do#nbsp;not want to#nbsp;face. For example, constant trouble coming from your line manager. Or#nbsp;always super busy daily plan. In#nbsp;such a#nbsp;situation, burnout is#nbsp;a#nbsp;way for the psyche to#nbsp;protect itself from stress.
Remember: Stress is#nbsp;not normal
Reason 3. Procrastination due to#nbsp;perfectionism
A#nbsp;perfectionist strives to#nbsp;make everything perfect. Because of#nbsp;this, the focus shifts from the main thing to#nbsp;the little things that take up#nbsp;an#nbsp;unacceptably long time. As#nbsp;a#nbsp;result, a#nbsp;person spends several times more time on#nbsp;a#nbsp;task that could be#nbsp;done in#nbsp;an#nbsp;hour, or#nbsp;even does not start it#nbsp;at#nbsp;all.
Reason 4. You feel like you’re ineffective
In#nbsp;recent years, it#nbsp;has become fashionable to#nbsp;be a#nbsp;workaholic, solve a#nbsp;large number of#nbsp;tasks and be#nbsp;productive. You look at#nbsp;the social network feed#nbsp;— and there half of#nbsp;the friends hold business meetings, the second launches their new projects and still finds time to#nbsp;fly on#nbsp;vacation or#nbsp;ride horses, and some others are engaged in#nbsp;self-development.
When you constantly see this, you also want to#nbsp;achieve something really important, but not what you work on#nbsp;now. To#nbsp;reach the goal, you need a#nbsp;big plan and high efficiency.
Reason 5. You are not doing your job
Sometimes, your leader sets a#nbsp;new task, and you understand: "This is#nbsp;not my#nbsp;job, not my#nbsp;responsibility. But I’ll do#nbsp;it."
For example, you are a#nbsp;buyer and have been assigned to#nbsp;write an#nbsp;article about your company’s services. You start working on#nbsp;this and realise that you are experiencing internal resistance. You decide to#nbsp;return to#nbsp;the task later when you have more time. As#nbsp;a#nbsp;result, the task is#nbsp;delayed again and again.
Reason 6. You don’t want to#nbsp;think about what’s really important
One can have many aspirations. Someone dreams of#nbsp;becoming a#nbsp;pilot, someone#nbsp;— a#nbsp;doctor. But dreams remain dreams, and you need to#nbsp;continue with your life and earn money. As#nbsp;a#nbsp;result, we#nbsp;do#nbsp;not do#nbsp;what we#nbsp;want, but what we#nbsp;have to#nbsp;do.