Procrastination: Understanding why you delay your tasks and the heavy risks linked to it

The word procrastination often carries a weight of frustration and guilt. From putting off tasks until the last minute to delaying critical decisions, it can happen in many ways and affect everyone. Here, we will explore its effects, why you do it, and how you can start to lessen it.

Consequences

You may know the effects of procrastination from firsthand experience. However, its impact extends far beyond missed deadlines and unfinished projects. Chronic procrastination can erode self-esteem. It robs you of precious time, hindering your ability to achieve your goals. As a result, it causes a cycle of stress and guilt, giving rise to feelings of not being good enough. The effects can also bleed into other parts of your life. Procrastination can cause friction in your relationships as time management becomes an issue. It can also lead to other mental health problems like anxiety or depression.

Why Do You Procrastinate?

At its core, procrastination involves delaying tasks despite knowing it may lead to bad outcomes. There are many reasons you do this. For one, you may also procrastinate because of fear. For example, you might delay going to the doctor because you're afraid of what the results could mean. Or you might delay starting your business because you're worried about failing. Another possible reason you procrastinate is you want things to be perfect. You might feel uneasy when things get rough and messy. Your perfectionism prevents you from doing the things you need to do. You could also procrastinate because you are overwhelmed by the task in front of you. You may get discouraged because you feel your work may not make any substantial impact. Every time you put out a fire, another one seems to pop up. Finally, you could be distracted. You delay doing your task because of the excitement you get from social media or games. Your work feels relatively dull, so you turn to entertainment instead.

Understand Yourself

The first step to reducing procrastination is knowing why you do it. We have explored many potential reasons, but your situation is unique. You can start your journey of overcoming procrastination by doing a little self-reflection yourself.