Why Do People Procrastinate?

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Why Do People Procrastinate?

Why do people procrastinate?

Knowing the causes of procrastination allows you to put in place procrastination strategies to get things done and reduce stress.

According to the latest procrastination statistics, 20% of adults are chronic procrastinators while over 75% of students have been affected by procrastination.

Some of the most common reasons for procrastination are:

avoiding unpleasant tasks

self doubt and lack of confidence

fear of change or uncertainty

tiredness and fatigue

addicted to the last minute

perfectionism

the job is too big and I don't know where to start.

Procrastination affects us all to some degree but when chronic procrastination causes:

stress

reduces the quality of your work

impedes your ability to reach your goals

....then overcoming procrastination is important.

Knowing your reasons why you procrastinate allows you to put into place effective strategies to learn how to stop procrastination.

This is why I like the Procrastination Challenge.

The 21 day challenge takes the view that each person's causes of procrastination are different and therefore each solution to beat procrastination is unique to the individual.

I recently did this 21 day procrastination course which:

identified my causes of procrastination

examined typical procrastination excuses that I use

importantly gave me practical step-by-step strategies to overcome procrastination.

While the course required a personal commitment to change which I at times found tough I am noticing that I am procrastinating much less and getting things done.

But I am glad I took the Procrastination Challenge.

As Zig Ziglar says:

"If you wait until all the lights are "green" before you leave home, you'll never get started on your trip to the top."

Here are some common reasons for 'why do people procrastinate?'

Why do people procrastinate?

The answer to the question "Why do people procrastinate?" helps you to identify the causes of your procrastination and to implement effective procrastination strategies to overcome procrastination once and for all.

Do you procrastinate on tasks that you don't like? For example that disciplinary chat with your co-worker or starting project that you don't want to do.

Perhaps you are overworked and over-committed and just don't know where to start?

Do you have a fear of failure or even success? By putting off the task off, do you hope it will go away?

We all procrastinate to some degree. But when procrastination becomes chronic and results in stress and the non-achievement of your goals, then it is time to do something to overcome procrastination.

why do people procrastinate

So why do people procrastinate?

There are both internal and external reasons for procrastination.

Some of the most common reasons that people procrastinate have to do with the unwritten assumptions or rules they have.

Some of the unwritten assumptions or rules include:

Life is too short to be doing something that is not fun. Do you procrastinate on unpleasant tasks, such as that disciplinary chat with a colleague or the difficult job that you know you have to do?
Do you have difficulty putting up with boredom and want to get out there and have fun? Is life too short to be stuck doing something you don't want to do?
If "short-term pain for long-term gain" does not agree with you then you may be procrastinating over your unpleasant tasks.
See these tips on how to overcome procrastination.

Other Causes of Procrastination

There are a number of causes, both internal and external, that cause procrastination.

Not having clear goals, feeling like you don't have enough information, shifting priorities, and being overworked and over-committed are some common causes of procrastination.

I must be in charge. This type of people gives the impression that "I must be in control" and has difficulty with delegation and completing tasks he/she is forced to do.
When this happens, this type of person feels angry and resentful, and often procrastinates over the task, giving them a sense of power and control.
But this is about as useful as a child threatening to hold their breath...

Fear of failure Nobody likes to fail.
In fact, for procrastinators fear of failure results in putting off tasks!
Overcoming the fear of failure is the hallmark of a successful person.
Even the most confident of people fear failure and put things off. Unfortunately, by continuing to procrastinate, failure is more likely.

Fear of uncertainty or change. Do you have to be certain before you undertake a task? Do you feel that you should be prepared for the worst?
In this case, procrastination is likely to bring relief, but if you do nothing then nothing changes and this robs you of your potential!
Lack of self confidence. Do you doubt your abilities to achieve a goal that you set? Do you procrastinate because you say to yourself "I am not good enough" or "I can't do it"?
Procrastination means that you don't have to face up to any inadequacies or doubts.
If this sounds like you, then try these tips on procrastination to get you started.

Depleted energy. Do you feel overwhelmed and overworked? Are you under stress and just can't find the energy to pick yourself and get started on things? When fatigued, it is hard to motivate yourself and you may view procrastination in this sense as an opportunity to recharge.
Get to the causes of your stress and implement effective stress management techniques to recuperate and recharge your batteries.

Procrastination Quotes

Are you stuck in the procrastination habit?

Procrastination can be a hard habit to break, but if procrastination causes stress and stops you from achieving goals then it is important to overcome it.

These procrastination quotes encourage and motivate you to get on with achieving your goals and kick the procrastination habit.