Managing Procrastination

Where to Start When Procrastinating

If you can  notice when your procrastination is starting to creep in, you may find it could be due to feelings of anxiety or overwhelm. This often happens when there are too many things that you need to get done, when every task feels equally important, or when you’re just not sure where to start. Below are some steps that can help if you find yourself stuck in the procrastination loop:

Step 1.  Create a place to write down what it is you are wanting to accomplish. Brainstorming ideas visually helps with the mental load of trying to remember things and can help reduce feelings of overwhelm.

Step 2.  You can use the ABCD prioritization method to sort your tasks and decide what needs attention first. This helps you organize your ideas by separating and clarifying the tasks at hand.  Let's use your weekly to-do’s as an example:

• Use A’s to label tasks needing to be completed right away due to immediate negative consequences. Examples might be: Pay phone bill, book camping site, or to call your friend to wish them Happy Birthday.

• B’s are for tasks that are also important, but have less immediate consequences if not completed right away. B tasks are always done after your A’s are completed. Examples could be: Texting back a friend, buying groceries, or finding boxes to pack up unwanted items.

• C’s do not carry a sense of urgency like something you may have labeled as an A or B task, but you would still like to see it completed at a later point in time. Examples might be: Vacuum the floor in the spare room or to make a playlist to clean the bathroom too.

• Lastly, D tasks. D’s are for the things you could either delegate to others or drop the task all together. Example could look like: Asking a friend to book the restaurant reservations or maybe letting go of trying to get the car cleaned out and postpone it till next month

Team Voices: Here is what one of our providers at Cognito has to say:‍

“When I’m stuck in a procrastination loop, I’ll try to revisit my to-do list and identify the most important task for today. So even if I only get one thing done, at least it’s the most required one. If I still find it’s hard to start, I’ll break it down into chunks and start with the easiest part. My favorite music playing in my headphones always helps me get moving and stay focused too!” – Anna, CBT Care Provider

Working With Low Motivation

Low motivation often shows up when something feels too big or unmanageable. This can make you feel both physically and mentally exhausted, which can keep you from starting or following through with a project. The trick to working with low motivation is to make sure your plan itself is not what is getting in the way. To help reduce the feelings of overwhelm, you can ask yourself the following SMART Goal questions:

• Why is this goal a priority for me right now in my life?
• Is this goal specific enough to accomplish?  e.g. “I will get the house in order this week”, or “ I will spend an hour cleaning in the spare room, each day this week.”
• What steps are needed to reach my goal?
• Considering my current strengths, abilities, and energy levels, are there any barriers I should anticipate to make sure I can complete this goal?
• Where can I track my progress? How will I know if it is getting done? 
• What is my timeframe to accomplish this goal? (smaller is often better, e.g. one to two weeks at a time.)
  

Thoughts on Procrastination

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I won't be able to get it done, so there is no point in starting,” or “I’m feeling depressed, I don’t want to do anything today”.  Maybe you’ve even said, “There’s no point, it won’t turn out right”.  If so, take relief in knowing you're not alone, and that challenging those thoughts is an option.

The first step is to notice the unhelpful thought and to try not to get caught up in it again (this takes practice, so be gentle with yourself). Once you have noticed the unhelpful thought, you can begin to create a more balanced one.  To do this ask yourself: “When has this thought not been completely true?” or “Considering my strengths and barriers, what is a more realistic option for me to tell myself?”. A more balanced thought might sound like, “I probably won’t get it all done today, but I will sure feel good about starting it”, or “I’m going to try something small, even though I don't feel great today ”, or “There is no such thing as perfect, just my best.”

Going Forward With Procrastination

Procrastination can show up when facing both little and big tasks that need to get done. However, with practicing  prioritizing, goal setting, and reducing the grip of your unhelpful thoughts, you will be able to start and complete tasks more effectively.  

If you feel this is a good place to start, and would like to further practice how to use these skills, our Cognito CBT Care Providers are here to guide you as you learn to tackle procrastination. 
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Written by: Sarah Wiebe

References

Wilks, C. (2024, Oct 17) Why we procrastinate and how to stop https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/human-flourishing-101/202410/why-we-procrastinate-and-how-to-stop