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Anxiety and procrastination are often best friends. This toxic friendship often holds anxiety sufferers back from productivity, career progression, and personal growth. But why are anxiety sufferers so prone to procrastination?
Anxiety can be like rocket fuel for procrastination. Fear of failure, the expectations of others, and perfectionism all lead us to postpone tasks to avoid the discomfort of doing them. While it is natural to be apprehensive about undertaking these uncomfortable tasks, it also makes anxiety worse in the long run. The temporary relief of putting something off ultimately leads to a larger cycle that is difficult to break.
How many of us have left work until the last minute? I’m sure a lot of you have! But have you ever approached a last-minute deadline calmly and rationally? I’m guessing not. Most of us would approach the impending deadline stressed and on edge. But if we had made time to do the difficult task earlier on, we would have significantly reduced our stress levels while also giving ourselves more time to review and rectify any potential issues that may arise.
Constantly putting tasks off not only adds to our stress levels but can significantly negatively impact our self-esteem. Always leaving things to the last minute can create a sense of shame, inadequacy, and fuel negative self-talk.
What can we do to stop procrastination?
With most anxiety-related issues, there are ways to manage it, but it will take time and dedication. It will also require you not to procrastinate – which is somewhat of a paradox.
First and foremost, to reduce procrastination, you should focus on reducing anxiety overall. The Invincible Mind programme is of course, a great place to do this. Managing anxiety will have a positive effect on procrastination.
Some more practical tactics include breaking complex tasks into smaller chunks. Smaller tasks are more manageable and give a sense of progress as we work through them. Perfectionism often fuels anxiety and procrastination sometimes, we need to accept that something being done, is better than something that is incomplete and perfect. Set realistic expectations for the task before you start.
Time management is also an essential skill to develop. Just 5 minutes of planning a day can have incredible results on productivity and progressing tasks. There are countless tools, apps, books and strategies to better manage time. It’s important not to get lost in techniques. In its simplest form, a to-do list is an excellent start for many.
Procrastination is a tricky cycle to navigate; firstly it is essential to manage anxiety overall. The impact of doing this will be substantial. Secondly, recognize when you are procrastinating and effectively plan by breaking down the task or employing time management techniques.