By: Imgbian Caleb
We all procrastinate one way or another, be it by delaying showering or submitting an important project. Procrastination is the act of intentionally postponing, delaying, or putting off an activity (Procrastination, 2023). Procrastination comes from a place of anxiety and fear of confronting our imperfections, which can be detrimental to our self-esteem when we do it continuously. This is because nobody achieves anything by constantly succumbing to their fear.
Effects of Procrastination
Unlike most mental health issues like trauma and depression, people have struggled and have been aware of procrastination dating back to ancient civilizations. The Greek poet Hesiod, writing around 800 B.C., cautioned not to “put your work off till tomorrow and the day after” (Jeffe, 2013). The Roman consul Cicero called procrastination “hateful” in the conduct of affairs (Jeffe, 2013).
What has become clear about procrastination is that it is downright harmful not only to society but to the individual. Constant procrastination can make a person prone to self-sabotage, low self-esteem, and poor social skills. This is because when a person constantly procrastinates, the person is constantly betraying the commitment they made to themselves.
Procrastination From a Different Angle
Another way of looking at procrastination is by observing human nature and how we live our lives. It is common knowledge that death is inevitable, yet we constantly live and plan our lives as if we will live forever. Most students study hard because they want to get a good job in the future and when they get to the future job, they want better and when they get better; they want more. While most people will agree this is a good form of procrastination, this form of procrastination comes with a cost, as we often put off certain moments that we will never be able to get back because of the pursuit of our goals: like family time, our health, and relationships with people. Though society accepts this form of procrastination, it certainly has its cost.
How to Tackle Procrastination
- Focus on what matters the most.
- Develop the habit of journaling.
- Intentionally make a commitment to know yourself better.
A good way of tackling procrastination is by focusing on what matters most. We live in a world where our focus and attention are easily hijacked. Most people don’t intend to spend hours of their time on the internet or social media but there is lots of entertaining content online, which can hijack our focus and attention from our initial plan. This isn’t only applicable to online content, it is applicable whenever we lose focus which can be intentional and unintentional. For example, cheating in a loving relationship mostly begins when we lose focus on our partner.
One of the best forms of regaining your focus is by developing the habit of journaling. This can be in the form of a to-do list or a detailed plan on how you would like to tackle an ongoing challenge; perhaps you want to know more about yourself, and why your anxiety levels have been on the rise for some time. Journaling is the best form of self-therapy. When you focus on something, like journaling, you will not only get better, you will discover new ways to evolve and be honest with yourself.
When we make journaling a habit, we intentionally make a commitment to know ourselves better, which is what matters the most. The more self-aware we become, the more focused we will be on the things that matter to us in life. If you would like to learn more about journaling and make it a habit, hit the link below to join a group of supportive individuals at The Love Story. It is worth it!
Begin Journaling Here
References
Barlett, S. [@TheDiaryOfACEO]. (2022, March 14). How To Finally Stop Procrastinating: Oliver Burkeman | E125 [Video]. YouTube. YouTube.com/watch?v=ALV6ItXdUYI
Jaffe, E. (2013, March 29) Why wait? The science behind procrastination Association for Psychological Science. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/why-wait-the-science-behind-procrastination
Maloney, D. [@drdavidmaloneypsychotherapy]). (2019, April 1). Procrastination explained by psychologist [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me7tWDmbXrE
Procrastination. (2023, January 17). Wiktionary. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/procrastination
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