What is Procrastination and Why Do People Choose to Procrastinate?Posted by Hosanna on February 27th, 2021 Procrastination can best be defined as putting off, delaying or deferring an action to a later time. Now we all procrastinate from time to time. It's only when Procrastination stops or hinders us from leading a full and vibrant life that it becomes a problem. Some of us procrastinate at work with admin tasks, some of us at home with household chores but one thing is clear however we choose to procrastinate, it can't be good for us or those around us. Did you know that studies have shown that around 20% of people consider themselves procrastinators for example: they may not pay their bills on time; they may miss job or promotion opportunities; they may not appeal against parking fines on time or they may leave their Christmas or birthday gift shopping until the last minute. Procrastinators may tell themselves "I'll do this tomorrow" Or "I work best under pressure." But the truth is Procrastinators may put off doing things indefinitely - how many times have you heard someone say "I'll go on a diet tomorrow". There are many ways to disrupt our lives but one of the worst ways in my opinion is procrastination. After all, who wants a life full of regrets through not taking action on time? It is generally thought that we learn to Procrastinate rather than we are born as procrastinators. Procrastination can be learned from ones parents, siblings or other figures of authority as we are growing up. Procrastination is sometimes a response to an authoritarian parenting style. Having controlling parents may keep children from developing the ability to take immediate action without seeking some extra guidance from an authority figure in their lives. As we then become adults we may still be seeking that extra guidance before we act, but at this point the authority figures may not be present, which in turn leads us to put off or defer taking action. In some cases procrastination may be a form of rebellion or even a way of simply being noticed. Procrastinators may turn to friends rather than family for support but unfortunately our friends may actually exacerbate the problem by accepting our excuses. There are several effects of procrastination: Health for instance. Studies have shown that procrastination may lead to compromised immune systems with more colds and flu, more gastrointestinal problems and insomnia. Procrastination may also shift the burden of responsibility away from us and onto others and in doing so leads to resentfulness and may destroy teamwork and our relationships. There are a number of different types of Procrastinators: 1. Those seeking a high - these leave things to the last minute and get a buzz from frantic last minute activities - especially when they have no option Now, if you like me, want to get rid of Procrastination from your life there are a number of techniques available. With much concerted effort it is possible for procrastinators to beat their procrastination on their own. It will take a lot of mental energy and can be very draining. However, luckily, there is a simple and effective solution and it's found within the realms of NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming. In my opinion cognitive therapies that make you talk though every issue dragging you through all your negative experiences can sometimes do more harm than good. That's not to say that they don't work, but other techniques such as: 1. Anchoring - change the effects of the "trigger" that normally causes you to procrastinate. These techniques are found in the realm of NLP work so much faster than some other Cognitive Therapies and are effective almost immediately. If you would like to know more or would be interested in discussing individual cases you can contact me via our website. Additionally, if you need assistance in finding a NLP Practioner or NLP Master Practioner please drop me a line and I'll be happy to assist. |
