Procrastination: What does It Mean?
What is procrastination? What are the top causes of procrastination? Very simply, procrastination means, the action of delaying or postponing something. According to Wikipedia: "Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task which needs to be accomplished. It is the practice of doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones or carrying out less urgent tasks instead of more urgent ones, thus putting off impending tasks to a later time. Sometimes, procrastination takes place until the "last minute" before a deadline. Procrastination can take hold on any aspect of life - putting off cleaning the stove, repairing a leaky roof, seeing a doctor or dentist, submitting a job report or academic assignment or broaching a stressful issue with a partner. Procrastination can lead to feelings of guilt, inadequacy, depression and self-doubt. So, what are the top causes of procrastination?
Let's proceed with it so that procrastination can be avoided!
7 Top Causes of Procrastination
Do you know the reasons why you procrastinate? They may be different to those of another person. The reasons for procrastination relate to a feeling, belief and the task at hand. Only when you identify them can you do something about it.
Here are the seven top causes of procrastination:
Distraction:
Gossip, text messages, Facebook and e-mail are some reasons why people procrastinate. There are even people who get distracted because they find or just feel something is out of place on their desk. The average employee wastes up to 2 hours or more a day on tasks that have nothing to do with work.
Fear of success:
To be successful comes with a price to pay. This may be longer working hours, new enemies, isolation from family, etc. Basically, you fear of what success will bring and procrastination grasp you.
Fear of failure:
What would you do if it weren't possible for you to fail? Fear ensures your survival but is also one of the reasons for procrastination. You may think that failing is worse than not even trying. So you protect yourself by putting things off.
Perfectionism:
Trying to do a perfect task puts a lot of pressure on you, making you feel so stressed that you procrastinate. Maybe parents set expectations that are too high, you are concerned with what others think or you constantly criticize your work. Any situation where you feel evaluated has a chance to be one of the reasons why people procrastinate.
Lack of skills:
Not knowing how to do a task makes it more difficult than it has to be. By nature, we tend to avoid difficult things and take care of those that are easy. You may have a tough time admitting your skill deficits because you do not want to come across as a good-for-nothing.
Lack of interest:
Let's say you're not interested in doing a task, at least at the moment. By putting it off, you feel like you are losing nothing of value. However, doing so can result counterproductive. In life, there are times when you have to complete certain tasks you do not like to do.
Lack of rewards:
Another of the reasons for procrastination is because their efforts are never rewarded. This is not necessarily a responsibility of your boss. Promising yourself to watch that exciting new movie, spend time with friends or some other fun activity can serve you to keep going. Remember that rewards are not only external but also internal, so make sure to give yourself credit for your work.
Are the above the only reasons why people procrastinate? Certainly not, but they are the top causes of procrastination. You can uncover more of them by observing yourself while doing a task.
