Procrastinating

[HappyKoi]

Do you ever procrastinate about doing something when you're anxious or unsure about something?  I have things that I need to do, that are important to me, but I often put them off until "later", or until I get this or that done, or I go to do them and I think of something else I need to do.  Long story short, the things I put off don't get done or are rushed at the last minute.  A lot of them are things in regards to work or publishing my art.  It's not a good habit, but it's so unconscious that I usually don't even think about it when I'm doing it.  Does anyone else do this, and what is a good way to get back on track?

 

[T.Mil]

I am working on that now. I don't like being a procrastinator because I often put off things that need to be done and then when I try to do them at the last minute I get frustrated. My advice is you have to force yourself to do what needs to be done, that's what I do for myself.

 

[Choochoo]

I think a lot of people deal with this and not only people with anxiety. I saw a video once that said setting deadlines might help because when you feel you have unlimited time you are more able to just tell yourself to put it off until the next day. I have not tried this myself as I am still somewhat of a procrastinator but it does sound sensible enough to me. 

 

[Alex]

I do procrastinate, but only when things affect me. When it involves others I am more considerate and just want things done so I don't have to think about it. I'm okay leaving things to the last minute, because I know it will get done when it has to be done. There are many things I don't look forward to doing, and I have yo psych myself up to do them, then realize it wasn't that bad most of the time.


I just plan in my mind a countdown to doing things, and then make time to do it and reward myself afterwards.

 

[Alexandoy]

This is the actual situation now.  My computer is busted and I have replaced a new hard disk master.  But there are other things needed like installing drivers and restoration of some files. For 2 days I have procrastinated for fear of seeing more problems. And I'm also afraid that I would commit mistakes because of my fear. 


My computer broke down when I was sick of flu and until now I am still sick.

 

[hades_leae]

Yeah, I remember doing this in 2014 a lot. I was trying to teach myself how to be a programmer so I cans find some career on the internet as far as web development, and every time I got on the internet to see what I could get done as far as education, I would put it off right away for entertainment. I'd just tell myself that I would get series tomorrow which ended up being 6 months down the line and I still had little knowledge when I should've been an expert by that time.

 

[Azelma]

Didn't we recently have a thread on procrastinating?


Anyways, I do it a lot. Like all the time. Wayyy too much. It has gotten me into trouble before and I'm sure it will again, but I just usually can't bring myself to finish set tasks etc. on time. Or then I do it veeery close to the deadline. It's like I need that final little push that comes at the last second when you realize you haven't done what you were supposed to and you panic. Well they do say people perform the best under a bit of stress, maybe I need that stress to tell me that these things really should get done.


I also often just leave things undone altogether as a result of procrastinating. It's a horrible habit and one I should work on getting rid of.

 

[HappyKoi]

Didn't we recently have a thread on procrastinating?


Anyways, I do it a lot. Like all the time. Wayyy too much. It has gotten me into trouble before and I'm sure it will again, but I just usually can't bring myself to finish set tasks etc. on time. Or then I do it veeery close to the deadline. It's like I need that final little push that comes at the last second when you realize you haven't done what you were supposed to and you panic. Well they do say people perform the best under a bit of stress, maybe I need that stress to tell me that these things really should get done.


I also often just leave things undone altogether as a result of procrastinating. It's a horrible habit and one I should work on getting rid of.

We might have.  I'll check on it later.
I do get very close to deadlines.  In school, I was usually finishing up an assignment before class, and I hated those teachers that collected the homework as soon as you walked in the door.  I was usually finishing up when it came time to pass the homework up- I liked sitting near the front on the end of the rows because that meant I had a few more seconds to finish up while everyone was getting their homework out.  I can't say if I performed better or not, but it certainly taught me how to think and write fast!

 

[biege]

This happens to me all the time but what I always do to counter this is to imagine the future on what's going to happen if ever I won't do the specific task right now. Sometimes, it's hard to get yourself motivated but if one practice it would be easy for you to control this behavior. My training would always be writing the stuff I would do for the day starting from difficult task to menial tasks and then completing them one by one starting from the easiest to the most difficult task.

 

[fuzyon]

Do you ever procrastinate about doing something when you're anxious or unsure about something?  I have things that I need to do, that are important to me, but I often put them off until "later", or until I get this or that done, or I go to do them and I think of something else I need to do.  Long story short, the things I put off don't get done or are rushed at the last minute.  A lot of them are things in regards to work or publishing my art.  It's not a good habit, but it's so unconscious that I usually don't even think about it when I'm doing it.  Does anyone else do this, and what is a good way to get back on track?

Truth be told, everyone suffers from procrastination but there is a "cure". The thing that helped me was to just force myself to do stuff. For example, I struggled to go to the gym in my first days because I didn't feel comfortable by myself there, my mind procrastinated non-stop. I just forced my body to get dressed up in my gym clothes and went in front of the building without listening to what my brain had to say, once I was outside my mind started to follow what my body was doing. 

 

[janemariesayed]

The best way to get back on track is to really work on your willpower and focus. 


For some people, it helps to make a list the night before of everything you must do the next day, and then the next day follow through the list. You can tick it off as you complete each task. You could also give yourself a reward for doing a set amount of tasks each day. Perhaps make one list with two columns. One column with easy tasks, and one column with difficult tasks. The difficult tasks can be those tasks that you are procrastinating with.


It all has to get done and would be done eventually, but perhaps each day you could start with doing one difficult task and three easy tasks. Once you have completed that, give yourself a reward.


Procrastination is a difficult problem and I think it is a symptom of depression. The only way out of it I think is willpower. Good luck.