13/11/2025
The irony is that the more we try to will ourselves into doing something we're avoiding, the less likely we are to do it.
Procrastination happens for 3 main reasons.
1. Executive functioning difficulties
When your brain struggles to find a starting point, or create a structured outline, getting started with a big task feels absolutely overwhelming!
Instead:
- Break big tasks down into bite sizes that are more manageable to engage with
-Start with putting some ideas down on paper, or looking for inspiration to get ideas flowing
- Give yourself permission to create a rough draft and rework it as you go.
2. Avoidance of uncomfortable emotions
When we procrastinate, we are not avoiding the task itself, but rather the feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy that come up for us. When the stakes are high and our reputation is on the line, we end up avoiding the discomfort that comes with the risk of perceived failure.
Instead:
- Embrace discomfort as a signal of growth
- Lean into discomfort, identifying fear for what it is - a nervous system response that is wired to keep you safe but ends up holding you back
- Find ways to regulate your nervous system before you get started
3. Too much pressure to get something "perfect"
This is the biggest reason we procrastinate. When the stakes are high and our professional reputation is on the line, a task that we are very capable of doing becomes overwhelming.
Instead:
- Adopt the motto - done is better than perfect
- A paradoxical response is useful here - aim for average and your performance is likely to go up. There's too much science in this to cover here, but if you can trick your brain into buying out of how high the pressure feels, you bring the stress response down, and are likely to perform better, not worse.
What's your go-to strategy for overcoming procrastination?
