The Problem of Procrastination
Do you give in to procrastination? Ever? Perhaps you’re one of the lucky ones. An outlier who has either figured out how to beat procrastination, or who has never been plagued with it in the first place.
If so, you may want to stop reading here. Unless, of course, you’d like to gain some insight on what procrastination looks like for the rest of us. And to discover what optical illusions have to do with procrastination!
Seriously though. How is it so easy to be busy and yet accomplish so little? There might be the immediate satisfaction of filling time but when you evaluate what you’ve gotten done, there’s the disquieting fact that it wasn’t much. Procrastination has a role in this busyness.
Busyness does not equal productivity
Actually, I’m probably the ‘busiest’ when I am procrastinating. Especially if it’s hard cognitive work I’m avoiding. Like trying to understand a new concept. Or writing. Then my house gets cleaned, the laundry gets done, and the bills get paid.
Though sometimes those chores also get forgotten in the trail of procrastination. Busyness is the things that we engage in that give the appearance of productivity but don’t move us further along in our goals. By dressing up procrastination with busyness, we lull ourselves into complacency.
Wait though. Did you know that procrastination can help us?
Right? I was excited when I saw the headline too. Unfortunately, it has qualifiers.
Brain research found that when given downtime, time to wander, the brain subconsciously works on problems and details, which enhances creativity and solutions. On the one hand, that’s great news for intellectual and creative pursuits, but at some point the work still needs to get done.
And what about other types of procrastination?
Like every day chores or home improvements? Getting groceries or making meals? Or exercise? Procrastination on these tasks can have a negative effect on our quality of life.
Quotes are inspiring and the one above has been a mainstay in my quest to overcome procrastination.
Staircases are a good analogy for tasks, projects, and long-term goals. And Martin Luther King’s advice is solid. Taking that first step is often enough to get the momentum going. Mel Robbins uses this principle with her 5-4-3-2-1 Go strategy. This post talks about the strategy as well.
As I dug further into why people procrastinate, some questions emerged.
- What if we’ve taken the wrong staircase?
- Is there any such thing as a wrong staircase?
- If so, how do we know if we’re on it?
- Finally, what do we do if we are on the wrong one?
If staircases are an analogy for getting things done, and you’re struggling, then there IS the possibility that you’re climbing the wrong stairs.
Sometimes the staircase we’re on is an illusion
An optical illusion is “a mismatch between the immediate visual impression and the actual properties of the object.” ~Michael Bach
It’s a perceptual issue.
If you’re wondering what optical illusions have to do with task avoidance, it’s connected to how our perception of the task or project can lead to procrastination. When you’re struggling to get going on something, take a moment to consider whether there’s an incongruence between your perception of the task/s and the reality of the task/s.
In looking at the intersection of faulty perception and procrastination, I came across 5 different illusions that will help us explore this further.
Besides being fun to look at, a study of these optical illusions will help you:
- Recognize the characteristics of each illusion and apply it to your situation.
- Identify the mismatch between your perception and the actual properties of the task that are keeping you stuck.
- Develop a blueprint so you can build productivity into your day.
Learning to control your procrastination has many benefits. Here’s a few.
- Your mind will become quieter as the backlog of tasks/projects shrinks.
- Self-efficacy will increase. You will be more confident in your ability to start and complete tasks/projects. That thing you’ve dreamed of doing but haven’t believed you could accomplish is now a possibility.
- Negative self-talk will decrease. It’s hard to keep the internal dialogue positive when you’re not accomplishing your goals.
- Physical health may improve. If proper nutrition and exercise are but wishes and dreams, beating your procrastination in this area will improve your physical health.
Procrastination keeps you stuck
But it doesn’t have to. Are you ready to learn more? I really hope you’ll join me in this quest to overcome procrastination.
If you’re even a little bit curious, please check back regularly over the next couple of weeks to read more about Procrastination and Optical Illusions.
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P.S.S. It’s Thanksgiving Day in Canada this weekend. Follow me on Instagram for Thanksgiving inspiration and musings. This is the picture I’m posting today. Happy Thanksgiving!
~Priscilla
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