Procrastination is that pesky habit that some of us have to
unnecessarily delay tasks or actions well into the future. Many people have
been prone to procrastination habits or bouts of procrastination that can cause
anxiety, well-being issues, and mental stress.
If you have experienced procrastination that has negatively
impacted your mental or physical health, you know all too well the dangers that
constantly postponing action in your day-to-day life can lead to. For example,
neglecting to finish chores in your home can leave dishes and dirty clothes
piling up. Or, postponing work on an assignment can lead to last-minute stress
and poor academic results.
When dealing with procrastination issues, there may be some
relief for you in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy (or CBT). In this
article, you will learn about what CBT is, how it works, and how you can
address procrastination tendencies with CBT techniques. Keep on reading to
determine how effective CBT can be in boosting your everyday productivity.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Procrastination
To understand what procrastination is and why we are prone
to it, we need to look at some of the psychology behind these tendencies. For
example, some of the key reasons why we procrastinate include trivialization,
external blaming, perfectionism, and simply laziness and avoidance.
There are a number of reasons why we delay action on tasks
and sometimes extend due dates multiple times. Perhaps we make excuses by
comparing ourselves to peers who have done less work, therefore justifying our
procrastination. Or, maybe we distract ourselves with entertainment and social
media before getting to the task at hand.
Whatever the case, procrastination is a roadblock for many
of us and, unfortunately, can become chronic and negatively impact our
performance and day-to-day life. Fortunately, however, there are some
techniques that you can utilize to help stop procrastination and get on track
to boosting productivity and mental health.
One of the ways we can manage procrastination and become
better at dealing with our to-do lists is by using cognitive behavioural
therapy to our advantage. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps us to
understand and address the links between emotions, thoughts, and our actions
and behaviours. CBT is recommended as a treatment for many mental health
disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Essentially, this cognitive model hypothesizes that people’s
emotions and feelings are rooted in how they interpret events, rather than the
actual events that occur. CBT aims to challenge our negative emotions and is a
hands-on approach to finding solutions for problems such as procrastination and
perfectionism.
While CBT cannot get rid of our problems altogether, it can
help us manage issues positively and change behaviours over time.
CBT Techniques to Overcome Procrastination
Overcoming and managing procrastination is certainly
possible with CBT techniques. Basically, CBT involves teaching the patient new
skills to address their procrastination.
CBT is also usually tailored to the needs of an individual.
However, some common techniques include mindfulness training, using a calendar
to schedule activities, behavioural shaping, and cognitive restructuring. Below
are a few CBT interventions that can help you to avoid procrastination.
Upgrade Your To-Do List
Instead of just writing down all the things you need to do
in no apparent order, this method works better and will be more manageable if
you create your to-do list with tasks listed in order of priority.
This will help you determine which tasks really need
attention and which can be put off later. A prioritized to-do list helps you
manage your time more effectively and puts your more urgent matters at the
forefront.
Do Certain Tasks on the Spot
It works to your benefit to start completing some tasks
immediately. If a job only takes a couple of minutes, make it a point to do it
on the spot instead of putting it on the backburner. This tip may take some
mindfulness but will be worth it as your stress load decreases with every task
completed.
Break up Larger Jobs
Looking at a big project can be intimidating and
overwhelming. Try breaking it up into smaller, more actionable goals throughout
the week so that it becomes easier to tackle. Instead of completing the whole
project in one go, schedule an hour every day to get it done over the span of a
few days.
Set a Timer
While this may seem anxiety-inducing at first, setting a
timer and giving yourself a deadline can actually work to your advantage. This
helps to ensure that you are dedicated to the task at hand and won’t become
easily distracted, knowing that you only have a set amount of time to get it
done.
Case Studies and Personal Experiences
Procrastination has been a problem throughout human history
and is linked to high levels of stress and lower standards of well-being. There
have been a number of university studies concluding that psychological
inflexibility and poor time management are both factors related to
procrastination and, therefore, need to be addressed in order to improve
productivity.
For example, a study from October 2017 to June 2018 in
Zanjan, Iran done on 47 midwives to determine the effects of CBT in the
workplace found that decisional procrastination was significantly reduced in
the group of midwives that practised CBT techniques, as opposed to the group
that did not.
Furthermore, cognitive behavioural therapy has been proven
effective at improving self-esteem, which is directly linked to procrastination
and perfectionism habits. Many patients have found success in challenging their
inner critic through positive self-talk and rational, realistic approaches.
All in all, CBT has been successful in treating various
mental ailments along with procrastination. Addressing underlying issues and emotions
can lead to heightened self-esteem, better time management skills, and greater
productivity.
If you would like to know more about cognitive behavioural therapy, you should first get in touch with a professional and reputable
therapist who can help guide you on your journey to be free from
procrastination.
Get Started on Enhancing Productivity
Ultimately, though procrastination habits may be normalized
in our culture and society, it doesn’t have to be something you resign yourself
to. In fact, tendencies to procrastinate can be overcome and improved with
cognitive behavioural therapy and the practice of regular CBT techniques.
Don’t allow the quality of your work and life to suffer
through procrastination. Find better coping mechanisms than procrastination and
start becoming accountable and realistic with your expectations.
Remember that perfectionism is all-or-nothing thinking, and
can certainly put a damper on productivity and keep you waiting endlessly for
that elusive “perfect” moment to start a job or other venture.
Begin today, reward yourself for your good practices, and be
forgiving to yourself in the process. After all, in most cases, as long as you
are striving to be better (rather than perfect), you are setting yourself up
for success.
