The fashionable term "procrastination" today is used to refer to almost any state of apathy and laziness. However, science defines a very specific framework for this psychological phenomenon.
Definition of procrastination
Procrastination is a special condition in which all significant affairs are involuntarily postponed until later, which turns into numerous problems. This psychological phenomenon differs from ordinary laziness in that a person in a state of procrastination realizes the importance of completing tasks, but cannot overpower himself to complete them.
Almost everyone has been procrastinated. Often times, “procrastination” episodes are the result of extreme fatigue, lack of sleep, or emotional breakdown. In such cases, episodic procrastination is "cured" by simply restoring a normal lifestyle: additional time for rest, sleep and relaxing leisure time.
The danger lies in cases where procrastination becomes commonplace and affects your career and personal life. Wherein. a procrastinator (a person who is in a state of procrastination) can hide signs of an illness for a long time. For example, under the influence of a total reluctance to do anything, the procrastinator postpones all matters for later. However, as a result, they still perform them, but only at the last minute. It is obvious that often such work is of low quality and failure to meet deadlines. In turn, the procrastinator himself from the outside may seem significantly less gifted, talented or professional than he really is.
Reasons for procrastination
Despite the fact that in modern science the phenomenon of procrastination has been little studied, there is a widespread classification of the reasons that cause this phenomenon:
- low self-esteem;
- The pursuit of excellence;
- fear of success;
- rebellious spirit.
Low self-esteem is considered the most common cause of procrastination. Driven by fear of not coping with the task, the person falls into a state of procrastination, postponing the frightening front of work for as long a time perspective as possible. As a result, internal fears become the reason for the lack of results and the failure of the task.
Striving for excellence is also a reason to fall into inaction. In such cases, the procrastinator is stopped by the imperfection of the task or the unwillingness to do everything at its best.
Fear of success can also trigger procrastination. Moreover, in this case, the person will be afraid to become higher than colleagues, to become the object of close attention of others or direct criticism of ill-wishers.
Least of all, procrastination occurs in the form of a person's protest in front of the assigned tasks. The critical option is the rejection of everything that concerns the so-called "system", under which, in the eyes of the procrastinator, the entire external world with its foundations and traditions falls.
Anti-procrastination techniques
Despite the fact that procrastination is a psychological ailment, almost all existing methods of dealing with it are tied to strengthening motivation. If a person begins to see the goal, it becomes easier for him to find the strength in himself to solve specific problems.
Psychologists also recommend regularly reinforcing the achieved results with the help of small rewards: rest, pleasant leisure, or simply self-praise.
Much also depends on planning. So, most often procrastination occurs in those people whose work is a clear cycle, where it is impossible to move on to the next task without completing the previous one. Psychologists recommend changing the methodology so that it is possible to simultaneously carry out several works on different tasks.
