For most of us at some point, we’ve experienced procrastination, delaying tasks to do another time. “I’ll do it later” and “it can wait until tomorrow” may seem harmless but can actually lead to more delays that may cause setbacks later on. So, let’s talk more about what procrastination is, the different types of procrastination, and ways to break the pattern.

What is procrastination?

Simply put, procrastination is putting something off. More specifically, it is a self-defeating behavior marked by short-term benefits and long-term consequences. “It’s not inherently a bad thing to procrastinate,” says Madison Hagene, Licensed Therapist at Centerstone, “but it can certainly lead to negative patterns which can have impacts on our mental health, happiness, and overall well-being.”

How is procrastination different from just needing a break?

The key here is to look at intent and outcome. The intent of a break is to get some rest from whatever the situation is. The outcome of that is typically feeling better. The intent of procrastination is to avoid doing something, and often the outcome is feeling worse.

What are the different types of procrastination?

There are four different types of procrastination – arousal, avoidant, productive, and distraction. Let’s look at each of them within the context of writing a school paper, for example.

• Arousal: delaying tasks until the last minute can arouse a sense of motivation. For example, waiting until the last minute to write a paper then feeling a boost of motivation knowing it’s due the next day.
• Avoidant: putting things off because we don’t think we’ll do it well. For example, ‘I haven’t started my paper yet because I don’t think I’m going to do a good job on it.’
• Productive: avoiding whatever the primary task is by doing other things. For example, ‘I should be writing my paper but instead I’m going to clean my room.’ You’re still being productive, but not prioritizing the task that actually needs to get done.
• Distraction: putting off doing what we need to do because we are distracted by something else. For example, not writing the paper for school because you were distracted scrolling on social media.

What are the most common causes of procrastination?

There could be several reasons why someone procrastinates. This could come from a fear of failure, judgement, or perfectionism. “Often, if someone is a perfectionist, they’ll put certain things off for fear of not being able to do them right,” adds Hagene. Individuals may also procrastinate when they feel like they have too many things on their to-do list. In this case, we typically won’t start a task because we feel overwhelmed and aren’t sure where to start. Additionally, if we deem a task boring, we are more like to procrastinate completing it.

What are some simple, realistic strategies people can try when they’re stuck procrastinating?

Having awareness and understanding of what type of procrastinator you are is key. That way, you have a better understanding of why you procrastinate and the best way to address it, as well as understanding what role it plays in your life.

Hagene suggests first identifying the tasks you need to complete and writing them down in a list. From there, go through each task and identify subsequent tasks that the larger task may require for completion. Making lists can be helpful for breaking larger tasks into smaller, more attainable ones, making it seem less daunting overall. Whether you can complete the task in 10 steps or just three, start with just one thing today.

If you feel stuck when trying to complete tasks, or you’re working to develop better life habits, a conversation with a Centerstone counselor is a good place to begin a change. Call us today at 1-877-HOPE123 (1-877-467-3123) or visit our website to learn more about our counseling services.