Why you Procrastinate + 4 ways to Break the Cycle

Can you relate?

You have a deadline looming for an important project but all you can do is organize your cupboards or tackle the minor tasks on your to-do list. Seems you can do everything BUT work on your project. Sound familiar?

You have a goal you really want to achieve, yet each time you set yourself to get working on it some OTHER project pops into your head. This ‘other project’ is something you can easily tackle so you decide to do it instead. Just knock it out and then you’ll work on that big goal. In the process of working on that ‘shiny object’, you likely rationalize yourself out of working on whatever that bigger project or goal is. Each time you do this your actual goal/project/hobby/side hustle gets pushed aside, but you feel OK because at least you’ve achieved something. I call this the alternative productivity cycle and it is alive and well in most of us. It is a powerful form of procrastination.

Alternative Productivity Cycle

I’ve personally rearranged furniture, cleaned out closets, contacted old friends for a catchup chat rather than work on reporting projects for work or sitting down to craft content for my business. I’ve set these projects and goals specifically for myself, I want to do them, yet I sometimes fall into that same alternative productivity trap. We’ve all been there one time or another. These alternative tasks feel good. We can get something done and that satisfies the completionist within us and gives us that hit of the happy brain drugs (dopamine) so we feel great...for a while. 

After the happy brain buzz of achievement wears off though, we often start to judge and berate ourselves for not working on the stated goals/projects as we had intended. So then we get in a shame spiral and judge ourselves harshly for our actions. This has the unintended consequence of creating a bunch of negative emotions and experiences related to your goals, making it less likely that you will actually want to tackle them. The often truly frustrating part is that we’re aware we’re doing all of this but feel powerless to stop it. So the cycle repeats. 

How can you get out of this cycle?

When you can realize and acknowledge that your alternative productivity is just another way to procrastinate you can start to shift out of that cycle. 

If you take a moment to reflect on what happens in that moment - when you want to work on your goals and then the shiny new ‘to do’ pops into your head - what is really going on? How do you feel in that moment? What is the spark that makes you stop moving toward your goals? 

Give it a try. Go back to a recent time this happened for you, see what comes up for you. Don’t skip ahead...I’ll wait. 

Good for you for giving that a try! What came up for you?

Procrastination = Perfectionism in disguise

I don’t claim to be a mind reader but I’d take a chance and say what came up was either fear or doubt (or both!). If we’re taking chances, being bold, and putting big, hairy goals out in front of us they initially feel like the right things to do and are exhilarating. But then we start to doubt. We are afraid that whatever we do won’t be perfect so we do nothing at all. We don’t even want to start. And that’s when the shiny objects of alternative productivity look so attractive to us. That cycle is easy to get in and stay in. It’s powered by perfectionism masquerading as simple procrastination. Perfectionism keeps you from starting so you won’t...can’t…make a mistake. It’s an ego pacifier, and to borrow an analogy from Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert - it puts fear in the driver’s seat of your life.

So consider that the next time you find yourself about to step into some alternative productivity. Breaking out of that cycle is hard work. Hard work powered by deep empathy and understanding of and for yourself; and coming to terms with your fear and how it shows up in your life. That sounds like big, heady stuff, I know, but not too big to handle. 

Try these 4 suggestions to break out of the perfectionism-fear-procrastination cycle:

Be Mindful

Pause for a moment of awareness of your thoughts and actions as you feel the pull of alternative productivity. Can you understand what is motivating you in that moment? Is there a more powerful motivation for you to draw on - one linked to your values perhaps?

Shift your Mindset

Can you shift your mindset out of the procrastination cycle so you can start taking steps, making progress on your goals. Challenge yourself to describe your goals in a new way. For example, simply changing from “I have to do….” to “I get to do…” might help bolster the positive associations you have to the task. 

Note: Steps 1 and 2 require personal reflection and can sometimes lead to harsh judgments of yourself. Turning off the internal judgment machine is one of the best things you can do for yourself and it takes real work, it won’t shut off overnight. Keep trying, trust me, you’ll be happier for it. 

Break it down

If you’re having trouble seeing the whole goal to completion break it down. What’s one thing you can do right now towards achieving it? Can you break it down into smaller steps that are achievable today or this week? 

Celebrate small victories

If you’re waiting to celebrate when you’ve completely finished you’re missing out on a million other opportunities to bolster yourself and feel great about what you’re working on. Celebrating the smallest of victories as you work towards a larger goal will give you that dopamine boost that feels soooo good. Plus, small wins with mini celebrations start to build momentum for your internal motivation. It’s a win-win...Go Team!

Getting unstuck from these cycles is some of the best work you can do to strengthen your personal foundation and shift your mindset to permanently alter your life. 

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