Overcoming Procrastination with Cognitive Behavioural Techniques
If you’re reading this because you put off doing something else, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that 95% of people procrastinate, and 33% consider themselves serious procrastinators.
Procrastination isn’t just a minor inconvenience, it's a significant barrier to productivity and well-being that affects a large portion of the population. According to a 2023 study, the average adult spends about 218 minutes each day procrastinating, which translates to a substantial loss of time and efficiency (Zippia).
In this blog post, I’ll explore how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a well-established psychological treatment, offers practical techniques to combat procrastination. By addressing some root causes that lead to procrastination, CBT provides tools that can help you not only manage but overcome procrastination.
So if you’ve missed a deadline one too many times, hopefully I’ll offer you some practical tools to get that task or assignment done soon.
Understanding Procrastination
If you procrastinate, you might beat yourself up and call yourself lazy or just bad at time management, but procrastination is a separate issue. Procrastination is a complex behavioral issue that can have deep psychological roots, involving the voluntary delay of an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay. In other words — you know delaying something is going to make things worse later, but you can’t help it.
Procrastination isn’t about time management but about managing emotions and impulses.
Psychological Factors Leading to Procrastination
Emotion Regulation: Procrastination can be caused by a difficulty in managing negative feelings associated with a task. Whether it's anxiety, boredom, or insecurity, individuals may delay actions to avoid these unpleasant emotions. Maybe working on your school assignment is causing you anxiety, which is causing you to scroll TikTok a bit too much.
Fear of Failure and Perfectionism: Many procrastinators fear that their efforts will not be good enough, which can paralyze decision-making and action. This fear often stems from perfectionist tendencies, where the standard set is so high that you feel overwhelmed before you’ve even started. Read more about perfectionism here.
Decision Paralysis: Procrastination can also be a coping mechanism for indecisiveness. When faced with multiple choices or overwhelming tasks, delaying action can temporarily relieve the stress of making a decision.
Contributing Environmental and Personal Factors
Lack of Motivation: If a task is viewed as uninteresting or unrewarding, one might put it off in favor of more immediately gratifying activities.
Distractions: Modern life offers a never-ending supply of distractions, from social media to personal interactions, all of which can make it easy to find alternatives to the tasks you originally set out to complete.
Habitual Behavior: For some, procrastination can become a chronic habit. Repeated avoidance becomes ingrained and can be difficult to break without conscious effort and behavioral changes.
Identifying these factors is the first step toward addressing procrastination. By recognizing that procrastination is more about emotional management than time management, you can begin to apply targeted strategies to overcome these barriers, such as those offered by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy based on the concept that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected, and that changing negative thought patterns can lead to changes in feelings and behaviors.
CBT focuses on teaching individuals how to identify and challenge their cognitive distortions and irrational thoughts. By applying CBT techniques, individuals learn to develop more balanced and realistic thoughts and to engage in more goal-directed behaviors. This method is particularly effective for tackling procrastination because it addresses the irrational beliefs and fears that often lead to putting off tasks.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Exercises to Combat Procrastination
If your procrastination feels problematic, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) offers several techniques that can be effective in managing and overcoming procrastination. These techniques focus on altering negative thought patterns and behaviours that lead to procrastination.
Here are some useful CBT exercises for procrastination:
1. Goal Setting
CBT emphasizes the importance of setting clear, achievable goals. When tasks seem overwhelming, breaking them down into smaller, manageable objectives can help reduce the anxiety that leads to procrastination. Start by defining short-term goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). This method not only makes the task seem more achievable but also provides a clear roadmap to follow, which enhances motivation.
If your task is to do the laundry, break that down into individual steps: first, sort your colours; second, take the laundry basket to the washing machine; third, run the laundry; fourth, hang the laundry. Even what might feel like tiny, silly steps make for easy wins — it’s so easy to just carry the laundry basket from your bedroom to the washing machine and you can feel good about doing it and hopefully be motivated to do the next tiny, silly step.
2. Challenging Negative Thoughts
Procrastinators often struggle with self-defeating thoughts, such as fear of failure or believing they perform better under pressure. CBT teaches individuals to challenge these irrational beliefs by questioning their validity and replacing them with more constructive thoughts.
When you notice yourself worrying that your assignment won’t be good enough, take a step back and consider why you’re thinking what. What’s your evidence to think it won’t be good enough? Challenge the thought and look at past experiences where you have been good enough, or even if your first thought is a previous assignment that went poorly, consider what you can change and improve this time, and let that motivate you to work on it now.
3. Structured Problem-Solving
Structured problem-solvinginvolves systematically addressing the underlying causes of procrastination. It starts with identifying the problem, generating potential solutions, evaluating these solutions, choosing the best one, and then implementing it. By approaching tasks with a structured method, individuals can tackle them step-by-step, reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed and increasing the likelihood of task completion.
4. Self-Monitoring
CBT encourages self-monitoring to increase awareness of procrastination habits. For example, try keeping a diary to log tasks, their duration, and the emotions or thoughts associated with them. Self-monitoring helps identify patterns of procrastination and triggers that exacerbate it. Over time, this heightened awareness allows individuals to anticipate and mitigate procrastination before it takes hold.
Implementing CBT Techniques in Daily Life
Applying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques into daily routines can help you overcome procrastination. Here are some practical tips for applying these strategies:
Start Small: Begin by applying CBT techniques to less daunting tasks to build your confidence. Small successes will motivate you to tackle more significant challenges.
Use Planners and Reminders: Employ tools like digital calendars or task management apps to set reminders for your goals. Keeping visual track of deadlines and tasks can reinforce your commitment to them. (Although don’t procrastinate by spending too much time researching!)
Regular Self-Reflection: Dedicate time each week to reflect on your progress and setbacks in managing procrastination. This can help you fine-tune your approach and reinforce positive behaviors.
Seek Feedback: Don’t hesitate to ask for feedback from friends, family, or a therapist. They can provide valuable insights on your progress and encourage you when you're making strides.
With consistent effort and application of these CBT techniques, you'll gradually notice improvements in your productivity and a decrease in procrastination, leading to a more organized and focused you and you’ll surprise yourself by how good you feel!
Don’t be afraid to seek professional support for procrastination, especially if you feel it’s majorly affecting your life. A therapist can work with you on CBT techniques in a structured way, and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.
Contact us now for a free consultation to see how we can help you.
