The Real Reason We Procrastinate and how to find motivation

Do you want to know what one of the biggest energy sucks it?

The sneaky culprit that is sabotaging your momentum and motivation?

Procrastination.

Procrastination is a learned habit. A sneaky, bad habit that you’ve adopted over time. And each time you procrastinate something you lower your energy, motivation, and subconsciously strengthen self-doubting beliefs.

But the good news is that you can change your habits by acknowledging them and consciously replacing them with better ones.

Tell me more…

Many people like to think that procrastination is laziness, but it’s not! “Etymologically, “procrastination” is derived from the Latin verb procrastinare — to put off until tomorrow. But it’s more than just voluntarily delaying. Procrastination is also derived from the ancient Greek word akrasia — doing something against our better judgment (The New York Times).”

Turns out, procrastination isn’t us being lazy or being bad at time management. Procrastination is more about your mood and mindset than it is about the task at hand. Let that soak in for a minute! We don’t procrastinate because of the task. We procrastinate because of the negative moods we associate with the task whether that is anxiety, frustration, bitterness, insecurity, or self-doubt.

Coming to the realization that procrastination is more about mood than it is about the task can help you shift your perspective when it comes to doing the things that you associate with negative emotions.

How to Stop Procrastinating

Cultivate curiosity around your drive to procrastinate. What are you feeling and thinking about the task at hand? What type of emotions are you associating with the task? Once you bring awareness to how you feel, pay attention to what happens. Does your mood change?
Just do. Once you know how you feel about the task you are procrastinating, it’s time to take action. What is ONE thing you can do to move in the right direction? Do you need to get off the couch, turn off Netflix, open your email, start a new spreadsheet? Whatever that one thing is, go for it. Take action with one simple step. You can’t wait until you are in the mood. That day may never come.
Find a better reward than procrastination. How can you relieve the feelings associated with your procrastination? Forgive yourself and have some self-compassion. Research shows that forgiving yourself in one instance may lead to less procrastination the next time that task comes around.
Identify ways you procrastinate. What distractions support this bad habit? Email, social media, phone, google searches, etc…. We all have them! Figure out where you go and what you do when you procrastinate things.
Limit these distractions that support your procrastination habit. When you are working on a project give it your FULL ATTENTION. Closeout and hide all those distractions. Set a timer if need be, but give undivided attention to the project or task you are procrastinating on.

My Procrastination Challenge to You

Do something today that you have been procrastinating. Do the things you don’t want to do, or don’t feel like doing right away. Check it off your list and feel the boost of energy that comes with it.

Each time you push something off or procrastinate it, it drains your energy and hits your self-regard in a negative way. But when you tackle the things you procrastinate, you will experience instant gratification. It frees you and sparks your motivation, momentum, and boosts your self-regard for getting things done. It’s a habit. Replace procrastinating with doing.

The truth is, our habits shape our reality. Each tiny habit that you have impacts the direction your life. Changing your habits can change your life. This truth is what led me to create the course Habits for Higher Level Living. It’s a self-paced program that helps you develop habits proven to elevate you in all areas of your life.

check it out here

To your happiness and Higher Level Living, xo Nicole