Procrastination: One reason why you are doing it and how to fix it

Do you procrastinate? We all put off doing the things that we know need to be done. We procrastinate.

What is strange is that when we do procrastinate, it is usually for the things that provide the greatest returns – the things that really matter.

We don't procrastinate with activities like watching TV, surfing social media or shooting the breeze. We somehow make time for these – even if it means stealing the time.

"I know this is a perfect time to get some work done but this will just be a few minutes. I'll get some work done after"

But when it comes to high-value activities like exercise, planning, studying and even rest, what do we say?

"Meh... maybe later. Let me just finish this episode of my favourite reality TV show – Old People Who Made Bad Choices - I love this show!"

In short, we find it easy to make excuses for wasting our time – we make excuses for procrastination. But if you really care about producing your best work and enjoying all the wonderful benefits that come with it, you must overcome procrastination.

In this post, I will share with you one major reason why you might be procrastinating and how you can overcome it.

My hope is to help you get past procrastination by helping you expose its cause so you can explore its cures.

Lack of clarity

Have you ever had to work with unclear directives or goals? You sit (or stand) there staring into space. Before long you are reaching for your phone to check for email or you are logging into social media. And so it begins…

A lack of clarity is a common reason for procrastination. And, the least talked about as far as I can tell.

You might have heard about intricate psychological theories on the fear of failure or the fear of success or lack of motivation being responsible for procrastination. Perhaps you have even heard about the procrastination cycle explained here by the Center for Clinical Interventions. These are all valid resources and concepts, and I plan to write about them in future articles.

However, sometimes seemingly simple tweaks can provide huge payoffs even while we explore bigger issues.

Not clear for takeoff

Not being clear on exactly what needs to be done can be very paralyzing. It often presents itself in a feeling of anxiety mixed with confusion.

Because we don’t know what to do, we do nothing. And procrastination wins.

Knowing this now, think about all the times this has gotten the best of you without you even realizing it. The report you never started (or finished), the business plan you never created.

Not knowing what to do is a sure way to get nothing done. 

Not knowing what to do is a sure way to get nothing done.

Solution to procrastination

You cannot always control how much clarity you are given upfront, especially when working with others. But you can always determine how much clarity you create. How do you create this clarity? Plan ahead

Plan to create clarity

A lack of clarity is, at its heart, a lack of planning.  A detailed plan lays out the steps for a project. But it does something much more valuable – it exposes areas of weakness or lack of clarity. The muddy areas are productivity sand traps.  They are the spots that we are unconsciously avoiding when we procrastinate. We wind up stuck before we even begin because we are unclear. But by exposing them, we can clarify them and proceed with confidence.

A lack of clarity is, at its heart, a lack of planning.

Even if it only a best guess, I recommend you plan your work – especially if it is work you are prone to procrastinate on.

You might not think that the task you are procrastinating on qualifies to be called a project. But it probably does. Read this post for a brief explanation of what I mean.

Procrastination can’t hide behind a lack of clarity when you create that clarity up front.

And once you are ready to start work, use this hack to keep procrastination at bay.

Small project? It’s a matter of opinion

In short, whenever you are faced with a project, the first thing to do is to plan the steps you will take. Remember that bigger projects will have smaller sub-projects. Starting a business is a BIG project which will break down into smaller projects such as market research, business model selection, set up etc.

Eventually, you arrive at a level of detail that is actually actionable such as – browse the internet for comparable products or perform a gap analysis. Or set up a meeting with X. Once you get to this point, you can act. And it is action that produces results.

Size doesn’t matter

This works for big projects and “small” projects alike. Never underestimate the demands of a task. What you call a task is likely a mini-project. Treat it with the attention it deserves and you will find it much easier to beat procrastination. Not to mention giving you a greater feeling of agency - crucial to happiness in work and life in general.

It begins by removing procrastination’s dubious enemy – “unclarity” from the mix. With a clear vision of what needs to be done, you can get to work. And that is a crucial step to producing your best work.

Until the next post, be your best and do you best.