Who Let the Dogs Out
I've been wanting to write about procrastination for some time, but I kept putting it off. Why? I didn't feel like writing - or, more precisely, I was worrying about whether what I would write would actually make a difference for anyone. If, by writing, the thoughts and advice would land in the eyes and mind and heart of someone who would actually benefit from it. Or whether the writing was merely an exercise in vacuous, algorithm-affirming blather.
In other words, I was plagued by unhelpful self-talk. The procrastination, you see, is not the problem. It is rather the extremely helpful symptom of a problem; an obvious flag-waving that is hard to miss unless you're trying super hard to be un-self-aware. Digging to the bottom of a limiting belief isn't as easy as just identifying a symptom and making a diagnosis. Well, it can be, but in all likelihood, it won't be accurate.
Limiting beliefs protect something inside us that's very vulnerable: they are the bandaids over our wounds. Only there are layers and layers of them. So depending what the issue is - how deep that wound is - the metaphor of being bandaged like a mummy may be more apt. Yet unlike the mummy, you are a warrior: alive and kicking in the world, soldiering your way forward along your chosen path. Take the bandage off too soon, and you are neither able to continue marching, nor capable of dealing with the thrust and parry of business demands.
Procrastination exists, then, as a shield and a fairly effective way of coping with challenging emotions, active moods, as well as with overall stress levels in our lives. It's when procrastination becomes an ingrained habit - a modus operandi - that we become self-sabotaging. The line between procrastination as what covers a core wound and what becomes dysfunctional behavior is fine indeed (and no, these distinctions are not mutually exclusive). So we must ask ourselves what purpose the procrastination actually serves?
If you are chronically avoiding difficult tasks, that's one thing. Particularly in our day and age of distraction, procrastination can bring forth and reflect a person's struggles with self-control. The problem is just like drinking alcohol as a “solution” - it can set you on a downward spiral of negative emotions that then self-perpetuate, magnify, and further impede future effort. The longer the behavior goes on, the bigger a problem it becomes and the greater our degree of self-deception. It's incredible what excuses and lies we tell ourselves in defense of avoiding judgment.
At its core, procrastination is about self-esteem: our own evaluation and expectations of ourselves, and our concern with what others may think of us. Thus, procrastinators are often perfectionists who would prefer the discomfort of a job undone then the pain of possibly not doing it well.
Perhaps you fear that your hard work will go unnoticed, unappreciated, or undervalued; or maybe you have told yourself that you “perform better under pressure”. You know that's not true, but the habit of doing things last minute might give you the rush you crave for beating the odds; being the superhero of your own story - when, in fact, you’re your own villain. It's usually not mere laziness that drives procrastination. In addition to core wounds, there are a number of issues the self is trying to navigate, including boredom and confusion (think of tax time). It's the pleasure principle: humans avoid things that we think will make us unhappy.
When we are distracted, or fatigued, or stressed, the effect is by orders of magnitude larger. The trick is to be able to be present enough for yourself that you can recognize in time what your mental, physical, and emotional states are, so that you can self-regulate.
And that's the hallmark of leadership, really. You can't expect to lead others effectively if you are in relative oblivion as to your own behaviors, habits, impulses, and blind spots. People with complex PTSD can be like canaries in the workplace: extremely sensitive to psychological nuances, they can predict your behavior better than you can, and can respond / avoid you accordingly, in alignment with the threatening dangers of their past. Similarly, many neurodiverse people have an uncanny ability to detect behavioral patterns, mannerisms, moods, and inconsistencies in the people around them. There are many eyes watching a leader, and you are setting the tone for what is acceptable. Just make sure that at least two of those eyes are your own.
Some of the other drivers of procrastination are low self-confidence or general levels of anxiety; a lack of structure, or the absence of the skills and tools to create it; or the inability to motivate oneself to complete unpleasant tasks. Many an intrepid small business owner, as they make the leap from employment to self-employment, realize too late that the outstanding technical or professional skills they possess aren't the sum total of what is required to succeed. In their excitement over their subject matter, they have either overlooked, never learned - or perhaps have even discounted - the self-discipline required to cultivate self-awareness, and thus true leadership traits.
Procrastination feels good - for a short time. And we are geniuses at justifying its existence. But I don't need to tell you about lack of sleep, nail-biting, distracting and nagging thoughts, or even immune system issues and ulcers and co. Taken too far, procrastination can lead to hypertension and cardiovascular events. Mental health issues and depression are also consequences of it.
So what to do? (Don't procrastinate thinking about this, stay with me!)
Break. It. Down. (Before YOU break down) Use SMART goals (and don't poo-poo this as placebo advice - I can guarantee you're not doing it properly). Instead of having a huge task hanging over your head, break it into achievable action items that are small enough that they provide a sense of accomplishment.
Create enough time so that you can spread a “nasty” or “scary” task out over a number of days.
Document the steps so you are clear on what has to be done and celebrate those small wins, even if it's simply with a ginormous check mark. It's basic project management, but too many executives think: “I’ve got this”, or that “Do Work” is the project, or even “Run the business” or “Get through the day”. Changing old habits requires even greater effort than merely completing the task in front of you, but remember what I just said about the heart attack and keep reading …
Put down the damn phone / social media. You are not a dog. You do not need to salivate every time you receive a ping or a pong. Unless you've trained yourself to respond to these rewards. Block yourself a half hour of time, and lock the phone away - on silent. It's monumental what focus and concentration can contribute to clarity of thought, execution of tasks, and pleasantness of demeanour.
You are not alone. Repeat that. It is possible to outsource some decisions and tasks to a partner, friend, co-worker, or contractor to overcome decision fatigue, number of tasks, or uncertainty. Often it is beneficial to talk difficult topics through - and here's where mentorship and coaching confer so many benefits.
Finish what you start. Procrastinators have perpetual problems finishing tasks, which is one reason why I recommend chunking things into steps. If you're someone who's high in impulsivity and low in self-discipline, beware of unpleasant tasks. Commit to that window of focus and overcome that emotional urge toward a diversion. Once you've completed your incremental task, reward yourself with a walk, stretch, coffee, a chat … whatever gives you that mood change. And then FEEL how it FEELS to have accomplished something you've been delaying. You can learn NOT to associate that task, or type of task, with unpleasantness.
A really useful tip is to do the hard stuff first. Whatever you've been dreading, schedule it in for first thing in the morning, put a DND on your emails / door, and set a timer. Probably you'll just keep going once you've gained some momentum. Doing this habitually every week, you can create a new mindset.
Lastly, focus on the bigger picture. Focus on WHY you're doing this in the first place. Imagine yourself after you have completed the work successfully. Just like an Olympic athlete, envisioning can play a radical part in actual success. Imagine how much smoother your relationships will be, how much better your workflow; how much happier your reports and staff. Think long-term: Your business is successful and you are enjoying the sense of mastery that follows hard work, practice, and determination.
The Europeans actually have a name for the Beast known as “Procrastination”. They call it the inner pig-dog. Traditionally, these were hunting dogs used to chase wild boars through the forest. The quarry posed a life-threatening danger for the hunters, who thus required the dogs to simply tire out the beasts.
So … “Who Let The Dogs Out?”
Who? Who? Who?
About the Author
Anna is an organizational psychologist and executive coach, with a special interest in all things technology. We’re part of the team at Garleff Coaching and Consulting Group. If this article has struck a chord, please let us know.
Anna Garleff Cell: +1 587 224 3793 / anna@garleffcoaching.com
www.garleffcoaching.com