During these unprecedented times, it’s important to stay grounded, practice self-care, and consistently check in with oneself.
However, one of the realities is that work doesn’t stop. This means figuring out a “flow”, or a conductive pattern centered around all the objectives, passions, and personal necessities one may have for themselves.
When trying to balance these responsibilities, it’s sometimes way easier to push work to the side. More commonly called; procrastination,
Why do we find ourselves procrastinating, even while we know the importance of productivity?
We look to the findings of Dr. Tim Pychyl, a researcher who avidly facilitates work procrastination management, emotions, mental strategies, and overall productivity.
Dr. Pychyl has identified specific reasons why individuals have continuously turned away from productivity.
These reasons include:
The task is ambiguous and high staked
We have goals and tasks that will propel us to the next step. With that, it’s natural to have some anxiety, thinking about their significance, or being pensive to start on a project.
There should be tools to mitigate potentially having that anxiety. Reminiscing on previous successes is a good way to remind yourself of your capabilities! We are all risk-takers in our own right and you have made it this far!
Also, try to put this task in perspective. Sometimes, we often have an all or nothing mindset, this can come from society, parenting, or different paradigms that have influenced upbringing. “If I don’t go to college, I am not successful.” “If my plan doesn’t work, I will never get hired for my dream job.” A lot of these statements are rooted in fear and an overemphasis.
Whatever we are working on, we have to aim for doing the best we can, but not over-identifying our worth to a project. Maintaining a healthy relationship with your goals and responsibilities is a huge part of performing at an optimum level.
The task can be very challenging
Sometimes tasks can be daunting, because we may feel in over our heads. Doing research on the topic/task is a wonderful way of becoming more credible, preparing to complete the task you need too, and “hyping yourself up” or inspiring yourself - just don’t get stuck on the research phase! Reach out to peers, friends, family members, or other support groups that can assist you with the task’s completion. Feeling support is another huge key to success; when people feel heard, supported, and encourage, they respond positively (source)
The person may be frustrated or the nature of the task can be frustrating
As soon as you sit down to be productive, it feels like you can never get into the groove! OR, the nature of the task is so drab, you roll your eyes or yawn as soon as you think about it… ugh.
Try to spice up the mood by having something that uplifts you- background music (that won’t distract you), or you can identify specific ways to tackle this task at a new angle! Think creatively!
If you hype yourself up, think positively, and feel good, the task will go by much faster!
The task (or life) is unstructured
Being organized can drastically improve the overall mission, and create ease. Implement steps to complete the task. This makes it easy to digest and you are now able to take “bites” of the project.
If your life is unstructured, have specific days and times that you work on the project. This way you subconsciously train your brain to a routine! The more structured one is, the less mysticism surrounds the nature of the task. Plus, you can always tweak what works for you and does work, It’s best to check in with your self after trying a routine for a significant time (a month or two) and chart your productivity.
Tip: a tool to use could be a journal- for example, a Law of Attraction Journal
The task is not intrinsically rewarding
Sometimes, our responsibilities are obligatory but don’t infuse direct reward in our lives; or seemingly have an impact on us at all. It’s still important to do those tasks because in life we have responsibility.
Recently there is an upsurge of the “New Age” philosophy engrained in influencers, on Instagram, YouTube, and other social media channels, preaching “If you don’t love it, why do it?” This can be very toxic and also not realistic at all. There are things in life, all the time that we will have to do. Taking the idealism out of life can be grounding.
We often get fed the message: “You should always be happy in all that you do. If not, you aren’t living life right.” but that’s not the true nature of life. Now, if you feel outwardly depressed at your job, or more empty than rewarded, it’s time to make assessments and different choices; but trying to live idealistically can cause depression too. Balance is key.
To close, there are many factors that can impede us and our productivity, but all are rooted in old paradigms, fear, or can be a sign we need to strengthen our mental health game. If you are experiencing these roadblocks, it’s always important to talk to a mental health professional to understand the nature of your worry, stress, or stagnation.
