Procrastination

Postponing work, such as filing the unpopular tax return, is a well-known everyday phenomenon. However, if the completion of unpleasant but necessary work is chronically postponed, the Procrastination a serious disruption to work. Affected people often end up in a vicious circle of self-doubt, pressure and fear of failure, while outsiders misinterpret the symptoms as laziness. Because of the severe professional and personal effects on those affected, it is important to take treatment steps early on. Other synonyms are: Procrastination behavior, blockade of completion, postponement of excitement, postponement of action, procrastination or Strolling.

What is procrastination?

Procrastination can cause a number of complications for those affected, which are physically, psychologically and socially stressful.
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Procrastination describes the regular and counterproductive postponement of work that has to be done. The word is a combination of the Latin 'pro' (for) and 'cras' (tomorrow). Chronic procrastination as a serious work disorder must be differentiated from everyday phenomena such as laziness or personal weakness of will.

As a rule, those affected suffer considerably from procrastination and its consequences, such as breaking off an apprenticeship or studying. Additionally, they are usually aware of the negative impact but unable to resolve the problem or get the job done.

Procrastination is a serious disorder of self-regulation, which as such must be taken seriously and specifically treated. It can affect school, academic, professional and private activities, insofar as these are perceived as unpleasant.

causes

Procrastination can be caused or promoted by various factors, such as a lack of willingness to complete tasks, incorrect prioritization, unrealistic project planning and poor time management. A lack of performance or ability to concentrate, for example due to an illness or disorder, can also promote procrastination.

The size of the aversion to the work to be accomplished and the temptation to take alternative actions also play a role, as does the fear of failure or criticism, as well as excessive self-claims up to perfectionism, impulsiveness and boredom. Often the various factors reinforce each other or cause them in a kind of vicious circle.

Developing feelings of inferiority or shame reinforce avoidance behavior as a result. Serious mental disorders such as depression, attention deficit / hyperactivity and anxiety disorders can also cause procrastination. Conversely, chronic procrastination can also lead to these psychological disorders.

Diagnosis & course of disease

There is no one set of rules as to when procrastination is such a big problem that it should be addressed. According to surveys, almost everyone occasionally postpones unpleasant activities.

There is a reason for treatment if the postponement leads to impairments for the person concerned, for example during studies or at work, but also in other areas of life. Individual factors must therefore be taken into account that lead to or maintain postponement.According to the various causal factors, other diagnosed mental disorders as well as the specific work behavior, the effects of postponement and the degree of awareness of the person concerned are of interest.

A self-observation of the person affected and standardized questionnaires by experts can provide information on this. Common questions include: How often is the beginning of important work postponed until the last moment? Is working on important work often uncomfortable or does it make you feel uncomfortable in advance? Are other less important tasks pursued instead and perceived as more attractive when you start work?

Complications

Procrastination can cause a number of complications for those affected, which are physically, psychologically and socially stressful. Because postponement is normal in severely affected people, complications usually arise when the balance between the work that is still being performed and the expectations of the person or those of those around him is no longer right.

If the decline in performance is accompanied by a loss of quality or if the performance is to be regarded as consistently inadequate - whereby it is a question of required and not actual performance - problems can arise in the area of ​​professional life. Missed deadlines and missed tasks can lead to the loss of a job, a study place or the like. Opportunities can also be missed or social life severely disrupted.

The symptoms of stress and depression appear because the sufferers themselves experience suffering, which is fed by the devaluation of their own person due to failure to perform. It can lead to heart problems, metabolic problems, weight gain, deteriorated skin and much more. These complications are exacerbated by negative consequences that have arisen from procrastination.

Complications can also arise from underlying mental illness. This includes, for example, the increased willingness to self-harm in the case of depression or the onset of megalomania in the case of narcissistic personality disorders.

When should you go to the doctor?

It is difficult to estimate when to see a doctor in the event of procrastination. In any case, an introduction is necessary if the person concerned has the feeling that the procrastination has a strong influence on his life and he is no longer able to organize himself independently. In the event of such impairment in everyday life, it is advisable to seek appropriate help.

A visit to the doctor can also be recommended earlier. Early treatment is helpful to prevent the person concerned from getting into a difficult situation. The earlier the problem is recognized, the more likely it is that strategies can be developed in the course of the therapy that will help in coping with procrastination.

At the latest when the person concerned has the feeling of losing control of his life, it is urgently necessary to go to a doctor. However, it is important that the person affected is aware of the disease. Therapy only makes sense if the patient realizes that he needs help and if he wants to accept it.

Treatment & Therapy

So far, there are hardly any systematic treatment approaches for procrastination. If procrastination has developed as part of a mental disorder, i.e. if it is a consequence of depression, the depression must be treated. To treat postponement symptoms, factors that are important for progress, such as precise starting, realistic goal setting and time management, are usually promoted manually and recorded in a work diary for self-observation.

Since people affected by procrastination find it difficult to estimate their workload, it can help to deduct about half of the actual work goal in order to avoid the cycle of disappointment and shame. Breaks and rewards are also elementary in order to stay focused and to be able to enjoy work successes.

Working in a team or voluntary control by others, for example through evening conversations with friends, also makes it easier to overcome your "weaker self". The exchange with others can also take the pressure off and create a forum for praise, positive thoughts and support. Dividing larger work into small steps, avoiding multitasking and setting clear priorities generally makes it easier to start work. Here, too, a work diary in combination with group or individual therapy can contribute to better working time planning and structuring.

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prevention

As a preventive measure, it can be recommended to be aware of important and urgent tasks and to structure your daily or weekly schedule accordingly. Unimportant and non-urgent tasks can often be ignored or not done at all without major consequences, thus creating space for important tasks or relaxation. A fixed ratio of breaks and free time to working hours and thus a good work-life balance also helps protect against feeling overwhelmed and a cycle of fear of failure and procrastination.

Aftercare

In the course of the post-medical history of procrastination, it must be analyzed to what extent excessively intensive accumulations can be recovered. A positive course should be achieved further on. Too much agglomeration in the scheduling ("Agenda Storming") must be released again, and the overall network must be stretched. It is also about making the days concretely non-repetitive.

On the one hand. On the other hand, however, at the same time less "packing them into" (creating modulation and variety). 'Cras' ​​and 'crassare' are irretrievably associated with both the "morning" and the "voluminous". And so it is important to gain distance from things, but at the same time to 'attack' them non-obese. That is the social secret.

In follow-up care, procrastination also means that the social status can change. Procrastination during your studies is bad if you return to a desk job afterwards. But it can be beneficial when moving from an urban to a rural area. To fully understand the various aspects of procrastination follow-up, one must consider both temporal, causal, local, and physico-psychological factors. The principle of contiguity is also important in this context.

You can do that yourself

There are so many possible self-help measures that procrastinating people can take. Based on the observation that procrastination mainly affects people who suddenly have to structure their daily routine themselves, self-imposed timetables can help. In this way, the times for work and leisure can be defined, which provides an orientation aid. It can also help to start immediately with upcoming tasks - regardless of how difficult or urgent they are. This reduces the chance of putting off a task for a long time. At the same time, those affected should set a time limit that is not too generous for each task.

It can also be helpful to observe your own bio-rhythm. There are people who are not efficient in the morning. If the opportunity exists, tasks should be started accordingly later, with working hours then being extended. In all work steps, it is also true that dividing up into small steps is better than seeing large tasks. Small partial steps ensure more success and are clearer.

Self-discipline is also more important for people suffering from procrastination. This starts with the fact that you should remove all disruptive factors from your work environment. Thoughts that arise to justify procrastinating must be questioned. Motivational thoughts should always be repeated and manifest.