Anxiety loves procrastination. Procrastination fuels anxiety. It’s an endless cycle that can feel downright impossible to get through. For many people who deal with anxiety, they are also known to procrastinate. Which, in the end, just causes their anxiety to skyrocket as they put things off to the last minute. It’s not uncommon for someone who has procrastination tendencies to have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). While procrastination may not be a diagnosable mental health condition, it is listed as one of the symptoms of chronic anxiety, or GAD.
While it may seem like a never-ending uphill battle, it is possible to overcome a procrastination habit. Here are just a few tips on how you can start this process.
How to Overcome a Procrastination Habit
Start a List
When juggling a million little things, keeping track of what you need to do can be hard. It’s also hard to figure out what the most important thing to get done first is when tasks are just floating around in your mind.
To begin combating procrastination, start by making a physical list. Write down everything you need to get for a certain area of your life. For example, you might have one list for household chores, another for work projects, and another general list of random things that need to be completed.
As you look at each list, try to order things by importance. For instance, you might have 3 deadlines looming at work; which is due first?
Ordering things by deadline or order of importance can help you feel a sense of accomplishment as you cross each off your list.
Break Things Down Into Small Chunks
Now, if you look at your list above, you might feel overwhelmed by how much you must do. At first glance, that is completely understandable. However, what often fuels procrastination is seeing everything you need to do and having no idea where to start.
For each task that seems daunting, break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. For example, if your project deadline is next week, what steps must you take to complete it? Seeing your tasks as smaller pieces instead of the whole piece can help you not feel as overwhelmed by it all.
Stay Mindful
When dealing with anxiety and procrastination, mindfulness is crucial. While it has become a popular buzzword on social media, mindfulness is a very real practice. When it comes to procrastination, try to stay grounded in the present. Think of you trying to overcome procrastination right now as a new beginning.
Your mind may travel to the past and think of everything you procrastinated on, especially if it didn’t end well. Focus on the here and how. What is currently in your control that you can do to start kicking this habit to the curb? Practice the art of forgiveness with yourself and recognize that mistakes are an inevitable part of life. You may have made mistakes in the past, but that doesn’t mean you are doomed to repeat them.
Find Someone to Keep You Accountable
We’re human. We aren’t the best at holding ourselves accountable. That’s why many people’s New Year resolutions will fail, especially without an accountability partner.
Find someone to keep you accountable to keep you on top of things. Whoever you ask or whatever you have going on, ask for regular check-ins. Knowing that someone else is rooting for you can help you stay motivated to continue accomplishing your to-do list in a manageable way.
Counseling
There are many reasons why procrastination may be taking place in your life. One of the best habits to get into to kick this to the curb is to go to anxiety therapy. Anxiety therapy can help you get to the root cause of what is causing your procrastination habit and how to overcome it. Reach out to learn more about how we can support you.
