Support for Overcoming Procrastination
By Angie Vanderwees, Registered Psychotherapist
The vicious cycle of procrastination often starts with unhelpful rules or assumptions about oneself or the world; a form of “thinking trap” as often referred to in CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). The cycle also involves discomfort related to a task. As this discomfort is a feeling that’s easy to dislike, it can cause a person to avoid a task to avert the discomfort that shows up when completing it. Sometimes reasons and excuses for procrastination are created, like “I’m too tired.” Generally, when engaged in this cycle one will find distracting or pleasurable activities to do instead. Consequences of procrastination can be either positive or negative, and make it more likely that a person will procrastinate again. The more one procrastinates the more tasks pile up and become even more aversive and the positive feelings that arise when engaging in pleasurable distraction such as TV, make it easier to turn to those activities instead, which is why the cycle perpetuates.
According to research, an increasing amount of individuals now self-identity with procrastination than they did fifty years ago. One reason for this could be advances in technology that provide distraction (e.g. computers and smartphones) (Rozental & Carlbring, 2014). For students, procrastination has been found to cause issues with academic achievement, such as poor grades, missed deadlines, and ultimately can lead to dropping or failing courses (Yang et al., 2021). Yang et al. also explain that while the causal relationship remains unclear, there is a connection between procrastination and low self-esteem.
CBT is a beneficial therapy approach for individuals who struggle with procrastination as it combines both cognitive and behavioural components. According to Rozental and Carlbring (2014), individuals who delay completing tasks often experience irrational beliefs and assumptions, which creates perfectionism and unrealistic expectations. For example, a student may delay working on a project due to holding a belief that it must be perfect, and this assumption may be mixed with a fear of failure and self-doubt, which induces an overwhelming amount of anxiety. These type of thought patterns that lead to procrastination can be better understood and challenged with cognitive therapy. Behavioural interventions might include time management skills, mindfulness exercises to increase one’s ability to focus, as well as establishing a routine that promotes self-care and adequate rest. This routine would include goals and strategies focused on maximizing one’s energy level and decreasing stress and fatigue. A gradual exposure approach can also be used to slowly increase the time spent on the tasks that create discomfort (Rozental & Carlbring, 2014).
Wanting to know more about procrastination related to your individual situation and how therapy can help? Please reach out to set up a FREE consultation call with our Registered Psychotherapist.
References
Rozental, A., & Carlbring, P. (2014). Understanding and treating procrastination: A review of a common self-regulatory failure. Psychology, 5(13), 1488.
Yang, X., Liu, R. D., Ding, Y., Hong, W., & Jiang, S. (2021). The relations between academic procrastination and self-esteem in adolescents: A longitudinal study. Current Psychology, 1-15.
