Procrastination

Should I start my
morning walk from

today?
Tomorrow is Monday.
Let me start from
tomorrow!
Should I pay my
Telephone bill today?
The last date is still a
week ahead…
Let me pay it later!
It’s OK. Let me squeeze in
for a great feast
today………….
I shall start my
diet rules from tomorrow!
What do we actually do by
giving such self excuses?
PROCRASTINATE…………..
“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week”

Let’s Understand
• Origin of Procrastination
• Definitions on Procrastination
• Characteristics of Procrastination
• How do we procrastinate?
• Reasons for Procrastination
• Styles in Procrastination
• Steps in overcoming Procrastination.
Origin of Procrastination
Like many English terms, Procrastination

has also originated from Latin :
‘Pro’ = ‘forward, forth or in
favour of’
‘Crastinus’ = ‘meaning of tomorrow’
Definition of Procrastination
Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a

task, which needs to be accomplished.
Procrastination is a strange phenomenon. It’s
purpose seems to be to make our life more
pleasant but instead it almost always adds
stress, disorganisation and frequent failure.
Research has shown that 70% of New Year’s resolutions

are abandoned by 1st of February.
Characteristics of
Procrastination
Procrastination would mean if we
- defer action
- get into the habit of delaying until
an opportunity is lost
- put off doing
- Be dilatory.
How do we Procrastinate?
“ What may be done at any time will be

done at no time.” – Scottish Proverb
I’m not in the right mood now !
Excuse
Reality
Mood doesn’t do my work, actions do. If I wait

for the right mood, I may never get it done.
I’m just lazy.
Reality
Labeling myself as lazy only brings me

down. My work is really separate from
who I am as a person. Getting started is the
key to finishing.
Do you act as though if you ignore a
task, it will go away?
Reality
That work project is not likely to

disappear on its own!
Do you deceive yourself into believing that a
mediocre performance or lesser standards are
acceptable?
Reality
This form of avoidance can prevent you from

consciously making choices about important
goals in your life.
Do you become paralysed in deciding
between alternative choices?
Excuse
Reality
You run the risk of spending so much time in

the decision process that there is none left
over for the completion of either alternative.
An ancient proverb states :
“It is not the size of the tree
but the depth of its roots that
make it strong.”
Procrastination usually has deep roots.

Let’s examine in detail!
1. Lack of relevance :
If something is neither relevant

nor meaningful to us personally,
It may be difficult to get
motivated even to begin.
2. Acceptance of another’s goals :

If a project has been imposed or
assigned to us and it is not consistent
with our own interests, we may be
reluctant to spend the necessary time to
see it to conclusion.
3. Perfectionism
Having unreachable standards

will discourage us from
pursuing a task.
Since other’s responses to our work

are not under our direct control,
overvaluing these responses can
create the kind of anxiety that will
interfere with work getting
accomplished.
If we are uncertain of
what is expected of us, it
may be difficult to get
started.
If we are venturing into a

new realm or field, we don’t
have any way of knowing
how well we will do. Such an
uncertain outcome may
inhibit our desire to begin.
7. Inability to handle the task :
If through lack of skill or

ability we feel that we lack the
personal resources to do the
job, we may avoid it
completely.
“ Do you know what happens when you give a

procrastinator a good idea? Nothing! “
- Donald Gardner
DREAMER……..
BUT it’s so
difficult!
These Procrastinators desperately

want life to be easy and free from
pain.
They retreat from the real world and
live in their heads, where everything
is vague, nonthreatening and cozy.
If this sounds like you, start recognizing the

difference between “feeling good at the moment”
(fantasizing) and “feeling good about yourself” (the
pleasure of accomplishment)
Worriers…
But I am afraid
to make a change
The worrier prizes security above all

else and pays a steep price for it.
They have a narrow comfort zone
and paralyzes themselves with
anxiety when faced by risk or
change.
Solution : Deep inside most worriers lurks a more
vibrant, courageous soul. Be ready to change. Avoid
“catastrophizing” everything and see that making no
decision is itself a decision.
Defiers….
But why should
I do it?
Ask a defier to perform a task and he’s

likely to say, “sure, I’ll do that”. Then
he “forgets” what he promised, or
delivers work that’s half-done, late or
both.
Learn to act instead of react. Shift your concern

from what other people are doing to you and see
what you are doing to yourself. Realize that taking
the initiative – not digging in your heels – is where
the real power is.
Crisis Makers…..
But I like to do
things at the last
minute
Most of us do our best work under some kind of time

constraint. You can drive yourself in this style with
relative impunity in your 20’s & early 30’s, but after a
while, your body doesn’t want to run of adrenaline
anymore.
The crisis maker needs to increase his self-motivation to

accomplish things and decrease the emotional investment
in the death-defying, last minute performance.
Often, perfectionists are idealists who are unrealistic in their
use of time and energy. Ask a perfectionist to sharpen a
pencil. He’ll either spend whole day staring at it or
immediately plunge into action and at the end of the day,
present you with a really sharp point attached to an eraser.
Perfectionists…
.
But it’s not
perfect!
If you are someone like this, start aiming for

accomplishment not perfection. Stop beating yourself up
over what you should do and focus on what you can do –
the realistic instead of the ideal.
Overdoer……
But I have so
much to do!
Overdoer is a people pleaser, the guy
who never says no to taking on more
work. In his struggle to do it all and
feel self-reliant, he has no balance of
work and downtime, drudgery and
fun.
Overdoers start learning to say ‘no’.

Give up the superman myth.
Accomplish what you can, and leave the
rest to all those other superheroes whose
work you’ve been doing.
SEVEN STEPS TO OVERCOME
PROCRASTINATION:
Take it easy!
7
Let feelings
follow action!
6
5 Choose to work
under pressure.
Look for self
defeating style.
4
Trick yourself into
3 getting started
Observe your 2
Procrastination
1 Discover your
procrastination
style
SEVEN STEPS TO OVERCOME
PROCRASTINATION:
1. Observe your procrastination :
 Question yourself as why you
procrastinate. This is the first step to
work on procrastination as an identified
problem.
2. Discover your procrastination style :
Dreamer Worrier Defier
Crisis maker Perfectionist Over doer

3. Change your self defeating thoughts to
productive thoughts :
I must do well (fantastic, I’ll do okay; I’ll give it time

perfect).
I see life and work as a Life and work can be fun

grind.
I have a better chance of
 I can’t succeed. succeeding if I…
 I must (or) have to  I’d Like to…..(or) choose

(Or something to…..
awful will happen)
 I’ve got to  When can I get
finish….. started on….
4. Trick yourself into getting started :
Break up a large, difficult project into several smaller
pieces. Tackle each piece separately. Work in small
blocks of time instead of in long stretches.
Remember to reward yourself at the completion of
each block.
5. Choose to work under pressure :

Slot a time for each of the broken blocks and set
deadlines for completion. Observe the delay
times in case of not completing in the allotted
time for yourself.
6. Let feelings follow action :
Enlist others to help. Make a bet with your family,
friends or co-workers that you will finish a
particular project by a specified time, or find other
ways to make yourself accountable to others.
7. Take it easy!
Remember that progress, not perfection, is your
goal. Track your goals on a calendar or in a
personal organiser. Keep your goals reasonable
and check off each one when you are finished.
In conclusion, let us see
what our Bhagavad gita says
about procrastination.
ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ
śaṭho naiṣkṛtiko 'lasaḥ
viṣādī dīrgha-sūtrī ca
kartā tāmasa ucyate
The worker who is always engaged in work against the

injunctions of the scripture, who is materialistic, obstinate,
cheating and expert in insulting others, and who is lazy,
always morose and procrastinating is said to be a worker in
the mode of ignorance. (18.28)

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Should I start my

morning walk from

“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week”

Like many English terms, Procrastination

Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a

Research has shown that 70% of New Year’s resolutions

“ What may be done at any time will be

Mood doesn’t do my work, actions do. If I wait

Labeling myself as lazy only brings me

That work project is not likely to

This form of avoidance can prevent you from

You run the risk of spending so much time in

Procrastination usually has deep roots.

If something is neither relevant

2. Acceptance of another’s goals :

Having unreachable standards

Since other’s responses to our work

If we are venturing into a

If through lack of skill or

“ Do you know what happens when you give a

These Procrastinators desperately

If this sounds like you, start recognizing the

The worrier prizes security above all

Ask a defier to perform a task and he’s

Learn to act instead of react. Shift your concern

Most of us do our best work under some kind of time

The crisis maker needs to increase his self-motivation to

If you are someone like this, start aiming for

Overdoers start learning to say ‘no’.

Dreamer Worrier Defier

Crisis maker Perfectionist Over doer

I must do well (fantastic, I’ll do okay; I’ll give it time

I see life and work as a Life and work can be fun

 I must (or) have to  I’d Like to…..(or) choose

5. Choose to work under pressure :

The worker who is always engaged in work against the

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