Five Causes of Procrastination

Do you put things off? Then, ponder these common causes of procrastination, that maddening habit that keeps some of us spinning our wheels indefinitely.

If you’re spinning your own wheels as well, understanding Why you procrastinate could be the first step toward getting that habit under control.

Each of the following five causes of procrastination represents a "black hat." In old Western movies, those were the guys who often got dragged out of the saloon and dunked in the nearest watering trough. Or something more permanent. So, you should feel free to get plenty tough with them yourself.

Avoiding Tasks that are Unpleasant

Do you sometimes procrastinate simply to avoid tasks you find unpleasant? When you’re dreading a task, perhaps you just push it away and then keep pushing…and pushing. To avoid indulging in this kind of procrastination, try training yourself to tackle unpleasant tasks first. That way, you can get them out of the way instead of letting them loom over you indefinitely. It seems to work for a lot of people; maybe it will work for you as well.

Fear of Failing

Yet another of the common causes of procrastination is fear of failing. This kind of "front-loaded" perfectionism can keep you paralyzed to the point where you may never get started. Or, if you do manage to start, you may be unable to finish. Remind yourself that you don't have to do a perfect job; you merely need to do a good one. Sometimes even a merely acceptable job will suffice (unless you’re doing brain surgery or building boats).

Difficulty Focusing

Sometimes, a difficulty in focusing can lead to procrastination. With cell phones, email, the internet, and other attention-grabbing gadgets, it’s all too easy to get distracted. Then your tasks may simply fall by the wayside, never to be completed. To have the remotest chance of focusing on your task, you'll likely need to minimize all those distractions. Sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? But it doesn’t seem to occur to a surprising number of people. Perhaps one of those should not be you.

Feeling Overwhelmed

For many of us, it's all too easy to over-extend and over-commit. If that sounds like you, you may often feel overwhelmed and stressed—unsure where even to begin. What’s the answer? Here’s the best one I’ve found: learn to say no. Just say no to certain tasks that would otherwise over-extend you. Besides saying no, make a habit of organizing the tasks you do have. This will help contain your feelings of overwhelm and often guide you to a good starting point.

Believing That You Must Be in a Certain "Mood"

Do you believe you must be in a certain frame of mind before you can complete or even begin a task? Or, to put this a different way, do you sometimes find yourself waiting for "inspiration" to strike? The problem with waiting for the right mood is that it may never strike. One solution: instead of waiting for your muse, just get started—and do so well before your deadline. Not only may that make you feel better, but it will also allow you to complete the project. Win-win all the way.

So, there they are: five causes of procrastination. Possibly one or two of those even have your name on them. If they do, you now have a better shot at sending those Black Hats off to hassle somebody else.