5 Tips for Overcoming Procrastination
Have you ever procrastinated for months at a time? That’s what I just did putting off adding this blog post to my website. I wasn’t going for a record or anything, just consistently lowering it again and again on my never ending list of priorities. Sound familiar? It may be because I don’t really love writing. I’d much rather talk and share information one on one, hence my profession. There’s also a healthy sprinkling of impostor syndrome, exhaustion, life, and other factors leading to the current situation. While it would be easier to just keep making perfectly rational excuses for not doing the thing, I’ve decided to get my shit together and do what I do enjoy doing: sharing information and insights that hopefully help people feel healthier, more secure and empowered.
Many of the individuals I work with find themselves procrastinating on a regular basis. It’s not a coincidence that the majority of my clients happen to be anxious young creative professionals. As an old “millennial” who hates the term with the fiery passion of 1000 suns, here are the strategies that I have seen have the most success:
Make sleep a priority - if you're not creating and maintaining healthy sleep habits, you’re setting your mind and body up for failure. Research has shown that our cognitive abilities are significantly impaired with even moderate sleep loss or disturbance. The average adult functions best with between 6-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Despite any late night rationalizations, staying up late does not actually prevent tomorrow from coming. It just makes it more painful when you still have to get through that same day, now with feelings of exhaustion, regret and disorganization. Instead, try to think of each night as an opportunity to gently wind down. It doesn’t have to be the same every night. You don’t have to skip your evening workout if that is the time that works best for you.
End your day with a nutritious meal or snack - a good choice for most of us is a protein-carb-antioxidant mix that align with your dietary needs, preferences and restrictions. You might follow or want to follow Ayurvedic medicine and eat foods according to your Dosha. Maybe you follow an intermittent fasting schedule, Keto or just don’t like to eat after a certain hour. Nurture yourself with a calming herbal tea or infused water.
Turn your device’s night mode on to block those melatonin-killing blue light rays. Try a book with any unnecessary lights turned off.
If you’ve been to any of my offices in the last 8 years, you know I almost always have some kind of oil diffusing. It doesn’t have to be lavender! There are so many herbs and plants with amazing scents and healing properties. Go to a local organic shop or health food store to follow your nose to a scent that works for you. Personally, I can’t get enough of Neroli.
Mindfulness - oh, mindfulness! Such a helpful and vital practice turned played out, overused buzzword. Mindfulness in it's true nature is being here and now, free from judgement. Radically accepting the present moment, free from attachment, using the wise mind principles to discover one's next best action. Thus, slow down, breathe, feel, think, observe, then choose your next act. Afterwards, evaluate if there's anything you'd do differently for even better results next time. Hint: later on, actively refute guilt, judgement or beating yourself up regarding any part that didn't go exactly as hoped.
Caffeine - raise your hand if you've forgotten that caffeine is a drug! 🙋♀️ It's a drug that can be super helpful when used in healthy ways at certain times of the day - usually best taken soon after waking. Not so much in the evening or even afternoon, especially if you tend to feel anxious, happen to be a highly sensitive person or empath, or have difficulty falling or staying asleep. That cold brew can help increase concentration, alertness, wakefulness. Look out for side effects of over-consumption such as: jitters, heart palpations, acid reflux, GERD, and withdrawal headaches.
Trying to kick or slow your caffeine habit? There are so many alternatives these days. Our trusted green tea option has a ton of antioxidants and a significant amount of caffeine. Black tea is fine too. If you’re looking for some more creative and multi-functional options try some maca root, moringa, ginseng… orrrrr go back to #1 and figure out how you can be getting better quality sleep.
Another good, natural, free, healthy way is to move your body. Get your heart rate up! You know what they say about a body in motion. This doesn’t need to look like a HIIT class or running for hours on a treadmill. Like to dance? Dance in your room while you clean up (or not). Walk to the next train stop to get some extra steps in. You have probably heard these suggestions 1000 times already. But really, find ways of moving your body that feel good, energizing, fun and help you get where you’re going. Multi-tasking gets a bad wrap, but if I can get my dishes done while singing and dancing to 90’s hip hop, I’m going to.
Self care - another annoying buzzword birthed from very important health practices. Can self care look like a shopping spree or glass of wine in a bubble bath? Sure! But by no means are those the first or only images that should come to mind. “Treat yo' self” in ways that will actually energize and restore you, preferably in ways that are not a strain on your wallet. Need a nap? A balanced meal? Time for yourself to make and stick to a personal budget that includes retirement savings and plans for your future? Do you prioritize healthy foods and activities? Are you saying no when you should be? Are you doing things that feel authentic and worthwhile, or things that you feel guilted into or obligated to engage in? Self care should be a practice that helps you feel prepared and empowered to crush your personal, professional and creative goals.
Maintenance - keeping your shit together is easier than getting your shit together. (Update: my mother has begun reading my blogs and asked, “Do you have to use the word shit all the time? Can’t you just say stuff?” Sorry Ma!💩) I guess this is tied to all of the previous tips in that you're mindfully engaging in self care to ensure you're getting adequate sleep, nutrition, play, meaning, organization, and overall wellness. Maintenance isn't as easy as just keep going. It allows room for things to get off track, because that's just how life goes. Maintenance is your opportunity to re-center before sitting down to focus mindfully on the task at hand. When your environment is tidy, you are relatively energized and feeling secure, that is when you will feel less inclined to procrastinate.
Deeper motivations for avoiding a task may be indicated if you notice yourself doing ANYTHING but that particular task. Unpacking complex trauma, behavioral patterns, the many ways life has conditioned your experience to this point, can also provide more feedback for you in becoming the healthiest most effective version of yourself. A therapist is the best option, IMHO, to get to the heart of this matter. Especially if you've tried these 5 strategies and still find yourself in a procrastination loop. In that case, let's set up your first session or a free consultation.
Until next time, take good care of yourselves and one other ❤️
