Procrastination and Stress

Procrastination, the act of deferring or postponing a task or a set of tasks, is a problem a lot of people have experienced. I used to procrastinate, and it does not only affect the efficiency in completing my schoolwork, but also leads to negative emotions in my overall being.   

The word procrastination has the origin from the Latin “procrastinatus” meaning “forward” and “crastinus.” meaning “of tomorrow.”  This is exactly the behaviour of procrastinators, having the thought of leaving tasks off tomorrow. I would put things off because I’d feel overwhelmed with all the tasks that needed to be completed. Eventually, leaving everything behind until the last-minute left me feeling more overwhelmed, regretting, and bemoaning why I did not start things earlier.  

When distracted by stress, one is likely to avoid situations that can cause displeasure and put things off, hence, resulting in suffering from a procrastination accumulation effect. This accumulation effect is where one feels stressed, puts things off, and then feels stressed thinking about what is left undone, forming a classic, vicious cycle.

When people think of procrastination, they usually associate it with poor time management. That is not always valid.  In fact, there are various types of procrastinators. The perfectionists, one common type of procrastination, also the type I belong to, will be the focus here.  

Perfectionists are the ones who get bogged down in minor details. Perfectionist is afraid to begin the task because they get stressed about getting each detail correct due to their fear of failure. For them, not accomplishing the task perfectly stresses them out since they want the output to be flawless. After they have started, they can get stuck in the middle because they are too scared to move on. The above description explains my behaviour in the past and now I’ve finally found my method to cope with it: draw a big picture of the layout. Basically, I would brainstorm my ideas and make a rough draft of my plans. Instead of allowing the obsession to take up time, be clear about the aim of the mission and assign a time limit. Complete it first, then perfect it. Do not worry too much about fancying the words with fastidious care and concentrate on the big picture. When I write essays, I brainstorm the major elements and brief topics that will be included and draw an outline, then I dive in with the specifics.  

Some other popular types of procrastinators are the dreamers and the easily distractible. The dreamers are those who enjoy making the ideal plan more than acting on it. They decide on the tasks needed to be done but find it difficult to finish. The thought of having to do work bothers and irritates them. The easily distractible is, obviously, people who get distracted very easily. They continually find something else to do that offers them immediate indulgence. There are different factors causing one to procrastinate and one needs to know which so they can solve the problem from the root.  

Procrastination can have a negative impact on an individual’s learning, grades, and overall wellness. Students who procrastinate suffer from greater levels of frustration, guilt, shame, and unease which, in some situations, leads to severe problems like low self-esteem and depression.

Procrastination is the most expeditious way to hinder one from succeeding. It is also the quickest way to provoke one to fall into a stress abyss. Thus, to stop the situation from worsening, immediate actions need to be taken. Discover the type of procrastination and use the best approaches to combat the harmful impacts of stress. Procrastination will not vanish at once, nevertheless, it can be a good start in developing motivation for work. The beginning is always difficult, but continuity is the key and ultimately success will walk towards you.