Unpacking the causes of your procrastination and clearing the way forward with new confidence to meet the tasks before you.
Meeting a deadline, despite one’s habit for procrastination, can be difficult, but it can become debilitating when those deadlines are missed altogether, or projects are left unfinished. The consequences of this can often snowball, creating a vicious cycle.
Many people who procrastinate have been doing so for a long time, as it can become habitual, but not everyone acknowledges that they procrastinate. They may tell themselves that they work best under pressure, or that they are waiting for the right mood or the right energy to tackle their project. High achievers often procrastinate because they find it difficult to meet their own high expectations.
Procrastination can be temporary, a symptom of overload, or a secondary symptom to another problem like depression. Sometimes procrastination can stem from a broader set of problems, such as distractibility or lack of focus , difficulty managing frustration or tension, anxiety , or challenges to self-confidence. In its effect on one’s mindset and functioning, procrastination can be quite painful. Like addictions, the behavior underlying procrastination can itself become a bigger problem than merely the tasks it delays.
Dr. Wu’s approach is to work with you to explore the internal and external pressures that may be causing you to procrastinate, and to work with underlying issues of self-confidence in help you become more confident in meeting the tasks before you.
We procrastinate for many reasons:
- You may feel that you work best “under pressure”
- You’re waiting for the right time, the right mood or energy
- As a perfectionist you may have unrealistic expectations of yourself
- You have difficulty focusing or find yourself too easily distracted
- Your procrastination coincides with feelings of frustration, tension or anxiety
- You have too much on your plate or are depressed
Contact Dr. Wu
to schedule an office visit or a free 10-15 minute phone consultation