Procrastinators Unite

Neil A Fiore defined procrastination in, The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt- Free Play as a type of behavior, which is characterized by deferment of actions or tasks to a later time. Psychologists often cite procrastination as a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision.

The word Procrastinator comes from the Latin word procrastinates, which means pro- (forward) and crastinus, which means – of tomorrow.

Procrastination may lead to increased stress and anxiety, a feeling of guilt and shame, the loss of productivity and the creation of a crisis situation due to the disapproval of others for not following through with one’s responsibilities or commitments.

These combined feelings can promote further procrastination. While it is normal for people to procrastinate to some degree, it becomes a problem when it impedes normal functioning.

The causes of procrastination could be psychological or physiological. The psychological causes may vary greatly but are usually centered on issues of anxiety and a low sense of self-worth. The physiological causes of this type of behavior mostly revolve around the role of the prefrontal cortex. This area of the brain is in charge for executive functions such as planning, controlling impulse, focus and attention. It helps filter out the distracting stimuli from other regions of the brain.

In business, procrastination can be very costly.

Procrastination’s seed is the lack of vision. Every business owner needs to have a clearly defined vision. An unclear vision reaps vague results, and vague results reap an unfulfilled life. This really matters in business and in life; you get only one chance, use it to the best of your ability in a proactive manner.

People procrastinate for different reasons. Three basic types of procrastinators are:

1. Arousal types, or thrill-seekers: These people wait to the last minute for the euphoric rush. (I also call this the “Harry Houdini Syndrome”.)
2. Avoiders: These are people who may be avoiding fear of failure or even fear of success, but in either case, are very concerned with what others think of them; they would rather have others think they lack effort than ability. (These people procrastinate because they are afraid of success that they know will result if they move ahead now.Because success is heavy and carries responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the, “Someday I’ll…” philosophy.
3. Decisional procrastinators: These are the ones that cannot make a decision. Not making a decision absolves procrastinators of responsibility for the outcome of events.

How do you stop procrastinating? You can’t do it alone. Get some help. That’s the essence of Business Coaching – developing a clear Vision and being held accountable to that Vision.

So what are you going to do now? Take Action or just sit there hoping things will magically change?

ACTION #1: Call me if you’re ready to stop Whining and start Winning!

About ActionCOACH

Brad Sugars founded the brand Action International in 1993 when he realized there was a disconnect between business advice and implementation. The answer was Action! Brad Sugars created a business coaching company so that business owners throughout the world can realize their goals in business. Today the company is known as ActionCOACH. To learn more about business, visit Brad Sugars Review blog!