How to Use Procrastination to Your Advantage in 3 Steps: Told by a PROcrastinator
No matter how much we deny it, we all struggle with procrastination from time to time. When we are all overcome by stress, we distance ourselves from our fears. The truth is that we are all procrastinators.
Procrastination has become the ultimate evil force to be reckoned with for those born in the 21st century. It is the Lord Voldemort or the Darth Vader of our generation. This is because it is traditionally believed that procrastination stops you from achieving your goal and impedes your growth. Most people believe that those who procrastinate do it because they are “lazy.” Consequently, a horrific connotation is associated with those who procrastinate.
But I am proud to call myself a PROcrastinator: a self aware procrastinator. Although most people will tell me otherwise, being a PROcrastinator means that I have learnt so much about myself. By being aware of my procrastination, I have learnt about how I grow as a person and how I can accelerate my growth.
The truth is, procrastination is not always a bad thing. It allows you to learn about your weaknesses, identify your bad habits, find what makes you motivated and what holds you back. Imagine if you never procrastinated. In that case, how would you grow if you are already perfect?
You can’t.
Suppose you embrace your procrastination and identify the source. In that case, you can use procrastination to your advantage and 10x your growth. This brings me to my first step on how to take advantage of procrastination.
1. Acknowledge It
You cannot use procrastination to your advantage unless you know what is stopping you from doing your work. To acknowledge the source of your procrastination, take 10 minutes out of your day to meditate. Slow down your breathing and focus on your body. You will probably find it hard to do this because disruptive thoughts will pop up in your head. Once these disruptive thoughts do show up, focus on them instead of sweeping them under the rug.
for example: Did you just remember that you have to study for a biology test? Or did you remember that you have to send an email to your manager?
→ The first step is to take a minute to identify what the thought is.
Next, ask yourself why you are stressed about the specific task. Figure out the story that you are telling yourself that is keeping you on edge.
For example: Am I scared to study the biology test because I am worried that I might forget to learn an important concept and be unprepared and fail my first semester? Am I scared to email my manager because he will remind me that I have forgotten to complete a particular task, leaving me a poor impression at work?
→ We often psyche ourselves out with stories that overdramatize imaginary scenarios; it is essential to distinguish between fiction and reality.
Now that you’ve acknowledged the source of your misery, just throw it away. Imagine throwing it in an imaginary trash can.
By now, you have acknowledged and put away your disruptive thoughts; now, it is time to reframe your outlook. Instead of looking at your responsibility as a burden, look at it from a curious standpoint — more of this point in the second step.
2. I Am So Lucky
Instead of looking at your responsibility as this barrier from your enjoyment, think of it as the purpose of your existence. Tell yourself that you are so lucky to do this task over and over again.
For example: Wow, I am so lucky to be learning about molecular biology! This is such an excellent opportunity to learn about the basis of any living being.
Or…
Wow, I am so lucky to be sending an email to this manager! Before getting this job, I never thought I would even be in contact with this person.
Reframe your responsibility in a positive light and tell yourself, “I am so lucky” to be doing this task. Positivity can shift your reality, even if it means you have to pretend to be optimistic — as Napoleon Hill said:
“A positive mind finds a way it can be done; A negative mind looks for all the ways it can’t be done.”
3. Your Fears
In the first step, I mentioned that you’ve got to figure out the stories that you are telling yourself to stress yourself out. These stories stem from our fears. When we are afraid of something, we make scenarios in our minds of all the adverse outcomes. For example, xenophobia is a result of storytelling from fear; we make up horrible assumptions about people of other ethnicities because of the fears that are instilled in us from our environment (parents, society, etc.)
The same goes for procrastination: We tell ourselves stories to avoid what we fear.
If you want to stop telling yourself stories, you have got to confront your fears. Make a list of all your worries by asking yourself what is stopping you.
For example: I am afraid to get a bad mark on my biology test because it will go on my high school transcript, and every university will see it. If universities see it, I will not get into medical school and become a doctor.
Although this is an exaggerated fear, many high school students face it. The truth is, one bad mark will not set you off the path to medical school. Even if you get a bad mark but use that experience to improve your study habits, this lousy mark will be overshadowed by all your progress throughout the year. As I said in the beginning, how can you improve if you are already perfect?
→ Never forget that fears dictate our presumptions, which in turn influence our performance, so do not let baseless scenarios get the best of you.
Awareness of Being a PROcrastinator
Be aware of your actions and remind yourself that you are in control. Most people view procrastination as a horrible habit, but lets reframe the situation. Procrastination forces you to work on yourself because only through procrastination you were able to acknowledge your disruptive thoughts, see the light in the darkness and rid yourself of useless fears. Only through procrastination did you learn about yourself. Only through procrastination were you able to grow.
Key Takeaways
- Acknowledge your disruptive thoughts.
- Have an “I Am So Lucky” outlook.
- Face your fears.
Procrastination is a habit that will never fully go away, but it is just that; a habit. One that can be controlled and can be used to learn about who you are as an individual. Take advantage of your procrastination and approach it as a tool to increase your growth.
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