What Procrastination Means: 6 Types of Procrastination

Let’s talk about procrastination. The good news is we all procrastinate. The challenge is we all procrastinate for different reasons. Today, we discuss what procrastination means in your life. When you understand why you procrastinate, you can create a plan to overcome it. Many people think procrastination has to do with a of lack motivation or being lazy. The reality is procrastination is much deeper than that and the reasons change person to person. Scripture says, with all you’re getting, get understanding. We’re going to see the importance of understanding. When you talk about the six different types of procrastination, they require six different plans of action.

The misconception

Some will say procrastination means you lack motivation. Others will assume you are lazy and indifferent. Both are plain wrong. Procrastination does not mean you lack motivation and it doesn’t mean you are lazy. Each of us are internally struggling with our beliefs. Our beliefs create the actions we take.

1. Perfection is overrated

As a perfectionists, I know how difficult it can be to get started. You are dealing with a fear of failure and a fear of rejection. Deep down, you cannot shake the feeling that rejection speaks on something you did wrong. We believe if we were more prepared, things would have turned out differently.

That is why I spend so much time honing my craft (humble brag… 😉 ). But seriously, I invest in books, certifications, degrees, etc… seeking perfection. I have learned to take more action and spend less time thinking about things. That is where lists have unexpectedly been so beneficial. Lists allow me to feel comfortable “forgetting” about things. If it’s on the list, it will get done. Lists are not natural for me. However, I am fortunate because my wife and oldest daughter make amazing lists. Lists help me to stop going for perfection and start striving for excellence.

Characteristics of a perfectionists

Tend to put forth excessive amounts of time and energy to make sure that everything they do is perfect.
Tend to put off starting tasks due to a fear of failure or doubts about doing it the “right way.”
Tend to see everything in life as things that have to be done, not necessarily what they want to do.
They tend to see everything in life as things that have to be done, not necessarily what they want to do.

Strategies for perfectionist procrastinators

Strive for excellence rather than perfection
Focus on what’s realistic rather than ideal
Avoid “all or nothing” thinking
Change your “have to”s to “want to”s
Give yourself a time limit for completing a task
Make a daily “to do” list that’s short and practical

2. Get your head out of the cloud

The second type of procrastinator is the dreamer. There is a saying. You cannot have a million dollar lifestyle with a minimum wage work ethic. For a dreamer, procrastination means you avoid difficult tasks. You have a clear vision of what success looks like, but the details are a little murky. Details are a bother because of your belief that things will work out in your favor. Because dreamers have everything in their mind, they need to write things down. Their focus needs to be on having a realistic view of the work and time commitment success needs.

Characteristics of a dreamer

Tend to recoil from anything that might be difficult or distressing.
Tend to be passive rather than active.
Tend to pay little attention to facts or details, making it hard to focus on and perform diffi- cult tasks.
Tend to think of themselves as special people, for whom fate will intervene, making hard work and efficiency unnecessary.

Strategies for dreamer procrastinators

Train yourself to differentiate between dreams and goals
Develop the habit of thinking with “5 W’s and 1 H”: What, When, Where, Who, Why, and How.
Change your “wish’s”, “like to’s”, and “try to’s” to “will’s”
Change your “someday’s” and “soon’s” to specific times
Plan each major project in writing, using a time line and specifying each step you will need to take
Seek more interaction with other people

3. Stop being a worrywart

When you are a worrier, procrastination means you feel overwhelmed. Whether there are too many moving peices you can decipher. Or you are worried about changing your process because of a fear of the unknown. It’s a good idea to keep yourself calm. Remind yourself that not making a decision, is making a decision. And give yourself the freedom to start without finishing. It’s okay to work for 5 minutes.

If you want to write a book. Allow yourself to write a page a day. Still feel overwhelmed? Only commit to writing a paragraph a day. Not quite relaxed yet? Write a sentence a day. By starting, you have already beaten procrastination and set yourself up for success. Most people will write more than a sentence. Even if they only committed to one sentence up-front.

Characteristics of a worrier

Tend to be indecisive and often fail to commit themselves to the specific decisions they do make.
Tend to lack confidence in their own abilities, causing them to avoid or delay doing things.
Tend to be dependent upon others for advice, reassurance, nurturance, and help
Tend to have a high resistance to change, preferring the safety of the “known” over the risk of the “unknown.”

Strategies for Worrier Procrastinators

Recognize making no decision, is, in fact, a decision
Follow a two-step decision-making process: first commit yourself to the goal, then deter- mine the steps you’ll take to achieve that goal.
Change your “I don’t know’s” to “One thing I do know is…”
Change your “I can’t” statements to compound sentences: “I can’t…but I can…”
Each day, do at least one thing you’ve been consciously putting off
Each week, do something that you’re generally uncomfortable doing
Break down every large, intimidating project into an assortment of smaller, easier-to- manage tasks.

4. Micromanage at your own risk

The fourth form of procrastination is a defier. When you’re a defier, procrastination means you want to be left alone. Think of the person in the office who doesn’t want to be micromanaged. They feel they handle their business and have their own process. When their supervisor tells them something needs to be done on Friday, they are frustrated. They express that frustration by waiting until 11:59pm on Friday. If you were wondering if this counts as procrastination… it does.

Ironically, by procrastinating on your work, your supervisor is more likely to believe they need to manage your tasks. If you want to be left alone. Just let leadership know and then keep handling your business.

Characteristics of a defier

Tend to see life in terms of what others expect or require them to do, not what they them- selves would like or want to do.
Tend to avoid expressing negative feelings; instead they convey those feelings by procrastinating.
Tend to use procrastination as a way of challenging authority.
Tend to be pessimistic in nature, undercutting their motivation to complete tasks in a timely manner.

Strategies for Defier Procrastinators

Learn to view what someone else wants or expects as a request, not a demand.
Mean what you say
If you haven’t done something, own up to it.
Strive to act rather than react
Do what you know needs to be done
Try to work with a team, not against it.
Do something specific that will satisfy you because it’s done your way.

5. Waiting until the last minute

As a crisis-maker, procrastination means you are uninterested in the task at hand. To generate enough interest to start working, you wait until the last minute. While stress can be a motivator. You do have the small problem of constant stress being bad for you. The thing about most crisis-makers is we tend to procrastinate on things we know we need to do, but don’t want to do.

You can also feel overwhelmed (worrier). Or you can feel you need to do more research because everything is not perfect (perfectionist). You can start to see how some forms of procrastination feeds into others.

Characteristics of a Crisis-Maker

Tend to first ignore the task, then feel intensely caught up in it, when faced with an undesirable task.
Tend to dramatize situations, making themselves the center of attention.
Tend to be easily bored and resist the “dullness” of doing things rationally and methodically.
Tend to have a need to prove themselves by living on the edge.

Strategies for Crisis-Maker Procrastinators

Identify other self-motivators besides stress.
Strive towards changing your thinking style from extremist and general to moderate and specific.
Avoid overdramatic, polarized language
When discussing a task or responsibility, try to focus on the positive or active, rather than the negative or reactive.
Figure out methods for handling things so that you can avoid or more successfully manage- recurring crises.
Create your own motivators to change a boring task to a more interesting one.
Understand that you may not feel interested in something until after you get involved in it.

6. Majoring in minor things

In the sixth and final form of procrastination is the overdoer. The overdoer hides procrastination so well. They are busy each day and get plenty of things done. The problem is they are not getting the most important things done. This is my second form of procrastination. Whether I am working in the yard, cleaning my house or doing something with my kids, I am very busy each day. Yet, since I didn’t complete the most important tasks, I feel guilty about taking breaks. As a result, you must create lists of what you will accomplish each day. Hold yourself to a higher standard and guard your time.

Characteristics of an Overdoer

Tend to suffer from low self-esteem, compelling them to take on more work than they can handle.
Tend to have trouble saying “no” or asking for help.
Tend to assume so many different responsibilities and roles that they easily get distracted from specific tasks and confused about priorities.
Tend to lack true self-discipline, especially in regard to personal needs.
Tend to find it very difficult to relax without feeling guilty or ashamed.

Strategies for Overdoer Procrastinators

Acknowledge the difference between priorities and demands.
Try not to depend on other for approval
Focus your thoughts on how you are going to gain control over things, not how things are controlling you.
Don’t hesitate to say “no” to others when it’s appropriate.
Talk more about your options than your obligations
Make and follow daily “to-do” lists that make the best use of your time and energy
Enlist help whenever appropriate.
Incorporate an ample amount of leisure activities into your life

Final thoughts

Procrastination means something different for each of us. For me, it means I’m striving for perfection or prioritizing my day inefficiently. Of the six procrastination types, which resonate with you? Once you know how you procrastinate, what can you do to take action? At the end of the day, procrastination is not doing something we know we need to do. Don’t let another day go by without taking action on your life and financial goals.

References:

Indiana State University: Procrastination Types
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