Have you ever said to yourself “I’ll get to that later?” Does that make you a procrastinator? Not necessarily. We all find ourselves putting things off from time to time, however, when it becomes habitual, then yes, the shoe will fit. So, you may ask “how do I quit procrastinating?” What a person needs to examine is their motive for stalling or waiting to finish a task. In other words, why put it off until another time instead of completing it now? Much of the answer has to do with confidence in decision making. When an individual lacks assurance in their decisions, they tend to put off making them. Self-esteem lends itself in this process. If one is short on self-esteem, it prevents a person’s focus from withstanding the onslaught of doubt, uncertainty and hesitation.

A good rule of thumb, when it comes to overcoming the procrastination within one’s personality, is to be willing to allow yourself to make mistakes. We all make mistakes, whether it’s in our business life or our personal relationships. How we manage the outcome of our decisions affects our self-esteem and future decision making ability. When people allow themselves to move forward and not become “stuck” because poor choices were made, their confidence is not as adversely influenced and they are apt to learn from their mistakes and choose more wisely in the future.

As we learn to choose wisely, our decision making power increases and we gain greater self-worth. As this positive influence arises it enhances the desire to make decisions and complete projects and finish other objectives in a timely manner. The more this occurs the less procrastination can have a hold on the individual. As a person accomplishes and achieves set purposes, the motivating force will enable them to overcome obstacles and mistakes in their decision making and further the ability to leave the art of procrastination to someone else.

Mark Ellison, LAPC
mellison@growcounseling .com