5 Strategies for Managing Procrastination
Welcome back to The Designer Practice Podcast, and I'm your host, Kayla Das.
Procrastination is one of the biggest blocks that prevent business owners from moving to the next stage of their business, and I think we can all agree that we've all procrastinated at something in our lives. I know I have.
In this episode of the Designer Practice Podcast, I'm going to share with you five strategies for managing procrastination when it shows up in your business, whether you're starting, growing, or even scaling your private practice.
However, we first need to understand where our procrastination is coming from and why it is happening. Although I believe we all have procrastinated something at some point in our lives. We don't actually procrastinate the same things, and that's because there are three reasons on why we procrastinate. And when we better understand ourselves, we can better understand why we're procrastinating. And we can also choose the best strategy that fits that reason.
Understanding Why You’re Procrastinating
Now let me break it down a little bit here in my therapy practice, one approach I come from is cognitive behavioural therapy, and as I know most of you are therapists listening to me today, you already know what that is. But it's basically how our thoughts influence our emotions that influence our behaviour. And procrastination is a behaviour that's actually linked to a specific emotion. Now, there's three emotions I've found to be highly related to procrastination specifically: Overwhelm, underwhelm, and fear.
When someone feels overwhelmed by something, they are looking at a task or a situation as a whole. And because it's such a large task, it can lead to procrastination. And I use the analogy of a stairwell. It's like you're at the bottom of the stairs and you're looking up at a staircase of a hundred steps, and it seems like a daunting task to reach the top, but the best way to do it is take step-by-step. And as we get closer to the top, it gets easier. However, when we're at the bottom, it seems so easy to avoid taking the task on because it seems so overwhelming on how to get there.
Whereas when someone is feeling underwhelmed by something, they really just don't enjoy the task and may not find meaning or purpose in that task. And as individuals, we are all underwhelmed by different things, right? What I might enjoy. You might not. And what you enjoy, I might not. So, of course what we find underwhelming could be very, very different. Even if we know we quote unquote should be doing something or that this specific task should be done, it doesn't mean it's something that we actually enjoy or are energized by. So we procrastinate.
And then finally is fear. And this is also where perfectionism comes into play. There's a lot of research showing how perfectionism and procrastination are linked, but really when someone experiences perfectionism, it's really connected in fear. A fear of making a mistake or dare I say, fear of not being perfect. But it's not just the fear of making a mistake that people procrastinate. People procrastinate all types of fear. Fear of failure, fear of what other people will think or otherwise fear of judgment. Fear that they're not good enough, or in other words, they experience self-doubt and imposter syndrome, among just a few of the fears that we could talk about. But when we fear something, procrastination can also set in.
So really the first step of managing procrastination is to understand why you're procrastinating. Is it because of overwhelm? Are you overwhelmed by something? Are you underwhelmed by something? Or are you fearing something?
And then based on the reason, then you can choose a strategy that best helps manage that particular issue. Because one of the biggest issues is that we assume all strategies are going to work for us, but unless we know why procrastinating is happening, implementing just any strategy, especially if it doesn't align with that specific reason, might not work.
5 Strategies for Managing Procrastination
So let me share with you five strategies for managing procrastination that I actually use in my business, and I'm going to give you personal examples of each individual reason and how I've overcame those specific issues.
So, let's start with overwhelm.
1. Break a Bigger Task into Bite-sized Manageable Tasks or Steps
The first strategy is to break down a task, specifically a bigger task, into bite-size, manageable tasks or steps. When you take the time to plan the steps needed in order to complete a larger task, you create a roadmap for yourself and in turn helps guide you through that specific process. Larger tasks can almost always be broken down into smaller tasks that mask as one.
So let me give you an example of a situation in my business and how I've used this strategy. Before I started the Designer Practice Podcast, I was actually considering starting a podcast for about a year, and I know a year is a long time. But because I've never done a podcast or even been a guest on a podcast before, I didn't know where to start, and I felt super overwhelmed by the idea, because it seemed like such a big, big task.
So, I bought a course, which really helped, but it still didn't help me stop procrastinating. Until I was a guest on a podcast, and then I realized by being a guest, the process wasn't actually that difficult. So I spent about 15 minutes developing the steps that I needed to take in order to start my podcast. And then I spent the next 30 minutes setting up the back-end of my podcasting, which I did learn from the course that I had taken. And then voila. The Designer Practice Podcast was born in literally 45 minutes, and I am not joking. Even though I procrastinated for about a year when I actually broke down each into steps that I needed to take, it was able to help me move forward because I was able to just do one step at a time. Even though I was at stairs zero. I was no longer looking up at the top of stair a hundred. I literally was taking one individual step until I got there. And without moving forward and using this strategy, I would probably still be waiting to start the Designer Practice Podcast and you wouldn't be listening to this episode right now. And that actually breaks my heart even thinking about that.
So, one strategy for helping you through overwhelm is to really break it down into small individual steps before you start.
2. Prioritize Your Tasks
Another strategy for overwhelm is to prioritize your tasks. Sometimes we believe that everything has equal importance, but usually that isn't the case. At the beginning of your day or your week. Take a few moments and prioritize your tasks in order of importance. And this is really important because I know this happened for me and I've talked to other therapists who this has happened to as well, is that we look at this big list that we have and we try to get the easy stuff done first because it helps us feel accomplished, it helps us get through that list. But it might not really be moving us forward. It might just be sending an email here. We're doing this. But it's not pushing the needle.
So, I'm going to share with you a strategy that I use, and I find this super helpful in prioritizing my tasks. Now, you can prioritize your tasks in many ways. You do not have to use a strategy, but how I do it is I create what I call a top three, alternate three list.
So, for the long list makers listening, I think you'll like this strategy. So, I'm a list person through and through. I've always had a list. I still have a list. If you look at the side of my desk, there's a huge list there. When we think of these lists though, when the list starts getting bigger and bigger, it actually breeds overwhelm. Because once it gets bigger and bigger, it seems like it's never ending and we're not getting through that list.
So how I've helped myself move forward with this is the top three, alternate three strategy and I still keep my list. So, I'm not saying you have to get rid of your list, but this is in addition to that list.
So let me explain how you do this. First of all, I take two different colour post-it notes. And I choose three things on my big list that are the most important tasks that I need to complete this week. On the other post-it note, I write down three alternate things that I can do after and only after I complete the top three.
So, it's kind of six things I can do this week, but the top three is the most important. So, if I don't get to the alternate, it's really no biggie. I can either move that post-it note to the next week, or if my priorities shift or change the following week, I can easily just create a new top three.
How this helps is it helps me focus on the most important stuff without getting too bogged down by all the little tasks that are on my bigger list that are not necessarily moving me forward. It also helps me focus and feel more accomplished because I can certainly get three things done this week.
Now you might be wondering, you know why I said use two different post-it notes. For me, I'm a visual person and what I realized is when I actually write my top three and alternate three on a same color post-it note, it actually increased my overwhelm. Because for me, it looked like a two-page list. Even though there was only six things on that list, it looked like a two-page list. Whereas, when I wrote them on two separate colours, my brain can actually focus on the one colour, which is the top three which then helps alleviate overwhelm. And then when I'm ready, if I'm ready, I can move to the alternate three.
Now, if you're someone who prefers to prioritize daily tasks over weekly tasks, you could modify this technique by having a top one alternate one for that day. This way you know to focus on that one specific task. And then if and only if you have that specific task completed, you have an alternate that you can complete, that is the next priority.
I don't recommend doing a top three alternate 3 for one day because it's going to be counterproductive and actually will likely increase overwhelm because three things in a day can be really tough depending on what our day looks like. So if you're doing it weekly, top three, alternate three. If you're doing it daily, top one, alternate one.
So those are two strategies that can help you with overwhelm.
Now let's move on to underwhelm. So, like I said, underwhelm is when we just aren't so interested in the activity.
3. Pomodoro Method or “Racing the Clock”
So, the first strategy I use is using the Pomodoro method, or what I like to call racing the clock. If you've never heard of the Pomodoro method before, it's a time management technique developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. Basically, its premise is that you set a timer for 25 minutes, and when the timer rings, you take a short break.
It's really helpful for underwhelming tasks because when we aren't too interested in the task, it can seem boring, daunting, or even draining to even start that task. But this method helps break it down into short intervals, which makes a task much more doable. However, in my practice, I've modified this technique a little bit to best fit my needs and personality.
So, the Pomodoro method says to set a clock for 25 minutes, but I actually set it for whatever time that I feel like I want to work on something. As long as it's less than 30 minutes. I found any longer than 30 minutes. I actually don't want to do the task. So, it's kind of counterproductive. So, it does have to kind of be a short interval, but in my practice, case notes are the absolute underwhelming task that I can do. And I know that some of you can so relate.
I really, really, really dislike case notes. But as therapists, we know that we have legal, ethical, and practical reasons on why case notes are important and why they have to be done. But it doesn't mean it makes it any easier to do. So, I actually set a timer for about 15 or 20 minutes, depending on how many case notes I have, and I want to get completed and I work through them during that time.
But this is where I add a tweak so that it fits my personality. I actually love racing the clock. I'm kind of a competitive person. So, what I do is I set the music of the timer to the most obnoxious and loud ringtone that my cell phone has, and I race the clock because I do not want to hear that clock go off. So, it helps me get things done and move forward.
But this doesn't work for everyone. Some people like the congratulatory ringtone, like da, da, da, da, da. So, they can feel accomplished. And if you're this person, definitely work with who you are. It's really working with yourself instead of against yourself. And you're going to hear me say that a lot because I truly believe it's about working with who we are, not against who we are. So, if you have to modify strategies, do it.
4. Pairing a Physical Activity with a Mental Activity that you Enjoy
The second strategy for helping with underwhelm is pairing a physical activity with a mental activity that you enjoy.
This strategy works well if you're procrastinating a physical activity, and that it doesn't take too much brain power. However, it doesn't always work when it's the other way around when it's a mental activity that requires brain power with the physical activity. So just remember that. It's more when it's a physical activity.
So let me give you an example. Maybe you need to clean your office or fold your laundry or even clean your bathroom. You might be procrastinating it because it's underwhelming to you. You just don't really want to do it. If this is a case, you can always pair it with a mental activity that also requires your concentration, but specifically something you enjoy though it's important that you enjoy that specific activity.
So, some examples could be listening to music while you're clearing out your filing cabinet, or watching your favourite television show while you fold your laundry. Or maybe even put on your favourite episode of the Designer Practice Podcast while you’re cleaning the bathroom.
So, it helps distract you from the underwhelming physical activity by incorporating a mental activity that requires a little bit more concentration than the physical activity, and it's something that you enjoy.
So now we're at the final strategy and the final reason. So how to manage procrastination when fear sets in. So, fear is its own thing, and the key here is to understand that to conquer fear, we need to face that fear head on. And that's where this strategy comes in.
5. Taking Action Towards the Fear
So, this strategy is simply taking action towards the fear, despite that fear. Even when you don't feel too confident in what you're doing, it's important to still take action. Now if I had a dollar, every time someone said to me, "Kayla, when I feel confident in this, I'm going to do X, Y, and Z." I would honestly be a millionaire. But my response is always the same, "You'll be waiting a long time if you're waiting to feel confident" because when it comes to fear, you only build confidence through facing your fear over and over. And taking actions towards the fear so that you can prove to yourself that the worst isn't going to happen. And even on the very, very, very slight chance that it does, it is never as bad as we think it's going to be.
So let me give you a personal example in my own business. So, you may know that I have a free group on Facebook called Boosting Business: Therapist Private Practice Community. I launched the group in 2021 and as of the time I'm recording this episode, which is a couple months before it's launched, I have over 3,600 people in that group.
However, what most people don't know is that I had this group opened for about two months before I invited a single person into the group. I created the group in March, 2021, and I didn't invite a single person until May, 2021. Actually, May 14th to be exact. And yes, I remember the date because it was probably, it's a first big step that I took in my business outside of the initial quitting my job and starting my business.
So, you might be wondering, you know, why did I wait so long? And really the answer is I was plagued with fear. My fear was that no one would want to join. And I often had thoughts to myself. "Why would anyone want to be the first person in this group, or even the second person or the third person, and so on." And because of this, I didn't invite anyone into my Facebook group for two months.
And the day that I made the decision that I was going to open this group, I was going to invite people in. I remember it so vividly. I was so scared. My heart was pounding. I had so many thoughts of, "Oh, you're going to fail." "Oh, no one's going to join your group." All of these thoughts went through my head. But the key thing is I took action anyway, even though I was so fearful.
First, I invited my close friends who are therapists as well. That was about 10 people. I will say that was probably the easiest step as I knew these people. Then I decided I'm going to invite my email list into the group, which at this point I was new into business, so I only had about 250 people on my email list at that time. But this step was super hard for me. I think it was probably the hardest part for me because I thought to myself, "Oh no, my email list is going to think that I'm a no one. That I'm a nobody. And they aren't going to want to join my group." And actually, then that's went to, "Oh, then they're going to unsubscribe from my email list and so on." It was a huge catastrophe in my mind.
But when I actually sent the email out, a bunch of my email lists joined. And then I shared my group with pretty much anyone or anywhere that I could think of, and then my group just continued to grow. And like I said, I think the hardest part for me was inviting that 250 people from my email list, because I even remember sitting at my computer that day for what felt like 15 minutes. I don't know if it was 15 minutes. But it felt like 15 minutes trying to press send on my email provider. I really wanted to send that email, but I was so fearful that I just sat there with my finger on the return key, and I was just waiting and waiting and waiting so that I had the courage and the ability to press that button.
When I actually pressed it, I had a rush of panic go through me. All of the thoughts that I was worried about. I still thought them, but I just sat there, and sat there, and after a while, people started joining the group and then my fear started diminishing a bit because people were actually joining. They weren't afraid to be the first. They weren't afraid to be the second. And people didn't unsubscribe. Yeah, sure. There might have been one or two, I can't even remember. That was totally not on my radar. But for the most part it went well, but it wasn't easy. And I think that's the key here. I still experienced fear. I still did it. I feel a lot more confident today because I took that step and now me sharing this with people is a no-brainer. I can do it, it's easy, but it caused me fear and. This was probably the second-best thing that I ever did.
And you might ask me what was my first, and going back to putting my resignation in to start my private practice full-time. I was so panicky, so fearful for that too. But I can tell you both of these things that probably caused me the most fear in my entire life. I do not regret either decision, but it definitely caused me a lot of fear.
So, the key takeaway here is you need to take action despite that fear. Because you build confidence by doing something over and over. You don't have confidence just out of nowhere, especially if it's something that you're fearful of.
So, start taking those steps, start moving forward. And although you might not be starting a group. This shows you that my biggest fear actually ended up showing the opposite. I grew a group from zero to 3,600 people and that's a huge accomplishment in my mind.
So, take actions towards the fear because confidence is built by taking the actions over and over, not beforehand.
Conclusion
So, there you go. These are the five strategies to help you manage procrastination.
Now, I want to say there are so many more strategies out there, but I definitely believe it is important for you to first identify the cause of your procrastination. Is it overwhelm? Is it underwhelm? Is it fear? And then you can choose your strategy. Because when we try certain strategies and they don't work, it's so easy to internalize that I'm the issue or nothing will work for me. But it's likely we are trying a strategy that isn't applicable for the reason and why we're experiencing procrastination.
And even if you are using a strategy that's for that reason. Not every strategy fits every person, and not every person likes or agrees with all strategies. So, it's about finding a strategy that works for you, even modifying some if you have to. That's what I do. And the make it work for yourself because it's important to work with yourself, not against yourself.
So, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. And if you did and you're listening on a major podcasting platform, I would be internally grateful if you would leave a review so that other therapists and coaches know that this podcast can help them as well.
Thank you so much.
And until next time, bye for now.
