How many times have you had something to do yet you leave it and leave it You know you should do it now in order to get it done to the best of your ability and yet you still procrastinate. You’ll do it tomorrow or after this episode on Netflix. You delay it again and again until you have to rush at the last minute.
The work won’t get done to the best of your ability, but more so, what effect is that having on your mental wellbeing?
Procrastinating means that things are always on your mind niggling away. It takes your mind off living in the moment and being fully engaged with what you really want to do.
You might think: I better get on with that! Or How much time have I got left to do that task?
It fills you with dread and anxiety and taints your daily life when you should be having fun.
The Plaster
Imagine having a plaster on – if you rip it off slowly, the pain is slow and it lingers. It still hurts but you keep pulling it slowly off, stopping and starting. Leaving it when the pain gets too much.
You think you will do it later and leave it half on you half off.
Then it starts to get the itch and you have to scratch it, always reminding you that it has to be taken off. This adds to the build-up of anxiety in your mind, so you leave it. Emotionally bound to not take it off
Rip it off now
If you rip it off, you feel intense pain for a moment, but the pain subsides just as quickly and you no longer have to think about it. It’s just gone, no scratching, no fuss, no stress.
With that done you can concentrate fully on other things without the thought of the plaster returning.
How it will help
You can use this analogy with whatever you are procrastinating about.
If you do it slowly, it will always be on your mind, burrowing in your mind, and leave you feeling like you should be getting it done yet not wanting to fully feel the ‘pain’ of doing it. You know you will have to rush to get it done if you leave it much longer yet you still try and forget about it.
If you did it last week, when you knew it had to get done, you could meet up with friends or watch your favourite TV show without feeling that pressure, anxiety and guilt of not getting that task done.
It’s OK to have fun, but maybe after you have fulfilled your obligations first.
What should you be doing right now? Why not rip the plaster off.
