But I Don’t Want To!

For Laura Williams overcoming a lifelong habit of procrastination is all about understanding the roots of resistance, so that we can bloom into something new

The thing is procrastination affects everyone at some point—usually when we need things to go right the most. Until recently, I’ve looked at procrastination as a problem to solve, but there’s more to it than that.

If you’re sat there with tasks that you know you need to get done but somehow find that you just… can’t… it’s time to consider if you’re harbouring some resistance to it.

If you’re actively resisting something (even without realising it because that’s totally possible), there’s likely a good reason for it. Put simply, procrastination is putting off doing stuff that you know how to do but you’re avoiding doing because:

• It’s complicated and time consuming
• It’s hard to get into the right headspace
• Other things seem more urgent

Why the Resistance?

Resistance, on the other hand, is when you find yourself avoiding tasks that you know how to do but just can’t seem to find the motivation for.

This could be because:

• The task feels overwhelming without a clear reason why
• You feel guilty about not doing it, yet that guilt isn’t enough to push you into action
• You’ve lost sight of the bigger picture and feel a bit lost

Unlike procrastination, which is usually about external distractions or ways of working, resistance is more about emotional and psychological barriers directly related to the task itself.

Doing a state of the nation is a great way to blow past procrastination but when it comes to tackling resistance, that’s going to require digging a little deeper to tackle those emotional responses that we don’t quite understand.

Digging Deeper

As we approach the end of the year, it’s crucial to look at our to-do lists and figure out which tasks we’re ‘putting off’ and which ones we feel actual resistance to. This way, we can understand what’s going on and why. Maybe it’s applying for a new job, handling the budget or managing a member of your team.

Once you’ve identified what you’re feeling resistance to, ask yourself:

• What’s causing it?
• What is your resistance trying to tell you?
• What do you need to help you move past it?
• Is it something that you have to do, or can you opt out?

I know there’s a lot going on right now and the end of this term is a special kind of crazy but for your own sanity and wellbeing, take some time out with a brew this week and give this some thought. I’ll be doing it right along with you.

The more we know and understand about ourselves and our reactions to things, the better equipped we’ll be to tackle the stuff that’s stopping us from getting to where we want to be.