I would like to start with this quote by Michael Hyatt.
Perfectionism is the mother of procrastination.
Do you agree with this? Or do you have a contrary take on the subject?
It's an amazing thing to be intentional about the things that you are involved with and strive for perfection but where do you draw the line on postponing tasks and projects because "it's not there yet"? Do we even realise that there is a line? Are you stuck in an endless loop of plans, decorated in the guise of 'planning'?
I love to make a good plan, but sometimes the concept of planning can become a safe place for procrastination. A place where you convince yourself that your inaction is an acceptable path to achieving something spectacular as opposed to an indirect avoidance of action. You go from a 3-step process to a 10-step I process, calmly assuring yourself that as soon as you have all you need for things to go as smoothly as you want them to that you will begin.
Don’t allow your desire for perfection to become a refuge for procrastination.
I read about the 3 Ps recently. This is, apparently, also referred to as the 'Deadly 3 Ps. This is a cycle that I believe starts out with a great idea which leads to some planning, then perfectionism takes hold and then comes the postponement of action that is procrastination and eventually a halt, total and complete inaction....paralysis.
Why do perfectionists procrastinate?
1) Setting unrealistic standards
Don't make grand plans that you cannot achieve. People sitting on this table tend to spend more time revelling in the grandness of their plans than they do in actually achieving them. On the other hand, they may end up being too overwhelmed to act.
2) Fear of failure
Crippling fear. The fear of failure can be so crippling that it stops you right in your tracks. You try to avert failure by designing the perfect plan but the concept of a perfect perfect plan can in itself lead to an endless cycle of fear, planning and more fear.
3) Fear of rejection
The fear of rejection is not necessarily a fear of failure. By the standards you have set, you may actually succeed at achieving your goal. But will it be accepted by people and loved by them?
This is inherently a desire for acceptance.
4) Laziness
This post wouldn't be complete without this truth. Sometimes it is just laziness.
5) Lack of interest in the task
It is no secret that sometimes the steps to achieve your goal might include a long, tedious and/or boring task that you have no interest in.
6) Lacking prioritisation
A plan with no order of priority is a trap. You end up with a long list of things to do but no direction or order of action.
There are other reasons not highlighted above that can cause procrastination but I'll dedicate the next few minutes of reading time to how we overcome it.
How do we overcome procrastination?
1) Identify the voice of procrastination
You don't try to solve a non-existent problem. If you are in denial or ignorant of the fact that you are in a perpetual state of procrastination you will see no need for the points below. So be honest with yourself and identify the voice in your head that leads to paralysis, and most importantly recognise when you are in that state of paralysis.
2) Lower your standards
There is a lot of wisdom in knowing your limits. This is wisdom, not timidity. This ability gives you more strength than you realise because you minimise the overwhelming load and allow yourself to set standards that are within your capacity.
3) Ask for help
I know I said lower your standards, but hear me out. Sometimes your standards may not be the issue. Yes, you may lack the ability to skillfully perform the required task but this may easily be solved by asking for help. Help might come in the form of online research material, instructive videos or books, or someone that you have access to that can provide some insight on the subject matter.
4) Focus on progress and not perfection
Take little steps at a time. Be consistent with your actions. Achieve small goals consistently.
This is key to overcoming paralysis (inaction). Through this, you ensure that you are always one step closer to achieving your goal. While it may not be perfect yet, you will place yourself on the path to achieving what you perceive as perfection.
The beautiful thing about progress is that as you achieve one small task after the other, you are able to gradually increase your standards as your skills improve.
5) Manage your time
It is dangerous to have a plan and life-changing ideas if you do not know how to utilise your time effectively. Imagine spending one month on a task that should normally take one hour.
Effective time management is a must! Pace yourself and work according to your list of priorities. Be conscious to not spend more time than is required on a task.
I will drop a note on multitasking while we are here- do not do it if you cannot handle it.
6) Be accountable to someone
It is easy to postpone the achievement of your goal if you are the only person that is aware of that goal. Being accountable to just yourself is risky because when you are deep in procrastination there is no external push that motivates you to act. Your deadline becomes more definite when you are reporting your progress to someone reliable.
7) Trust God
The importance of this cannot be overemphasized. Pray and trust in His direction regarding your project. Move when He says move, pause when He says pause and trust that He has your back.
In summary, this is not a post to discourage you from planning and having high standards. This is a reminder, a nudge if you will, to kick you into action, to get you to implement small and simple things as you work at the grand stuff.
Have an amazing week.
♥️♥️ M. I
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