Procrastination stinks! Have you ever wondered why it is that just when you have the most to do, that is when you want to do the least? Why is it when you’re most overwhelmed that’s when you procrastinate?
Well, the answer is not in the logical brain because let’s face it, it’s not logical. It lies in the part of the brain that is used to manage fear.
You have to remember, at one time, humans were continuously being threatened by wild animals and such. While we no longer have to worry about saber-tooth tigers attacking us, we do have perceived threats all day long.
You see, as human beings, we are an unusual animal because we have both Prey and Predatory characteristics. For the most part, we are predators, but when we have a lot of tasks at hand, we tend to be more of the prey.
The Prey part of our mind wants to run away from danger, like a horse being chased.
And the predatory part wants to set goals and goes after them like a lioness hunting.
So what does this have to do with procrastination?
When we procrastinate, we are behaving as if all our tasks are lions surrounding us waiting to pounce on us. We don’t know which one to tackle first.
We are afraid that if we do one task, another task will attack us from behind, so we are keeping all the tasks in our site. That’s why when you ask someone what they are overwhelmed about, they may say EVERYTHING!!!
You become so paralyzed out of fear that you then find yourself sitting on the coach binge watching the latest episodes of Sweet Magnolia.
How Do We Handle Procrastination?
So what do you do instead?
First, you have to become self aware of what is going on in your mind. When you start to feel overwhelmed, you need to switch over to your predatory mind. This part of the mind plans and strategies because that’s what a lioness does when she hunts.
You make a master list of all the tasks that need to be done.
You don’t try to get them done all at once, you can ask yourself, will this task move me closer to hitting my goal?
Yes it moves you closer to your goal, so does it require that I do it? If yes, does it need to be done right now or can it wait? If yes, do it.
If not, then plan it for a later time to do it.
If the task will not move you closer to your goal, then eliminate it. People love to fill their schedules with “busy work” in an attempt to feel productive.
Ask yourself if the task can be done by someone else, delegate it.
You can use this flow chart below to guide you through your to-do lists and pick up a copy of The Creation Journal that is set up for maximum success daily to keep you on track.
Using this process will free up so much mental margin for you to then break the to-do’s down into bite-size pieces to knock them out.
As you continue to complete tasks, you will get a hit of dopamine. You will feel nourished, energized, and happy. You will be motivated to continue to knock out those tasks.
Remember, the overwhelm is a protective way that the mind was created for survival. We are no longer living in the wilderness, and we can become aware when we start to feel overwhelmed and access the prey part of the mind and move forward, taking action towards our goals.
If you find yourself in self sabotaging behaviors like procrastination, self-doubt, and fear often, be sure to join my community for females, One Gutsy Life. We discuss all things… purpose, profits, and people.
I would love to see your comments, so write down what is your favorite way of overcoming overwhelm.