Why do you feel that you procrastinate? Are you lazy? Stupid? Unmotivated? Chances are, it’s actually one of the following reasons:
- You’re scared. Maybe you feel like you may fail at the project, and are avoiding that risk of failure. What if people don’t like it? What if the client doesn’t like it? What if the job’s not good enough in the end?
- You’re avoiding fatigue and stress. The project’s too daunting. It seems like a lot of work, and well, it probably is. You know that much work will stress you out, so you do what’s comforting instead of the stress.
- You’re bored. Maybe this project’s been dragging on way too long. Maybe you’ve been doing this type of work for too long. Or…maybe…it’s just not challenging enough.
Psychologists agree that these are the three primary reasons people procrastinate. It’s easier to see immediate results of happiness now (staring at a fly = entertainment) vs. seeing and internalizing what will make you happy later (getting the project done, keeping up the good work, and paying the rent on time!).
Now stop and realize that these things that are stopping you are ridiculous:
- You’re literally afraid of doing your work? Fear is silly. Fear of failure is silly. First of all, nobody’s perfect and so what if you do fail? Is it the end of the world? The end of your career or reputation? No! You’ll actually be just fine! Second of all, you won’t fail anyway…the client chose you for a reason.
- Putting off stressful things just causes more stress. It sucks to do laundry, so you could put it off. Oh look, now you have no clothes and they’re scattered across your messy bedroom…how stressful. The same goes for freelance work. You know you should do it, so you’re worried about it not being done. Yet, you’re worried about how much work it’s going to be. See that annoying and pointless pattern?
- Remember back when you had a job and were begging for work like this? Count your freelance blessings. You’re not working in the searing heat at a construction job, nor do you have to go outside every morning to an office job in the dead of winter. Create small tricks to make the job more interesting, and if it’s something you can change for the future, take on more work you’re interested in. If it’s an insanely long project that keeps looming, remind yourself the quicker you can get to work, the sooner it will be over.
Despite recognizing why you procrastinate, serving up little tricks to avoid procrastination, and trying to renew your inspiration or motivation, there will be times that you don’t want to do something. It’s a part of life, and it’s a part of life that can ruin a freelance business (not to mention the lifestyle you truly crave) if not dealt with. So when there’s no hope left and you can’t seem to stop procrastinating, here’s what you do:
- Stop and recognize that you’re just procrastinating.
- Tell yourself what needs to be done.
- Suck it up, and just do it.
I promise, you’ll live. And overall, you’ll be happier and better person for adopting this new habit.
