Recently, I was contacted by an independent radio station in London, England to take part in their ‘live’ Breakfast Show, which periodically covers current topics of interest in Mental Health. The subject for the planned show was Procrastination, and the organisers invited a clinical psychologist, myself and another psychotherapist to take part in a Q&A session, allowing 10 minutes for each of us to take questions and answer using our previous experience when helping clients overcome procrastination.

Personally, I found the experience to be exhilarating, with no nervous feelings at all. Knowing that my voice and opinions would be broadcast, potentially to millions of people around the London area and beyond, should have given me a sleepless night by all accounts, yet I had done my preparation by re-familiarising myself on the subject of Procrastination and slept soundly. Awake at 5am the next morning and after breakfast, a re-cap on the subject and I was ready for 7am as the ‘live’ Breakfast Show started. It would be around 35 minutes until I was called on the telephone, and the first question was asked. The following is not an exact duplicate of the show, but based on my recollection straight afterwards, while I was still on a ‘high’.

Presenter:  – Why do you think so many of us struggle with procrastination, even when we know it’s unhelpful?

My answer: – Procrastination is not laziness – it is the inability, for whatever reason, to assess and prioritize tasks.

For example – A person has a sore tooth. They want to avoid going to the dentist -They don’t want any more pain.

They procrastinate and delay going to the dentist.

They believe that it will go away in time.

In the future, they will have to have the tooth removed because they Procrastinated!

Furthermore, people often have a To-do list, at home and/or at work. Matters that require our attention involving our time and effort to accomplish. Some of the reasons we procrastinate, and struggle can be:

A Lack of Motivation – No reason to find Motivation.

Other things to do instead.

Fear of starting on the list.

Easily distracted.

Overwhelming feeling.

Anxiety.

Not knowing how best to tackle the Tasks.

Justifying that a delay is best.

Presenter: – How does stress or feeling overwhelmed play a role in delaying tasks?

My answer: – If you are overwhelmed by having too many tasks ahead, this invariably increases anxiety, which affects your emotional wellbeing. The stress of even thinking about the future has a negative effect on your thoughts. To explain – A fear takes over, of not just taking on the task, but your confidence is reduced, and you have lower self-esteem.

As you feel less confident about yourself, it is difficult to concentrate, leading to a tiredness, apathy and avoidance of taking on the responsibility of managing day to day tasks.

Presenter: – What practical tips would you recommend helping people stay motivated and avoid last-minute panic?

My Answer: – I would suggest that people create specific and realistic goals. We have Tasks which are short-term steps to complete a long-term Goal.

You have a presentation to complete for work or college for example. Examine what is required and break it down into achievable steps. An example could be as follows:

1^st task is to gather your evidence or information.

2^nd task is to plan how to set out your work.

Reward yourself for completing the first two tasks. Perhaps a reward could be a 10-minute break for coffee.

3^rd Task is to write the Introduction.

4^th task is to write the main part of presentation.

Reward yourself for completing the third and fourth tasks.

5^th task is to write the summary.

6^th and final task of reading over your work.

Reward yourself for achieving your Goal of 6 tasks.

When a person is feeling good about themselves in that they can tackle tasks to achieve a Goal, like the ones mentioned, this acts as a motivation to better themselves.

The more you achieve in meeting goals, this improves your self-esteem and self-confidence.

Listen to some music while working on tasks, to at least have some enjoyment.

Presenter: – Many people find themselves cramming important tasks just before a deadline. What advice would you give to encourage better consistency throughout the process?

My answer: – What would help is to self-assess how you can manage your time better, by creating a time table.

Aim to pace yourself, as planning time is NOT a race. Allow extra time for unexpected occurrences, as life is never straight forward.

Focus on what you want to do. What do you want to achieve, by using your time carefully.

To encourage better consistency throughout the process of Planning your timetable, I would advise you to set a Routine and stick to it.

Look forward to your Routine. It is YOUR routine – and you make it achievable.

Allocate a set amount of time for each task, then break for a set time, and repeat. Add something special to your routine, like a chocolate treat or some social media time; something to really look forward to, as this is ME-TIME as well as dealing with tasks.

Presenter: – How can people manage their time in a way that supports both productivity and their mental wellbeing?

My answer: – What Time of day do you feel most productive? Night or Day?

Choose a time that you work best in; look at the environment around you that has least distractions. Are there family needs that may distract you? How can you adapt to finding a place that you can concentrate in.

If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed, slow down and hit the reset button. What I mean is, try to prioritize and list what is important. Try the following to help:

Practice relaxation strategies like Mindfulness: paying attention to the present, being aware of all around you in the here and now, including how your senses feel.

Breathing techniques to calm yourself will help.

List the tasks in order of importance – estimate time required. Prioritise your life tasks.

If possible ask a colleague or friend to help you with your list and ask if they could lighten the workload.

I recorded my interview which you can to listen to below. The recording of the full programme, can be accessed on this link to my Media page.

Thanks for taking the time to share my experience.