5 Reasons Why People Procrastinate on Their To-Do Lists

By Maribel Garcia Valls, MPH, ACC with Bee Happi

If you are reading this, then I know that you have completed everything on your to-do list. And you are not reading this email on “procrastination” to procrastinate on something that you are dreading to finish. If you have not finished your to-do list, that is okay. I’m not here to make you feel guilty about that long list of exciting activities (like paying bills or mowing the grass) that you have been putting off for days, weeks, months, or years.

No, I wouldn’t do that. That would make me a hypocrite. In fact, I am putting off folding the laundry to write about “why people procrastinate?”

So why do people procrastinate? Here are the top 5 reasons and solutions for each:

1. The to-do list is TOO long and unrealistic.

Solution: Create your list and then break it up in small manageable chucks. Follow the 80/20 Principle, which says that 80% of our results only come from 20% of our actions. And also remember that you don’t have to do everything yourself. Ask for help like the queen bee does, “many hands makes light work.”

2. The idea of having to do everything on the list is overwhelming, which might lead someone to think, “Where do I start?”

Solution: Be kind to yourself. The list is there is help you, not freak you out. If you don’t get everything done, it is okay! There is always tomorrow.

3. The activities themselves may seem hard, boring, and no fun! People would rather do anything else.

Solution: Change the way you think about this list of activities. Even the most mundane task can be turned into a game. Adding play into any task will make it fun and enjoyable. It is a win, win situation. If you want to learn more, check out my blog post called, “3 Simple Steps to Improve Your Positive Self-Talk.”

4. Some tasks can cause anxiety, like paying taxes or going to the dentist for a root canal.

Solution: Avoiding tasks that cause pain or anxiety will eventually cause more pain in the future if they are delayed. In these cases, think about what you will gain once that task is completed. For instance, think of how great you will feel after your teeth are cleaned and you have no cavities. Tony Robbins says, “The truth is that we can learn to condition our minds, bodies, and emotions to link pain or pleasure to whatever we choose. By changing what we link pain and pleasure to, we will instantly change our behaviors.”

5. There are so many distractions.

Solution: There are so many distractions like e-mail, social media, other people, etc. Set some time in your day to commit to completing your tasks. As Stephen Covey would say, “Always, keep the end in mind.” Once you finish everything, you will have more time to do other things you enjoy.

Final thoughts: The days go by quickly and it is easy to get overwhelmed by our daily tasks. Take each day one at a time and know that you don’t have to do everything. In your day, schedule time for just “guilt-free nothingness.” This will help you rest your mind and body so that you can be energized and productive throughout your day.