Pre-crastinate: A Washington, DC Therapist's Take on How to Get Ahead
Written By: Katie Jacobi, LPC
Spring is upon us, and while many of us are no longer seniors in high school or college, the phenomenon of ‘senioritis’ seems to plague even the best of us. Perhaps it was summer vacation that began an inextricable link between warmer temperatures, and the motivation to get little to nothing is done, and to finally give ourselves a rest. The problem with that lingering desire to be on a mental summer vacation as soon as the temperatures rise? Well, it’s not exactly conducive to making progress toward personal or professional goals.
As a therapist for young adults, it seems that after that first nicer day where temperatures exceed 60 degrees that the theme remains the same: “I just can’t get anything done” or “I have no motivation” or “I keep self-sabotaging”... To name a few….. Sound familiar? The good news: you’re not alone. The better news: there are tried and true ways to overcome procrastination once and for all.
What is pre-crastination?
The idea is that you can get ahead of your tendency to procrastinate by understanding your patterns, creating a plan, minimizing distractions, and creating rewards. Procrastination hurts, pre-crastination can help. Let’s break down this four-step process to beating procrastination, at long last.
Step 1: Know Thyself and Why You Procrastinate
The first step of pre-crastination is getting to know why you procrastinate. Let me save you from the initial “I don’t know, that’s why I’m here!” by asking you to get a bit more nuanced about what’s really holding you back.
Do you have a paralyzing fear of failing, or showing up less than perfect? Have you been biting off more than you can chew at work? Or, are you lacking clarity on what your goals really are, or what you’re trying to accomplish? What gets in the way, often is the way. Getting clear on why you procrastinate is step one to overcoming the how of beating procrastination.
Step 2: Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail
Cute play on words and all, but it’s true. Let’s take a look at how planning comes into play in your pre-crastination process. Once you better understand why it is you’re procrastinating, you can deal with the why! You can work through that perfectionism, by adjusting your mindset. Remember that perfectionism is not the same as striving toward excellence. It’s okay to want to do things well and maximize your potential. But, it’s not okay to let this get in the way of getting started or offering your unique gifts to the world.
If the mountainous task at hand feels overwhelming to climb, break it down into every single step. How can you create a recipe for the plan you are trying to implement? Does it take listing out step-by-step processes? Time blocking your days as to when you’ll get each part of the task complete? Creating an outline for the project? Use your why to better understand how you can plan around whatever it is you’re procrastinating on.
Is fear of failure getting in the way? When does that fear come seeping in? Identify your why, and make plans as to how you’re going to overcome these inevitable hurdles that lead to procrastination. Pre-crastination step two, check.
Step 3: Minimize Distractions to Avoid Procrastination
I hate to point out the obvious, but an unfortunate part of adulting is that there are no longer guardian figures, parents, or teachers in the room, who may be monitoring distractions for you. You have to be the one to turn off the television, shut the computer screen, change your phone settings to “do not disturb”. Step three involves identifying your distractions, and eliminating them.
When given the choice between Wordle or Word Documents, I’m going to choose Wordle every. single. time. How to overcome that? Minimize the accessibility to distractions. What distracts you, and how can you eliminate it from your immediate environment when trying to complete the task at hand? Highlight your obstacles to getting started, and work toward eliminating them.
Step 4: Create Your Own Rewards Program
Establish what it is you truly find rewarding and link each task with a specific reward. If you’re not a coffee drinker, the Starbucks rewards program may not be for you. Take time to consider what you find rewarding, and tie what you need to get done to a meaningful reward for you.
If the reward you implement isn’t cutting it, try try again. Rewards help with the motivation necessary to overcome procrastination, you will be far more likely to do a monotonous or overwhelming task when there is a firm reward in place for accomplishing it. This last step of pre-crastination cannot be overlooked, get ahead of getting behind by identifying what’s rewarding to you, and pairing it with steps of the task at hand.
In Conclusion…
Procrastination has become somewhat of an endemic. With technology constantly trying to capture our attention, and hijack our focus, it’s no wonder that we are losing motivation, momentum, and the ability to get important tasks accomplished. You’re not alone in the tendency to procrastinate, and you don’t have to be alone in solving the challenges associated with procrastination. When the steps to pre-crastinate have only taken you so far, therapy can be another incredible aid to understanding your patterns, and overcoming individual obstacles toward accomplishing your goals!
Begin Working With An ADHD Therapist in Washington, DC
Learning to overcome procrastination can take much longer than one may expect. Our team of caring therapists would be happy to offer support from our DC-based practice. The support therapy can offer can help you become more motivated, and accomplish your goals. You can start your therapy journey by following these simple steps:
Schedule a consultation with us using our contact form.
Meet with one of our skilled therapists.
Start coping with stress in healthier ways!
Other Therapy Services Offered At The Sterling Group
The Sterling Group understands there are multiple mental health issues that may require different forms of support. This is why our counseling practice believes in healing for the whole self. Our skilled therapists offer a range of services related to your healing including couples therapy, trauma therapy, and self-discovery. We help folks struggling with anxiety, depression, life transitions, executive function, and ADHD struggles. Additionally, we can provide boundary-setting therapy, LGBTQ+ therapy, life transition therapy, self-esteem therapy, as well as individual counseling for relationship issues. We hope that you’ll reach out to us to get started with counseling and we can’t wait to hear from you.
