Have you ever put off a project because you just didn’t know how to get started? Have you ever avoided a task and only finally got it done because you had to?

“In creating, the hardest part is to begin.”

No one knows who said this, but it’s true. We wait and wait, dragging our feet until we are made to do it. This is procrastination, and it can cause not only mental anguish, but physical illness as well.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, procrastination is “the act of unnecessarily delaying or postponing something despite knowing that there could be negative consequences for doing so.”

Studies suggest that procrastination is associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress as well as loneliness and reduced life satisfaction. It is also associated with physical health problems, cardiovascular disease and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors.

In an article by Meghan Rosen, “Procrastination can Harm your Health. Here’s what you can do.” She cites a Swedish study that linked procrastination to depression, anxiety and even disabling arm pain.

Some signs of procrastination, besides difficulty getting started, can be making excuses and justifications, feeling overwhelmed, having difficulty concentrating and experiencing negative thoughts. Anxiety and lack of motivation are other causes for finishing projects at the last minute.

So why do we procrastinate? According to Rita Emmett, author of The Procrastinator’s Handbook, fear is one component—fear of making decisions, fear of failure or making a mistake, fear of rejection or fear of change. Fear can inhibit people, but mistakes teach us important lessons on how to move forward. We must identify the fear and then confront it.

Another reason for procrastination is decision fatigue. Decision fatigue is feeling overwhelmed by having too many decisions to make. In this case, prioritizing the decisions to be made can make it easier to move forward.

So, what can we do to overcome procrastination?

Overcoming procrastination takes a plan, according to Emmett. Create a to-do list, eliminate distractions, prioritize the tasks and take small steps by committing to one task at a time. Develop consistent habits so you stay focused on the task at hand. Finally, set deadlines.

Be kind to yourself and allow yourself to make mistakes. Overcoming procrastination is not easy, but you can be successful if you set goals, start the task and give yourself room to grow.

By Chet Curtis, Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness