Procrastination

Solidarity

What aspect of procrastination do you find most challenging to overcome?

Overcoming procrastination is a nearly universal struggle, touching many aspects of our lives, from work and school to personal chores and self-care. It's more than just laziness; it's often a complex interplay of emotions, habits, and thought patterns that can leave us feeling stuck, anxious, and unproductive. Understanding the specific hurdles we face when procrastinating can be the first step towards finding effective strategies and realizing we're not alone in these challenges.

We asked our community, "What aspect of procrastination do you find most challenging to overcome?" because sharing these experiences fosters a sense of solidarity and helps normalize the difficulties many face. Hearing from others who understand the internal battles—the anxiety, the lack of motivation, the fear of failure—can be validating and empowering.

Several key themes emerged from the discussion. Many community members pointed to the sheer difficulty of initiating a task. Others highlighted the paralyzing effects of perfectionism, anxiety, and overwhelm. The draining cycle of poor sleep habits, lack of energy, and the subsequent guilt and negative self-talk were also common threads. These shared experiences paint a picture of procrastination not just as a time management issue, but as a deeply emotional and psychological one.

Common Procrastination Experiences Shared by Our Community

The immense difficulty in simply starting a task, even when knowing what needs to be done.
Cycles of anxiety, overwhelm, and perfectionism that lead to avoidance.
Struggles with low energy, motivation drain, and disruptive sleep patterns like "revenge bedtime procrastination."
Dealing with the emotional fallout: guilt, negative self-talk, and the feeling of failure after procrastinating.
The challenge of prioritizing tasks and getting easily distracted.

Our community discussed

Why Is Starting the Hardest Part of Overcoming Procrastination?

A significant number of people shared that the biggest barrier to overcoming procrastination is the initiation phase. Getting the ball rolling, taking that first step, or simply getting up to do the task feels like the most challenging part, even if the task itself isn't overly difficult.

Dominik

5 months ago

I can't start the task. If I at least started it I could passively think about it…

215

Kimberly

7 months ago

Finding the motivation to just start.

280

Lydia

7 months ago

Just getting up to actually do it.

190

Lauren

5 months ago

Executive functioning. I could really want to complete a task, know exactly how to, and, might not even mind the process but my body and mind get stuck initiating the process.

255

Our community discussed

How Do Anxiety, Overwhelm, and Perfectionism Fuel Procrastination?

Many community members described how feelings of being overwhelmed, anxiety about the task or its outcome, and the pressure of perfectionism create a powerful drive to avoid starting. This avoidance often stems from a fear of failure or not meeting self-imposed high standards.

Carmella

7 months ago

feeling overwhelmed not knowing where to start not feeling like i’m completing tasks correctly which leads me to feeling like i’m wasting my time and being unproductive / ignorant.

295

Bailey

6 months ago

Often get caught up in perfectionism and fear of failure. This starting projects very difficult and I often convince myself that it won’t be good enough

270

Iva

6 months ago

I often find it difficult to face the fact (or even just the assumption 🫣) that I might not complete something exactly as I envisioned it, that it won’t be perfect or fully done. Then, I don’t want to expose myself to the feeling of wasting time in vain, so I wait until the last moment to spend as little time as possible on the difficult task.

240

Octavia

5 months ago

Anxiety, I get so boggled up in creating something perfect, I get lost in the details making it more complicated thus stressing me out and causing me to procrastinate even more.

260

Our community discussed

Can Lack of Energy and Poor Sleep Worsen Procrastination Cycles?

The connection between physical state and procrastination was a strong theme. Specifically, issues like "revenge bedtime procrastination," disrupted sleep schedules, and general lack of energy create a vicious cycle that makes it harder to be productive and easier to put things off.

Emma

6 months ago

I love and hate sleep, I’ll stay up late (revenge bedtime procrastination or being a workaholic) and then wake up late. It’s a vicious circle. My plan for the day is ruined, and when I’m finally up and active, I cram everything in... So by the evening I feel like a failure because I didn’t achieve enough. So I stay up even later... and on and on it goes

340

Samantha

5 months ago

This is me daily. I work full time and go to school and I’m a single mom. I wake up late and it’s just downhill from there because I stayed up late and planned to get up early but I’m too tired to get up and the cycle is vicious.

285

Vania

5 months ago

I know what I need to do, it’s the energy to do it. And at this time in my life, I really feel like my social battery is dying out. I am not sure if I’m resting to store up my energy, just for me or its free will..

205

Gladys

7 months ago

After a couple of days (at home doing nothing, and remembering at night all the things I should be doing) I start believing I have a big problem like agoraphobia or autism… but if I find the right conditions I can do everything

180

Our community discussed

What is the Emotional Toll of Procrastination?

Procrastination isn't just about delayed tasks; it carries a heavy emotional burden. Community members shared experiences of guilt, negative self-talk, anxiety about consequences, and feeling like a failure, which can ironically fuel further procrastination.

Molly

7 months ago

The aspect I find hardest is that it actually does make me feel better about what I have to do (putting it off feels like a treat!) until it finally ends up making it worse

225

Christine

6 months ago

The gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach as the day passes hearing the voice in the back of my head telling me you failed again today for not completing one task off of your many to-do lists.

310

Gavin

6 months ago

Overcoming negative self talk when it’s being validated by my procrastination.

320

Andrea

7 months ago

The anxiety that comes after not doing what I was supposed to do

250

Advice from our community

How to Approach Overcoming Procrastination Based on Real Experiences

Focus on Starting Small: Since initiating tasks is a major hurdle for many, try breaking the very first step down into something incredibly small and manageable (e.g., opening the document, getting out the supplies).
Challenge Perfectionism Gently: Recognize that the desire for perfection often leads to avoidance (as shared by Iva, Bailey, Octavia). Give yourself permission to aim for "good enough" rather than perfect, especially for a first draft or initial attempt.
Acknowledge the Anxiety Link: Understand that anxiety and overwhelm are common triggers (mentioned by Carmella, Andrea, Morgan). Instead of letting the feeling paralyze you, acknowledge it and perhaps try a small grounding technique before attempting the task.
Interrupt Negative Cycles Mindfully: Be aware of patterns like the sleep procrastination cycle (Emma, Samantha) or the guilt spiral (Christine, Gavin). Consciously try to make one small change to interrupt the loop, like setting an earlier bedtime or practicing self-compassion when you notice negative self-talk.