The Psychology of Procrastination: How to Finish What You Started

Disclosure: Some links to products may be affiliate links, meaning, at no extra cost to you, I’ll earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.  Thanks for your support!

Over the past several weeks, you’ve learned a ton about how to overcome procrastination. I wrote an entire book on the psychology of procrastination, including the psychological factors that drive procrastination habits and the secrets to overcoming them.

And on my website, I’ve shared some of the deleted content — the extra research-based strategies that didn’t make it into the final book. You’ve learned strategies for prioritizing, finding motivation, getting started, staying focused, overcoming avoidance, and following through with what you started.

Now, it’s time to cross the finish line and actually mark a task D-O-N-E. This is surprisingly difficult to do, and in The Psychology of Procrastination, I dive deep into the psychology of why we put work into tasks that we never finish. I explain what our fear of failure (and even a fear of success!) has to do with procrastination and explore other psychological issues that keep the procrastination cycle alive. For all the details and my very best strategies for finishing what you started, make sure you grab the full text. But here are a few extra strategies that didn’t make it into the final book.

How to Finish What You Started: Write a Letter to Yourself

A big element of finishing tasks is exercising self-compassion. In The Psychology of Procrastination, we examine why self-compassion is a core issue in overcoming procrastination, so grab the book for all the details. But if you’re having trouble completing a task you’ve started, try starting with self-compassion.

Write yourself a compassionate letter.  In your letter, start by identifying the problem that’s causing you to feel bad.  Then, acknowledge how it’s making you feel and remind yourself that those are normal feelings to have in this situation.  Try to offer yourself a helpful perspective on the issue and give yourself some advice on how to cope with it. 

Here’s an example. 

Dear James, 

Your boss is encouraging you to apply for a promotion, but you’re doubting whether you’re really qualified and whether you can handle the position [identify the problem].  You’re scared your boss will be disappointed in you if you don’t perform well [acknowledge your feelings].  Those are valid feelings to have, and it’s normal to be nervous or uncertain about a situation you’ve never experienced before [normalize your feelings].  Remember, though, that you’ve successfully navigated lots of uncertainty before [offer a different perspective].  When you started this job, you initially doubted whether you could meet the expectations, but you worked hard to overcome the challenges.   You might make mistakes along the way, and you’ll definitely have some hard days.  But this will make you stronger, and you have lots of people around you to mentor you through the transition [give some advice].  It won’t be easy, but you’ve always thought the hard work was worth the effort.  I believe in you and am rooting for you. 

James

This type of letter helps us acknowledge the fears that are keeping us from crossing the finish line.  Once we’ve acknowledged them, we can remind ourselves why it’s important to work through the fears and encourage ourselves, even if we’re doubtful or intimidated. 

How to Finish What You Started: Identify the Worst-Case Scenario

If your brain is making you afraid of success, consider the worst-case scenario.  For example, maybe you have a dream of writing a novel, but you’ve been working on it for years and have only written a few sentences.  When you dive deep into the reasons behind the procrastination, you discover fears that the novel could actually be successful. 

Consider the worst-case scenario: People are disappointed when they meet the person behind the novel, you’re the center of attention at dozens of interviews, you’re so busy with phone calls and emails that you can’t write anymore, there’s suspicion that your next novel will be a dud, and there’s been quite a bit of critical feedback. 

Now, take a moment to recognize that the worst-case scenario almost never happens.  Neither does the best-case scenario.  Most often, the reality is somewhere in between: You sell some copies of your book, it’s well-received, and there’s enough interest to generate a second book deal. 

Also, recognize that success is almost never fatal.  It might be tough, but it almost certainly won’t kill you. 

Finally, consider how you would cope if the worst-case scenario did happen.  What skills have you developed from your past that would help you navigate this challenge?  What resources do you have?  Who could help you?  Use your problem-solving skills (see Chapter 10 in The Psychology of Procrastination) to show yourself that you could manage success, including the problems that come along with it.  

Put This Psychology Skill Into Action

These skills ended up being cut from the book — but they’re still really important and useful for finishing tasks you’ve started. Crossing the finish line is more complicated than you might think and actually involves confronting the fear of failure or the fear of success that could sabotage you. If you’re looking for a little more guidance on how to finish what you’ve started, the full book includes 8 strategies I thought were even better than these. Grab the e-book or the hard copy here. Also, since overcoming procrastination is all about establishing good habits, consider grabbing my guided journal to help you change your habits. It’s called Habits: A 12-Week Journal to Change Your Habits, Track Your Progress, and Achieve Your Goals.

Conclusion

Thanks for going on this journey with me. Over the past 7 weeks, we’ve taken a deep dive into overcoming procrastination. You’ve picked up tons of skills to get you started with overcoming procrastination. But, of course, the skills are only useful if you use them. In The Psychology of Procrastination, I give you tips and techniques for putting the skills into practice and confronting the psychological factors that keep us from using the strategies we know will help us succeed. Grab the full text here. For more evidence-based strategies to master your mental health, send me your email address.

Talk to you soon,

Dr. Finch

P.S.    Remember, this is education, not treatment.  Always consult with a psychologist or therapist about your mental health to determine what information and interventions are best for you.  See the disclaimer for more details.  

Disclosure: Some links to products may be affiliate links, meaning, at no extra cost to you, I’ll earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.  Thanks for your support!