Procrastination vs. Avoidance
- Anna Osadchyy
- Jul 30, 2024
- 2 min read
Have you ever beaten yourself up for delaying something that you need to do, and then delaying some more, and more, and more? Most people would call that procrastination. But what if it’s actually avoidance? And, what if neither are as bad as we’ve been conditioned to believe?
🤔 Let's break it down!
Procrastination in its simplest terms is when you delay tasks despite knowing that they'll eventually need to be done. It's often driven by the desire for immediate comfort or distraction.
Avoidance, on the other hand, is when you steer clear of tasks or situations entirely, to the extent possible that is, often due to fear or anxiety, which can stem from any number of things.
While they might seem negative, both behaviours can have surprising benefits when approached mindfully:
🔹 Procrastination can lead to bursts of creativity. Sometimes, your mind needs that pressure to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions. I used to blame myself for being a procrastinator, until I realized that I actually did a lot of my best work when time constraints were involved.
🔹 Avoidance can give you time to reflect and gain perspective. By stepping back, you might discover new approaches or come to an understanding of whether the task is truly necessary. Perhaps you have perfectionist tendencies that prevent you from starting something for which you do not yet have all the information or details. Or, the task could be something that you absolutely despise doing, so stepping back gives you the opportunity to understand that you will do better delegating the task to someone else.
So, next time you catch yourself procrastinating or avoiding, take a moment to ask why and see how you might be able to turn it into a positive force.