I’ve been procrastinating on my blog posts. So, in a very “meta” twist, I’ve decided to quit procrastination by… writing about it. The gloves are off 🥊
It’s a struggle most of us are all too familiar with. You have a task to complete, but instead of starting it, you find yourself endlessly scrolling through social media, organising your desk for the fifth time, or watching “just one more” episode of your favourite show. Before you know it, hours (or even days) have slipped by. But what exactly is procrastination, and why do we do it?
What is procrastination?
We know that delaying tasks (often those that we perceive as difficult, unpleasant, or overwhelming) will only cause our stress levels to go up. We know it’ll leave us feeling frustrated, guilty, and more stressed than before. So, why do we do it?
Procrastination isn’t just about laziness or poor time management. It’s more complicated than that. In fact, there’s growing evidence to suggest that procrastination is a stress response rooted in our brain’s survival mechanisms.
Procrastination as a stress response
From the perspective of neuroscience, procrastination is closely linked to our brain’s “fight, flight, or freeze” response. When we perceive a task as stressful, difficult, or threatening (whether it’s a looming work deadline, a difficult conversation, or even a personal project), our brain can trigger avoidance as a way to cope with that perceived threat.
In these situations, the primitive part of our brain (the limbic system) takes over. It’s wired for survival, not logic or long-term planning. So we avoid the task, opting for short-term comfort over long-term gain. The logical, rational part of our brain (the prefrontal cortex) knows we need to get the task done, but the stress response keeps pulling us away. At its worst, we can find ourselves trapped in a procrastination vortex, where even small things we used to find manageable suddenly feel impossible to do.
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy (SFH) can play a significant role in breaking the cycle of procrastination. Instead of focusing on the root causes of procrastination or analysing why we delay certain tasks, SFH encourages us to focus on finding solutions, building positive habits, and accessing the mental resources needed to change.
How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a modern therapeutic approach that combines psychotherapy with hypnosis. It aims to help clients tap into the power of their subconscious mind to promote a positive mindset shift.
Here’s how SFH can help you overcome procrastination:
1. Reducing stress and anxiety. One of the key benefits of hypnotherapy is its ability to reduce stress and anxiety. By guiding you into a deeply relaxed state, a hypnotherapist can help calm the limbic system—the part of the brain responsible for the fight-or-flight response. When you’re more relaxed, you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed by tasks and are better equipped to approach them with a calm, focused mindset.
2. Reprogramming unhelpful patterns. During hypnosis, you’re in a heightened state of awareness where your subconscious mind is more receptive to positive suggestions. A Solution Focused Hypnotherapist will work with you to replace the negative patterns associated with procrastination (such as avoidance or self-doubt) with constructive behaviours, like motivation, confidence, and self-discipline.
For example, instead of associating work with stress, hypnosis can help you form new mental associations where you view completing tasks as rewarding and fulfilling, making it easier to start and maintain momentum.
3. Focusing on solutions. In traditional therapy, you might spend time exploring why you procrastinate, which can sometimes feel overwhelming in itself. However, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy shifts the focus toward solutions. Instead of dwelling on the problem, your hypnotherapist will guide you to identify small, actionable steps that will lead to positive change.
For instance, if you’re procrastinating on a big project, SFH will help you break it down into smaller, manageable tasks and visualise yourself successfully completing each one. This forward-looking approach can make the task feel less daunting and more achievable.
4. Improving self-esteem and confidence. Procrastination is often linked to feelings of self-doubt or a fear of failure. Hypnotherapy can help boost your self-esteem by reinforcing your ability to achieve your goals. Positive visualisations during hypnosis can empower you to feel more capable and confident in your abilities, reducing the likelihood of avoiding tasks out of fear or insecurity.
Practical tips to beat procrastination
While Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can be a powerful tool to combat procrastination, there are other practical steps you can take to complement your hypnotherapy sessions:
- Break tasks into smaller steps: Big projects can feel overwhelming, leading to avoidance. Break them down into smaller, more manageable steps and focus on completing one at a time.
- Set specific goals and deadlines: Having clear, actionable goals with realistic deadlines can help keep you on track. Make sure your goals are achievable and celebrate small victories along the way.
- Use the “5-Minute Rule”: Commit to working on a task for just five minutes. Often, once you’ve started, you’ll find it easier to keep going.
- Create a positive environment: Minimise distractions and create a space where you feel focused and motivated. You can also use visualisation techniques from hypnotherapy to imagine yourself successfully completing tasks in this space.
- Practice self-compassion: Procrastination is a common struggle, and beating yourself up about it can increase stress and make it harder to overcome. Be kind to yourself, and remind yourself that change takes time.
Final thoughts
By understanding that procrastination is often a stress response, we can approach it with more empathy and less judgment toward ourselves.
Whether you’re struggling with a specific task or dealing with chronic procrastination, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy provides a powerful approach to rewire those automatic avoidance behaviours and reduce stress. It can promote a more positive, action-oriented mindset to help you take control of your time so you can achieve your goals.
If you’re ready to kick the procrastination cycle, consider exploring Solution Focused Hypnotherapy as a tool to start thriving.
