Causes of Procrastination #2 - Overwhelm

This is part 2 in a 4-part series on discovering why we procrastinate. To read part 1 about how perfectionism hampers us click here.

When we think about all the things we have to do on top of the things we dream about doing it can be a bit daunting. You go to work for 8-12 hours everyday, you need to make sure your kids get home safe from baseball practice, and you need to get your breaks on your car fixed. Oh, and you have to eat, too! For many of us these are just the basics of everyday life. These activities alone are enough for anyone to handle. If you're an ambitious person, or someone who just wants to change your life, you probably have goals on top of your daily responsibilities.

It's no wonder why you would brainstorm a project, draw out an outline with deadlines, get advice from people you respect, and then do...nothing. You've got way too much going on already!

The feeling of being overwhelmed can quickly lead a person to procrastinating because they don’t know what to do next. They don’t know what the most effective action to take is because there are seems to be so many things that need to be done. This can happen quickly without warning.

The person who suffers from being overwhelmed will typically be the kind of person that likes to help others, they’ll take on so much responsibility that they will suddenly freeze with inactiveness. Once the feelings of being overwhelmed take hold it is sometimes very difficult for this person to make even the simplest decisions.

This is the point where some experts might say that you need to manage your time more effectively in order to do more things. This isn't totally wrong. But, I think the most important thing to do is find balance so that you can have peace. When you're at peace your mind is clearer and there's less weight on your shoulders.

Overwhelm has definite emotional overtones which may include stress, confusion, fear, and anxiety. There are also physical signs: tightness in your chest, a knot in your stomach, and becoming short-tempered. None of those states are ideal for overcoming procrastination. Many times we are reluctant to acknowledge to ourselves or admit to others that we are feeling overwhelmed because we view it as a sign of weakness.

If you stay too long in a state of overwhelm you will eventually progress to burnout. If you learn how to recognize overwhelm, avoid it, or recover from it quickly you will not only feel better, you will likely also be more productive!