Anxiety can impact people in a variety of ways. You’re often left with a nearly constant feeling of underlying fear and worry, and that can take a toll on nearly every aspect of life.
Anxiety can cause you to withdraw from people and the things you love. It can impact your sleep. It can even contribute to procrastination.
Unfortunately, the more you procrastinate and fall behind on the things you need to get done, the worse your anxiety is likely to become.
Thankfully, there are things you can do to break that cycle. Let’s take a closer look at exactly how anxiety can contribute to procrastination, and what you can do about it.
Fear of Failing
One way anxiety can lead to procrastination is by convincing you that you’re going to make mistakes or fail. Anxiety takes a toll on the way you see yourself. Negative self-talk creeps in far too easily, and the fear of doing something wrong can paralyze you. So, you have a hard time getting started.
If you struggle with thoughts like, “I can’t do this,” or “I’m not going to do this well,” it might seem easier to put things off. It’s not uncommon for people with anxiety to be perfectionists. Of course, no one is perfect, and holding yourself to an unrealistic standard will only make your fears worse.
Overthinking and Feeling Overwhelmed
Anxiety often fuels itself. The more anxious you are, the easier it is to keep overthinking things. When it comes to getting tasks done, you can overthink yourself into every possible worst-case scenario.
When you overanalyze a task, it can start to become overwhelming. Thinking things through is important, but when those thoughts start to veer away from reality, it’s a problem. As you become overwhelmed, it feels next to impossible to get started, and even harder to finish.
A Coping Mechanism
Some people with anxiety procrastinate as a way to cope with their negative thoughts. This is called avoidance behavior. If a task starts to overwhelm you or your negative thoughts start to take over, you might push the task aside for the time being to avoid feeling anxious.
Of course, that never works for long. It’s only a temporary solution, as you’ll eventually have to get things done. It’s likely that your anxiety will become even worse, because you’ll have eaten up your time and put more pressure on yourself to get things done quickly.
Combatting Anxiety and Procrastination
So, what can you do to not only stop procrastinating, but to silence the negative self-talk and anxious thoughts plaguing your day-to-day life?
One of the best ways to start fighting back against anxiety is to practice self-care every day. Prioritize sleep, physical activity, and taking time to care for your mental well-being. Things like journaling, mindfulness, and meditation can help you feel more grounded in the present. They will keep you from dwelling on the “what ifs” that anxiety often causes.
Finding ways to break up tasks can also make a difference. By breaking large tasks into smaller pieces, they’ll look less overwhelming. You can reward yourself when you get something done, giving you motivation to move on to the next thing.
Most importantly, don’t hesitate to seek out help. Anxiety is often manageable, but not something you should have to deal with on your own. Anxiety counseling can help you understand where your anxiety stems from while giving you the strategies to help you overcome your negative thoughts.
If these issues sound familiar, and you’re worried that anxiety is contributing to procrastination in your life, feel free to contact me to set up an appointment soon.
