How Procrastination Ties Into Perfectionism & Anxiety Pt. 2
In the last blog, I introduced one of the links between anxiety and perfectionism. Which was fear of failure, and how this fear plays out in our lives through overwork and procrastination. As well as how Here, I will continue with how procrastination is maintained and some ways to resist avoidance.
My Battle With Perfectionism, Anxiety, & Procrastination
Currently, I’m working through a personal battle with procrastination as I attempt to write this blog. For the record, this isn’t just any blog post. It will be one of the first to be published. And it didn’t come easily. Instead, a few years mark the time between my first attempts at mental health blogging and this post.
To date, I have about a hundred unfinished blog posts. And I probably would also be tempted to leave this one undone if it wasn’t for the person I hired to help me work on my website giving me a monthly writing deadline.
Procrastination Is A Habit
Even though it doesn’t seem like it is from the above behavior, blogging is important to me. Writing helps me clarify my thoughts, it matters to my clients, and I have useful mental health information to share as a perfectionism therapist.
So why has it taken me so long?
Even though I have worked through my struggles with perfectionism and no longer believe self-worth depends on achievement, procrastination is still a habit. I don’t procrastinate on things that are part of my routine already. However, this old habit always seems to make an appearance when I take on a new task. But I have learned to accept this reality. Now, when procrastination shows up, it’s almost amusing to me. Understanding procrastination as behavior and taking out the judgment surrounding it has helped me not be as surprised or frustrated when I notice myself procrastinating. And I can view it simply as problem-solving.
Try Setting Realistic Expectations
It’s also helpful to remember that success does not happen overnight and to set realistic expectations. Writing is hard work. It takes discipline and patience. Unfortunately, we don’t often get to see how long it takes someone to achieve a goal. Instead, we see only the end product. Or worse, people downplay the effort it takes them to complete a task, or they lie about the support they receive. Acknowledging the difficulty in writing, simplifying the process, and giving myself time to learn allows me to take the pressure off myself. From there I was able to start completing my unfinished posts.
The Effects of Procrastination Can Be Painful
When things are complex and not working out how you expected, it’s easy to escape into distractions. Some distractions help regulate emotions and aid mental health. But when it comes to procrastination, distractions make it easier to avoid essential tasks altogether. And a life consisting of withdrawal and avoidance can quickly leave one feeling alone and hopeless.
When I was in the depths of my struggles with anxiety and perfectionism, the effects of procrastination were more painful and less trivial than not finishing a blog post. It kept me stuck and made it easy to withdraw from a life I loved.
If you feel like procrastination keeps you from focusing on what’s essential or from enjoying your life, perfectionism therapy and anxiety treatment at Live Lekko in Illinois can help.
Start Working With A Perfectionism Therapist in Illinois
It can be hard to break the habit of procrastination, especially while also dealing with perfectionism and anxiety. With the help of a perfectionism and anxiety therapist in Illinois, you can start working through your anxiety symptoms. Then you can become unstuck from the procrastination that is holding you back. In order to start moving forward and begin counseling at Live Lekko just follow these steps.
- Call or text 217-402-7817 for a free consultation with a therapist in Illinois
- Make your first appointment at Live Lekko.
- Start moving forward without the weight of procrastination, perfectionism, and anxiety
Other Counseling Services I Offer in Illinois
At Live Lekko near Champaign, IL I offer services to provide you with support for your mental health. Such as counseling for women, depression therapy, and therapy for stress and burnout. In addition to grief and loss counseling, counseling for people-pleasing, and therapy for childhood emotional neglect. Whether you are in Peoria, Springfield, Champaign, or somewhere in between in Illinois I can help with teletherapy. Get started today and begin living a free and happy life.