TACKLING

PROCRASTINATION

WITH 4 STAGES OF

CHANGE

Margie Wiebe

4 Stages of Tackling Procrastination

1. Awareness

2. Goals

3. Commitment

4. Persistence

Professer Windy Dryden in his book “Overcoming Procrastination”

Stage 1: Becoming Aware

1. Of your own emotions

2. Of your sabotaging

behaviours

3. Of your underlying

issues

4. Of your readiness for

change

Stage 1: Becoming Aware of your

emotions, and being Okay with all emotions

“Embracing all mind

states without preferring

another” Jon Kabat Zin

Learning how to be

okay in a place of

discomfort

Stage 1:

Becoming

Aware of …

Your sabotaging

behaviours

Jacqueline (Marc h 3, 2011). Chibird.com

Stage 1: Becoming Aware of your underlying

issues

◦ Avoiding discomfort

◦ Reminder of your own inadequacies

◦ Restoration of autonomy

Professor Windy Dryden, on “overcoming procrastination” For more

information watch this 5 minute u-tube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARtJv6Y0l5Q

Stage 1: Awareness of your readiness for

change

Two requirements for successful change:

1. The desire to change

2. Feeling capable of making the change

Perinatal Services BC (n.d) http://www.perinatalservicesbc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/F4EA410B-E419-47E8-9098-929D9891CF28/0/ReadinessRuler.pdf

“Awareness however does not

necessarily lead to action” Neenan

Stage 2: Goal Directed Behaviour

“Once we have developed the awareness

for the need for change, we have to set a

goal that is reasonable, concrete and

manageable.”

Timothy A. Pychl May 29, 2008 “Don’t Delay” Psychology Today

Stage 2: Goal Directed Behaviours 1. Chunk your activities down

2. Create a sense of urgency

3. Tackle hardest first

http://www.effective-time-management-strategies.com/overcoming-procrastination.html

Brief Action Planning helps…

…set reasonable, concrete, and manageable

goals

C. Davis, K. Reims, D. Gutnick, and S. Cole.

SMART plan

Specific

Measureable

Achievable

Relevant/Rewarded

Time Based

If you wanted to teach someone how to procrastinate, first they’d

have to be really vague about the action they wanted to

accomplish, never making the next steps clear and specific.

Confidence

7 or higher is likely to succeed

6 or lower-requires problem solving

Accountability

Tell someone your

intentions

Ask if they will

check in with you

Stage 3: Making a Commitment…

…to tolerate the anticipated short term

discomfort to achieve the longer-term goal Dryden

Stage 3: Making a Commitment To…

1. Uncover & Dispute irrational beliefs

2. Develop rational alternative beliefs

3. Develop a commitment mantra statement

Rather than “I’ll try” ...... say ..... “I Will Commit”

Stage 4: Persisting in anti-procrastinating

outlook (Pychyl T. 2008)

1. Just Start-10 minute start-up rule (Elizardi B.)

2. Start again and again

3. Protect your progress from unconscious

habits with a maintenance mantra

“Just get started” (Neenan)

Stage 4: Persistence

Online Course Books

21 day challenge

15 – 20 minute daily tasks

Step by step solutions

“Helped me permanently stop procrastinate” Dr. Kell

http://www.mytimemanagement.com/procrastination-strategies.html

Solving the Procrastination

Puzzle Timothy Pychl

Overcoming

Procrastination Windy Dryden

In Summary

1. Become aware

2. Develop goal directed behaviour

3. Making commitment to tolerate short-

term discomfort

4. Persist in anti-procrastinating approach

References Elizardi, Brian J. (Feb. 19, 2012) Beat Procrastination with the 10 Minute Rule http://brianelizardi.com/articles/2013/2/18/beat-procrastination-with-the-10-minute-rule

Goldstein E. (n.d) Three steps to breaking free of procrastination Retrieved Dec 2, 2014 http://blogs.psychcentral.com/mindfulness/2009/10/3-steps-to-breaking-free-from-procrastination/

Hara Estroff Marano (July 07 2010) Psychology Today. Procrastination 10 things to know http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/procrastination-ten-things-know

Kell Tremayne (n.d.) Online 21 day procrastination challenge course

http://www.effective-time-management-strategies.com/overcome-procrastination.html#

Kell Tremayne (n.d) Effective Time Management Matrix

http://www.effective-time-management-strategies.com/time-management-matrix.html

Pychly T. (March 2014) Procrastination Why Mindfulness is crucial. Retrieved Dec. 2 2014 http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/201403/procrastination-why-mindfulness-is-crucial

Pychly T. (April 9, 2008) Mindfulness Meditation: Thoughts on paying attention. Retrieved Dec 2 2014 http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/200804/mindfulness-meditation-thoughts-paying-attention

Romeo Vitelli (July 1, 2013) Psychology Today. Getting Around Procrastination

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/media-spotlight/201307/getting-around-procrastination

Timothy A. Pychl ( May 29, 2008) Psychology Today Tackling Procrastination: A Practical Counseling Approach

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/200805/tackling-procrastination-practical-counseling-approach

Timothy A Pychly (March 12, 2014) Psychology Today. Why Mindfulness is Crucial

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/201403/procrastination-why-mindfulness-is-crucial

Brian Elizardi (2013) The 10 minute rule

http://brianelizardi.com/articles/2013/2/18/beat-procrastination-with-the-10-minute-rule

Readiness Ruler from Perinatal Services of Canada

http://www.perinatalservicesbc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/F4EA410B-E419-47E8-9098-929D9891CF28/0/ReadinessRuler.pdf