Procrastination Counselling & Psychotherapy can offer support in overcoming procrastination problems, anxieties, seizing each day, so we are more in control, not neglecting aspects of ourself. But initially in the procrastination therapy we need to understand what's personally going on for us and how, counter intuitively, it may serve us to keep procrastinating. No longer making invalid excuses we can now think about and connect with what we want and why, work towards this and turn our excuses into results. Yet first we may need to explore the part of us who (is invested in not changing, maybe through not wanting to be visible, fear of failure, not having to make decisions, choices or take responsibility) may have power struggles inside our head and is invested in continuing to squander possibilities and what keeps us procrastinating, any shame, guilt, self-disgust about what we are not doing. (Some may be in a double bind - wanting to push ourselves in a competitive world, yet value the power of soft living.) The counselling for procrastination may also check if being slow to make decision may be linked to processing lots of information, being highly sensitive, overwhelmed. The counselling for procrastination may explore our fears (e.g. being humiliated for our "incompetence", "incapacity" to threats that usually no longer exist, which may have roots in childhood) - see also Externally Based Sense Of Worth, Unworthiness. Through our emotional regulation, managing our negative emotions and fear of negative consequences may support us. The almost obsessiveness of our procrastination can be compounded by our unhelpful beliefs (e.g. we are somehow bad or we are bound to mess up), our attitudes (e.g. that we are fatalistic about change), or overwhelming feelings. And this part of us - the aspect of us that keeps procrastinating - may be in ultimate control (over the other part of us that would like to stop procrastination) telling us what we must do, so in reaction we don't start / complete things. The procrastination counselling may look at our templates for procrastinating, the ways we avoid things, the meanings and compensatory function of doing so and any ways we neglect ourself at some level. Some of our procrastination issues may be about seeking the care we didn't receive when younger, feeling safe enough, having self-compassion, simply wanting to be at peace with ourself, have enthusiasm, align our energy (if willing) take action from our alignment, within structures personally work for us. Although challenging to do the things we don't want to do, sometimes keeping it simple may help (e.g. making the task we don't want to do the first thing we do, getting it out of the way, focusing on how this task contributes to our bigger picture, listening to something stimulating, interesting, selecting a more inspiring location that would generate our interest, planning a treat once we've completed our task). Discovering what gives us impetus, utilising the momentum of our most productive time of a day can help us get started. It may help to know where to put our focus, what works best for us in terms of either tackling easy task first to energise us in order to tackle other tasks, or to tackle the most difficult, most important task first, so it stops us thinking about it, gives a sense of completion and can make the other tasks seem easier. We may also need to tackle our boredom, if we half-heartedly do things with discontent, yet if we choose to be present, put our heart fully into the moment, this may feel differently energetically. Sticking to realistic deadlines can help some, especially when we name these to ourself and be accountable to supportive others. Getting to know the part of us that sits by our side and allows us to drift, the narratives we hold onto, may be important, as may viewing obstacles as challenges (see also Freeing Ourself). Having clarity, accepting we can't get everything done, taking small, manageable steps, daring to be definite (e.g. "how will I make it happen") may be further challenges as may breaking things down to our next action, exploring where we would like to see our life going - e.g. in 2, 5, 10 years' time. Not so stuck in our head, being more light-hearted, playful, carefree, laughing, having fun so we take action, lead a fuller life can also be important. The therapy for procrastination also explores who we might need to be by our side to get on with tasks (e.g. imagining a caring, compassionate, encouraging mother or supportive friend alongside us, maybe our alter-ego). Procrastination therapy may also explore other considerations about what else may be going on for us around overcoming procrastination:
Contacting The Counsellor in London Feel free to ring for an initial chat 020 7916 1342 or email me to arrange a meeting at my London counselling practice based in Camden, near Kings Cross. As well as in-person counselling I can offer Skype counselling, online counselling as another option.
For full details about procrastination Counselling in London, Camden, Kings Cross, my desktop website refers
