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