5 Signs You’re Secretly Procrastinating and What To Do About It
Are you guilty of these secret procrastination habits?
Some of the signs in this list will surprise you especially if you’re known as the ‘productive one’ in your friendship group. After reading this list you might realise your productivity was only an illusion and not based on getting meaningful things done.
I’ve tailored this list specifically for high achievers and perfectionists because these common behaviours often go unnoticed.
I cover key topics like temporal discounting, productive procrastination and overplanning.
So if you’ve ever felt like you’re always busy but still not making progress, this article is for you.
1. You’re definitely going to do it… just not right now
It’s on your to-do list, you’ve thought about it and you’ve even told your friends or colleagues about it. There’s no doubt in your mind that you’re actually going to get it done.
But for some reason, the thought of doing it right now just doesn’t seem that appealing.
‘Later’ is when you’ll do it—maybe after lunch, tomorrow morning or when things ‘calm down’.
Sound familiar?
I used to repeat this pattern all the time. Whether at work or in my personal life, ‘later’ was always the preferred date.
However, the problem with waiting until later is that the pressure starts to build up. how late is too late? And before you know it, the shame spiral starts because how could I leave it so late?
This cycle is caused by a phenomenon called temporal discounting. It’s when your brain prioritises instant gratification through quick wins rather than tasks that will benefit you in the long run.
It’s easy to think that future-you will handle it better than the present-you but in reality, you’ll probably feel just as stressed or even more so.
Instead of waiting until later, why not do future-you a solid and start now:
- Break down your tasks into impossible-to-fail increments
- Use a 5-minute timer and challenge yourself to see how much you can do
- Visualise success by using affirmations or imagining how accomplished you will feel when it’s all done
- Celebrate every small win you have while pursuing your goals.
Related Post: 5 Quick Procrastination Hacks You Can Try Right Now
2. You’re Overplanning and overthinking but not taking action
I am guilty of this hidden procrastination technique. It feels like I’m getting things done because I have a whole folder of research and a well-organised Notion dashboard.
But, the actual progress I’ve made toward completing my task is non-existent.
This is the ✨illusion of productivity✨
A great plan means nothing without execution. Let’s be real, everyone has a ‘great plan’ or ‘million-pound idea’.
Everyone.
The successful people are the ones who get things done.
It reminds me of this popular quote:
“There are people less qualified than you, doing things you want to do, because they believe in themselves and take action”
There is only so much planning you can do before you enter the law of diminishing returns territory, That’s the point where additional planning hinders your progress.
Overplanning often stems from analysis paralysis—the fear of making the wrong decision. Once you accept that there is no wrong decision because every action is a learning opportunity, you’ll free yourself from the expectation that everything needs to be perfect before you start.
Here’s what I recommend you do:
- Aim for the 60% good enough plan: Anything more is wasted time until you gather data from taking action
- Start small and scrappy: An imperfect step is better than no steps at all
- Track and analyse your progress: What’s working and what’s not
- Amend and revise as you go along
3. You wasted hours scrolling on social media and didn’t realise it
TikTok is the ultimate enemy of productivity.
I’ve had to delete TikTok from my phone because the algorithm knows me too well. Scarily well.
It starts off innocently enough: a quick 5-minute break to check your notifications. But next thing you know, a whole hour (or more) has disappeared.
The algorithm got you.
I’m still surprised and terrified by the ridiculously obscure videos TikTok sends my way—videos that perfectly match my weird sense of humour. They’re so specific that I wouldn’t even share them with my friends because I just know they wouldn’t get it.
The worst part about being a victim of the algorithm is the shame and guilt you feel for not getting started on the task you were planning to do in the first place.
I want you to know that it’s not your fault. These apps are designed by top behavioural scientists and psychologists to keep you hooked on an addiction cycle. They use a technique called intermittent reinforcement to reward you in a way similar to a slot machine.
Here’s how you can break the cycle:
- Go cold turkey: I went on a 6 month (plus) social media detox that completely reset my relationship with social media. If you can, try taking an extended break to regain control of your time
- Set time limits on your phone and laptop: Use your phone’s screen time settings or a browser blocker to limit your social media usage.
- Identify the need social media is meeting for you and replace it with a healthier alternative. E.g. if social media is meeting your need for love/connection, try to join social events and make friends in the real world (as scary as that might sound)
- Become disgusted by it: think about how many hours you’ve wasted consuming adverts and non-important content. Think about all the other things you could’ve done and the time you won’t ever get back. Realise you’ve wasted your one life doomscrolling. Decide to do better.
Related Post: 11 REALISTIC Ways To Stop Social Media Draining Your Energy
4. You’re busy with everything but the ONE thing you need to do
This secret sign of procrastination is different from the rest of the list because you are getting things done.
You don’t overthink things, purposefully postpone or waste time distracted by social media.
In fact, your to-do list is constantly getting crossed off and you’re known as the ‘productive one’ in your friendship group.
However, your problem is that despite doing great things, you still somehow skip the one task you need to do to move the needle forward.
Productive procrastination is your downfall.
It feels good to tick off the smaller things on your to-do list such as doing the laundry and clearing your email inbox. You get a dopamine rush from constantly being busy and it positively reinforces your self-image as a productive person.
But being busy isn’t the same as being productive.
Truly productive people move the needle forward on meaningful projects and aren’t afraid to say no to things that don’t matter.
Busy people accomplish a lot, but not everything they do contributes to their long-term goals. They’re focusing on the wrong ‘important’ and ‘urgent’ things.
As Oliver Burkeman beautifully said “One can waste years this way, systematically postponing precisely the things one cares about the most”
How to stop being busy and start being productive:
- Identify your values-driven goals
- Pick your priorities: focus on the tasks that move the needle forward the most
- Schedule tasks around your energy peaks and dips
- Set clear boundaries and use non-violent communication techniques to protect your time without guilt
- Break down your tasks into impossible-to-fail increments
Related Post: Are You Stuck in the Perfectionism-Procrastination Loop? Here’s How to Get Out
5. You’re treating yo’ self way too much
Life is hard.
And sometimes, you just want to put your feet up and reward yourself for surviving as long as you have in this crazy world.
I know I do.
When I first started healing from my hustle-culture mindset, I took the ‘‘treat yo’ self’’ philosophy to heart.
Why work hard in this capitalistic society when I could just chill and be a mindful, zen, floating being who enjoys daily bubble baths and attends yoga classes?
Life is too short to be stressed and a soft life is the only life worth living.
And that’s great and all. But bills need to be paid and money has to be made.
At some point, in my healing journey, I realised that my overindulgence in self-care was just another way for my perfectionism to manifest itself.
It was avoidance.
I didn’t want to aim higher or achieve any goals because I was scared they wouldn’t bring me the same instant gratification that Netflix could.
I was afraid I’d fall back into hustle culture again because I didn’t trust myself to get things done without cycles of go-go-go and burnout.
So, here’s what I did:
- Identified my hustle culture triggers
- Embedded self-care into my daily routine and set milestones for bigger treats
- Defined the line between self-care and overindulgence
- Tracked my energy peaks and dips
- Forgave myself for my mistakes
Related Post: How To Stop Being A Lazy Perfectionist And Get Things Done
So, how are you secretly procrastinating?
Did any of these procrastination behaviours shock you?
Hopefully, by now, you’ve realised that procrastination doesn’t always look like laziness. It can disguise itself as overplanning, constant busyness or even self-care.
This is why I’m always preaching to my clients about developing self-awareness and a growth mindset.
Every action you take is a learning opportunity so if you find yourself repeating one of these procrastination habits, pause and check in with yourself. You can use these journal prompts or simply ask yourself: why am I avoiding this?
You can learn and improve your productivity bit by bit.
Imperfect action moves the needle forward and procrastination keeps you stuck.
I’d love to hear from you! Let me know your tips for overcoming procrastination in the comments.
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Related Posts:
- 100 Empowering Daily Affirmations To Overcome Procrastination
- 5 Quick Procrastination Hacks You Can Try Right Now
- 15 Empowering Procrastination Journal Prompts to Help You Take Action
- Are You Stuck in the Perfectionism-Procrastination Loop? Here’s How to Get Out
- Feel More Organised by Monday with This Weekly Planning Routine
- 5 Time Management Myths That Are Holding You Back
- I Know It’s Hard to Start, But You’ll Feel So Much Better Once You Do
- How To Stop Being A Lazy Perfectionist And Get Things Done
