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It’s not helpful since “not doing it” is a symptom of a problem, not the problem itself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Procrastination looks like “not being able to do what you want to do”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But you have to ask: “why<\/em> can’t someone do what they want to do?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not being able to do things is ultimately the symptom of an underlying problem (usually multiple related issues).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Telling a procrastinator to “just do it’ is like telling a depressed person to “just be happy”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not helpful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n As with depression there are various underlying factors that cause procrastination. A big reason why people give this advice is because ultimately procrastination is something we are all familiar with. But not everyone is a chronic procrastinator. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Procrastination lies on a spectrum and for about 20% of the adult population procrastination is a chronic issue that seriously impacts their life in a negative way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chronic procrastination is a different beast and has underlying causes that often go much deeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People who are looking for advice in forums and online communities are usually struggling with chronic procrastination. The people telling them to “just do it” are not. For the chronic procrastinator things are not that simple. And advice like this can feel frustrating and like no one understands their struggle. This feeds into the self-esteem and hopelessness issue that is discussed below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The advice of “just do it” makes it seem like “doing it” is easy. But “doing it” is precisely what feels anything but easy to the procrastinator. It is an insurmountable hurdle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And when the solution to a problem is seemingly simple, the problem can’t really be that bad in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So it feels like a delegitimization of the entire struggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This can increase suffering tremendously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suffering is hard enough, but suffering from something that most people feel like isn’t a serious issue makes it much worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact is, procrastination is a very real and serious issue for many people<\/strong>. Even when it is just a small nuisance or occasional trouble for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And overcoming procrastination is for many anything but simple and easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chronic procrastination can absolutely wreck your self-esteem. And sadly low self-esteem is a big factor in causing procrastination to begin with. This is a positive feedback loop that keeps many procrastinators stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally, anything that builds self-esteem is helpful in overcoming procrastination. And anything that depletes self-esteem tends to make procrastination worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Telling a procrastinator to “just do it” often makes them feel defective, lowering their self-esteem even more. Usually they come to the conclusion that they can’t “just do it” while everyone else seems to be able to do so, which means that there must be something really wrong with them on a fundamental level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The procrastinator often feels very helpless with their procrastination problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s a surprisingly complex problem without one straightforward way of fixing it that applies to everyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Understandably, the procrastinator is desperate for a solution: a piece of advice, a method, a book or at least some new insight on the issue that will offer some relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The key is to figure out what these factors are (they vary from person to person) and then to work on resolving the underlying problems step by step.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt makes the procrastinator feel not understood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Everyone knows the feeling of resistance to doing something. We all have moments where there is a task we need to do but we just don’t feel like doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So the advice-giver often feels like they can relate to the struggle and shares a simplified version of what helps them when they are procrastinating: giving yourself a little pep talk to just go ahead and do the thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt makes the procrastinator feel like their struggle isn’t legitimate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It lowers the self-esteem of the procrastinator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It makes them feel that while it is normal to not want to do things, “normal” people can just get over it and “do it” despite not feeling like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt makes the procrastinator feel hopeless<\/h2>\n\n\n\n