11个导致拖延的原因及其治愈办法

I wanted to write an article on procrastination, but kept putting it off.

The irony is obvious, but what’s not obvious is why I put it off. So I’ll tell you why — because my life (like yours) is jammed full of responsibilities.

We juggle our jobs, children, marriages, aging parents, and household chores. We pay bills, do laundry, clean the house, and mow the lawn. We battle traffic, buy groceries, and negotiate with associates.

And in the midst of all this chaos, we convince ourselves that none of our varied obligations is so pressing as to require our time right now. In other words, procrastination’s short-term benefit is a feeling of control and peace. We tell ourselves, “I’ll do the laundry tomorrow. Right now, my life is right as rain, and I’m taking a break, thank you very much.”

So take a break. There’s nothing wrong with taking time to read a book, watch television, or chill in your favorite chair while the sun sets outside your beautiful picture window. Just be aware that the feel-good benefits of procrastination can quickly erode into panic.

You’re looking for the sweet spot between procrastination and frenzy, the magic pace at which the assembly line of your life runs smoothly.

Here are 11 common causes of procrastination and corresponding tips to help you find the pace you’re looking for:

• Complicated-task anxiety: Break big, complicated tasks into smaller pieces. Complete a starter task, no matter how small.
• Fear of imperfection: Accept that perfection is rarely attainable and seldom necessary. You’re a person, not a robot. Use the 80/20 rule whenever appropriate.
• Indecision: Determine your decision-making criteria, then set a deadline for your decision. Ask a friend to hold you accountable.
• Priority confusion: Distinguish obligations from options. What are you really responsible for? List and prioritize tasks.
• Boredom from minutiae: Automate simple repetitive tasks whenever possible.
• Lack of focus: Minimize distractions. Check e-mail and voicemail only twice per day instead of every 5 minutes. Find a quiet room where you can concentrate. Resist the urge to keep taking breaks.
• Poor organizational skills: Clean your work area. Put tools and utensils in their proper place so you can find them when you need them.
• Laziness: Remind yourself of the consequences of procrastination. Resist the urge to be a couch potato. Try to complete several small tasks to provide a feeling of accomplishment. Reward yourself.
• Lack of energy: Maintain a regular sleep routine. Eat healthy. Exercise regularly. Do not skip breakfast.
• Early morning lag: Before you stop working each day, make a list of the tasks you want to begin first thing the following morning so you can hit the ground running the next day.
• Post-lunch fatigue: Before leaving for lunch, make a list of the things you plan to do when you get back so you can pick up where you left off. Avoid eating a heavy lunch.

In case you’re wondering, I kept putting off this article because I lacked focus. I finally decided to follow my own advice, shut my office door, stop checking email, and make myself write. As usual, starting was the hardest part.

By taking time to understand your own reasons for putting things off and devoting energy to moving forward, you too can beat procrastination.

我早就想写一篇以“拖延”为主题的文章了，可是总是拖着，一直没有动笔。这简直是一个天大的讽刺，也许我也没想明白拖延的真正原因是什么。嗯，终于有了，我来告诉你为什么，因为我的生活（你的也一样）被赋予了一个叫使命感的东西。

我们必须照顾周全我们的工作，我们的孩子，我们的婚姻，我们上了岁数的父母，还有那些忙也忙不完的家务琐事。我们需要签帐单，洗衣服，打扫房间，割草坪，要同糟糕的交通作斗争，要到杂货店买七七八八的东西，每天与各式各样的不同人协商谈判....

在 这一切的一切的纷乱嘈杂事务,都是我们的义务和责任，我们的确没办法逃避，但是我们也没有必要立即完成他们，对于我们对自己说：我们还有时间的。换而言 之，拖延可以给我们带来的好处是这种短暂的错觉：一切都在掌握，现在还很平静。所以，我们常常告诉自己：现在有点累了，还是先休息一会吧，衣服明天再洗 吧，谢谢啦！

我们会让自己稍微休息一会，把衣服凉在一边，花这点时间读读书，看看电视，坐在最喜欢的摇椅上，看夕阳西下的美景，这本身是没什么错的。这里只是想明确：这种拖延带来的一切良好的感觉会很快的腐蚀你的神经，让你迅速地忘掉拖延的罪恶感。

于是，在拖延和对拖延的强烈抵触当中，你试图寻找着那个平衡点，希望有一种魔力的方法让你的生活过得游刃有余。

这里有11个常见的造成拖延的原因和相应的解决办法，希望能帮助你找到这种你所需要的节奏：

• 复杂任务的担忧－分解，将大的，复杂的简化为小的，简单的步骤，不管第一步多小多简单，马上完成它。
• 害怕犯错－百分之百完美几乎是没有人可能达到的，也没有这个必要。我们是人，而不是机器人。任何适当的时候，运用80/20法则。
• 犹豫不决－想清楚你到底要做什么，然后为你做的这个决定的日程设定一个截至日期，告诉你的好朋友监督你的执行情况。
• 做事优先次序的迷茫－分清楚不同的任务，那些事情是我们真正要负责任的。列出来，排出轻重缓急。
• 琐事的厌烦－一有空就先做完那些流水化的，简单的，重复性工作。
• 缺乏关注的重点－尽量减少你的精神涣散，没必要每五分钟检查一次邮箱和电话留言，每天检查两次就够了。找一个安静的能够让你集中精神的房间。作一件事情别老是中断。
• 无效的组织－整理你的书桌，把东西整齐地放到该放，你用的时候马上可以找到的地方。
• 懒惰－时刻提醒自己，拖延带来的后果。不要成为一有时间就坐在沙发上面看电视的人。先完成一些小的，容易的任务获得一些成就感奖励自己。
• 无精打采－需要有良好的睡眠作为保障，健康的饮食，有规律的锻炼，一定要吃早餐。
• 赖床－在每天结束工作之前列一张表告诉自己明天从起床开始要做的事情，以便从清晨就步入正轨。
• 午饭后的疲劳－在吃中饭前列出上午没做完和下午要做的事情，这样你回来的时候就知道要干什么。中饭别吃得太饱了。

也许你会觉得很奇怪，我一直拖着不想写这篇文章的原因是不知道什么才是我需要关注的重点。我终于决定采纳自己的建议了，关上办公室的门，停止检查电子邮箱，坐下来写这篇文章。谁都一样，万事开头难。

花一点点时间想想为什么自己老是找那么多借口拖延，把你的精力投入到如何让自己向前，让事业向前，你一样可以打败它－拖延。

【本文翻译仅为外语学习及阅读目的，原文作者个人观点与译者及译言网无关】