David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Procrastination and Social Anxiety Disorder
By Arlin Cuncic, About.com Guide
March 12, 2011
People procrastinate for many reasons, but the immediate goal is to bring a temporary sense of relief. The problem with procrastination is just that; the relief is temporary, and it is eventually replaced with anxiety about being behind in what you need to get done.
If you suffer with social anxiety disorder , you probably procrastinate out of fear of disapproval or failure. Perhaps you put off making phone calls, delay discussing difficult issues at work, or get behind scheduling health appointments, haircuts, or any other task that involves interacting with people. Unfortunately, the typical solutions for procrastination don't work in these scenarios.
Breaking big tasks down into smaller chunks doesn't really apply when all you need to do is make a phone call. If you waste time at work trying to solve a problem on your own because you don't want to ask a coworker a question, no amount of planning or organization is going to help.
How then can you deal with procrastination caused by social anxiety?
First, realize that waiting for a better time to face others is not the solution. Waiting can make things worse. Personal relationships may suffer if problems are not dealt with early on. Work issues may become magnified if you don't ask for help. If there is no valid reason to put off talking to someone, then it is always better to do it right away.
What are some reasons you might think it is better to wait?
Nancy Schimelpfening, About.com's guide to depression also offers the following tips to help deal with procrastion:
Further Reading
By Arlin Cuncic, About.com Guide
March 12, 2011
People procrastinate for many reasons, but the immediate goal is to bring a temporary sense of relief. The problem with procrastination is just that; the relief is temporary, and it is eventually replaced with anxiety about being behind in what you need to get done.
If you suffer with social anxiety disorder , you probably procrastinate out of fear of disapproval or failure. Perhaps you put off making phone calls, delay discussing difficult issues at work, or get behind scheduling health appointments, haircuts, or any other task that involves interacting with people. Unfortunately, the typical solutions for procrastination don't work in these scenarios.
Breaking big tasks down into smaller chunks doesn't really apply when all you need to do is make a phone call. If you waste time at work trying to solve a problem on your own because you don't want to ask a coworker a question, no amount of planning or organization is going to help.
How then can you deal with procrastination caused by social anxiety?
First, realize that waiting for a better time to face others is not the solution. Waiting can make things worse. Personal relationships may suffer if problems are not dealt with early on. Work issues may become magnified if you don't ask for help. If there is no valid reason to put off talking to someone, then it is always better to do it right away.
What are some reasons you might think it is better to wait?
- Thought: "If I call right now she might be busy. It's better to wait an hour as that is probably a quieter time of day for her"
- Fact: Unless you know for sure that someone is busy, there is no reason to wait. You can't predict someone else's day.
- Thought: "My coworker looks really busy. I don't want to bother him now, I will wait until after lunch"
- Fact: Even if your coworker is busy now, he might be even busier after lunch. By telling him now that you need help, he can either respond right away, or plan a time to talk with you.
Nancy Schimelpfening, About.com's guide to depression also offers the following tips to help deal with procrastion:
- Make a list of tasks and prioritize what needs to be done.
- Reward yourself for completing difficult tasks.
- Use relaxation strategies to deal with anxiety about completing tasks.
Further Reading
