What Can We Learn From Procrastination and How to Kick This Habit?
文/荟同学校 心理老师 李杏怡 By Huitong School Counsellor Ms. Lori Li
拖延症是我们常见的现象和困扰，无论对于大人还是小孩。拖延症主要描述的是这样的一种行为：明知道拖延会造成负面后果，还是自愿地拖延或推迟做某事的行为。它很常见，从拖延日常琐事到重要事务，如推迟打扫房间、提交工作报告或作业、睡眠、解决朋友之间的矛盾等等。拖延是因为我们缺乏时间管理的能力吗？不尽然。很多时间管理的方法或工具被我们熟知或容易获取，如番茄时钟、计划本、各种app等，但它们不一定能够帮助我们减少拖延。正如卡尔顿大学心理学教授Tim Pychyl所说的，拖延不是时间管理的问题，而是情绪调节的问题。美国执照治疗师Anastasia Locklin也曾说，拖延通常是应对不想要的情绪如焦虑、抑郁、自我怀疑、甚至恐惧的一种功能失调的方式。
Procrastination is a common phenomenon and trouble for both adults and children. Procrastination is primarily an action of voluntarily delaying or postponing doing something despite knowing that there will be negative consequences for doing so. It is a common human experience involving delays in everyday chores or putting off important tasks such as cleaning the house, submitting a job report or homework, sleeping, or resolving conflicts between friends. Is procrastination because of our lack of time management skills? Not totally. Many time management methods or tools are well known or easily accessible to us, such as Pomodoro clock, planners, various apps, etc., but they do not necessarily help us reduce procrastination. As Tim Pychyl, a psychology professor at Carleton University puts it, procrastination is not a time management problem; it's an emotion regulation problem. American licensed therapist Anastasia Locklin has also said that procrastination is typically a dysfunctional way of coping with unwanted emotions and feelings of anxiety, depressive feelings, self-doubt, or even fear.
今天，我们从拖延者主要表现的四种模式，背后的情绪和原因，以及一些解决方法的角度来讲述拖延，以供大家思考和参考。
Today, we are going to talk about procrastination from the four main types of procrastinators, the emotions and reasons, and some solutions for you to think about and refer to.
1. 表现者：需要压力才能行动。
他们通常在最后一刻时间不够的外在压力下才有动力开始行动。这种行为产生的原因可能是完美主义。他们通常自我要求比较高，希望自己做出来的作品是完美的。因为追求完美，所以在前面感觉自己没有足够准备或知识的时候担心做得不够好而拖延行动。对自己能力以及结果的担忧让他们使用拖延这种不恰当的应对方式。如果拖延行动导致最终结果不如理想，他/她也可以将结果归因于时间不够，而不是自己能力不足，从而从对自己能力的焦虑中释放出来。这一种情况的解决方法是行动起来，不需要担心完成得怎样或什么时候完成。完成大于完美。
The Performer who says, “I work well under pressure.”
They are often motivated to act under last-minute pressure. This behavior may result from perfectionism. They are usually self-demanding and hope their work to be perfect. Because of the pursuit of perfection, they delay action as they feel that they don't have enough preparation or knowledge. They worry about their abilities or the outcomes, which makes them to use procrastination as a coping strategy. If procrastination results in a less-than-ideal result, he/she can also attribute the result to lack of time rather than lack of ability, thereby releasing themselves from anxiety about their own incompetence. The solution to this situation is getting started. Don’t worry about how or when it will be done. Completion is greater than perfection.
2. 自嘲者：认为自己很懒。
往往相反，这些人通常已经做了很多事情，但因为社会总体评判标准认为做得多才更有价值，他/她会觉得休息是不对的，从而对自己的评价太苛刻，认为不做就是懒。另外，冒名顶替综合征——认为我们的成功只是因为运气，而不是我们自身的才华和优点，也会阻碍我们休息。如果是这种状况，我们需要增加对自己的同理心和价值认可，关爱自己，允许自己时间休息，才能不拖延休息和工作。
The self-deprecator who says, “I am so lazy right now.”
Often, on the contrary, these people usually have accomplished a lot of things. However, because our society values those who do more, he/she feels that it is wrong to rest. They are extra hard on themselves. In addition, impostor syndrome - the belief that our success is due to luck, rather than our own talents and merits, can also prevent us from taking a rest. If this is the case, we need to be more compassionate with ourselves and recognize our values. Care for ourselves and allow us time to rest so that we do not procrastinate on rest and work.
3. 超额预定者：我很忙。
他们通常日程繁忙，安排了各种活动，但就是拖延不去做他/她应该做的任务。他们往往以忙碌为借口不对面对他/她该面对的状况，是逃避的一种迹象。在需要处理的事情上他们可能曾经受过挫折、有过矛盾、产生过负面情绪，因此他们不想去面对和执行。这种情况下，我们需要的是自省。问问自己在逃避什么，怎样可以根本解决问题。
The overbookers who say, “I am so busy.”
They usually have a busy schedule with various activities but procrastinate on the tasks he/she is supposed to do. Busyness comes up as an excuse for not doing the things that he/she should be handling, which is an indication of avoidance. They may have experienced setbacks, conflicts, or negative emotions about the things they need to deal with, so they avoid facing them again. In this case, what we need is a moment of self-reflection and asking ourselves: what am I really avoiding? How can I fix this problem?
4. 寻求新奇者：我有一个好主意！
他们通常来说有很多想法，但容易厌倦，难以在一个方向上做持续的努力。尝过前面的新鲜，对于后面枯燥的任务容易失去兴趣，从而跳到另外一个想法上。这种情况我们需要决心、方法、以及动力让自己把最先的任务完成。新的想法可以先记录下来，把前面的完成才开始新的事务。
The novelty seekers who say, “I just had the best idea!”
They usually have a lot of ideas or projects and then get bored easily. They have difficulty making consistent efforts in one direction. After tasting the best part at the beginning, they lose interest in the boring or laborious tasks behind and thus jump to another project. In this case, all we need is completion, which can be enhanced by our determination, method, and motivation. Write down new ideas but don’t pursue them until we finish what we are currently working on.
另外，我们还可以采用一些常用的方法来帮助我们改善拖延问题。例如：
Additionally, there are some common strategies that we can implement to help fight procrastination. For example:
1. 设立小目标。设立小至每天一个俯卧撑的目标，小至我们没办法拒绝、不费力就可以完成的目标，帮助我们持续累积进度。
Setting up small goals, which can be as small as one push-up a day and something that we can’t say no to and can be accomplished without effort. It helps us accumulate progress continuously.
2. 艾维利时间管理法：写下第二天你需要完成的最重要的六件事，按重要性的顺序排列。在你最有精力的时候处理且只处理这六件事情。
Ivy Lee method: write down only six of the most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow. List them out in order of true importance. Tackle those things and only those things the next day, whenever you have the most energy.
3. 将事情按重要性和时间紧急性来分类，马上把重要且紧急的事情完成，计划完成重要但不紧急的事情，授权别人做紧急但不重要的事情。
Categorizing things by importance and urgency. Complete important and urgent matters immediately, plan to do important but not-so-urgent stuff, and authorize others to finish urgent but not-so-important things for us.
找到成因和合适自己的方法，希望我们都可以今日事，今日毕！
Find the cause for procrastination and the methods that suits you. Hope we can all finish the things that ought to be finished every day!
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