Why Procrastinate

Microsoft Office photo

I include myself in the population of people who procrastinate worldwide. I just finished my Master’s Degree, and I’m currently awaiting my State Limited License in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Over the next few years, I will have to pass a state test and eventually put in 3,000 supervised counseling hours to become fully licensed (drop the limited portion of my LLPC). I’ve been feeling the need to start studying for this exam. Although I’ve been gathering materials, I haven’t fully embraced the material yet. But, I am wondering why I’ve been procrastinating, 

After researching the topic, I realized that we all procrastinate occasionally, but the people who put things off often have more issues with the wrath of procrastination, guilt, stress, and overall anxiety, which eventually causes health issues.

I was happy to realize that I am not an avid procrastinator. The more I thought about it, I was probably just tired after the effort I put into my degree, and I’m giving myself a bit of a break from studying, considering I just finished an almost 3-year school program less than a month ago.

I’ve been busy this past month. I went out of town twice, got married, and threw a party, among many other things. My routine is undergoing a lot of transition, so I have to give myself time to adjust and remember that I, too, need downtime. Self-forgiveness is a must when we are being unkind to ourselves. It is easy to feel shameful or guilty when the “should of or could of” line of thought sabotages us. I’ve said it many times before, we get more accomplished with self-love than self-cruelty.

If you’ve procrastinated, I hope you feel better after reading this. Perhaps it will motivate you to put your thoughts into action, as it has inspired me. My friend, there is no time to embrace the moment like the present! Reflect on what is beneath the surface, and with a little grace for self, motivation will soon surface. Let me know when it does! To learn more, check out the New York Times to understand what might be blocking your motivation.