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Can Counseling Help Cure Procrastination?

Everyone has done it at some point in their lives; put something off to do later that they should be doing at that moment. While procrastination is fairly normal behavior, it can quickly cause problems in people's lives if they are chronically delaying working on important projects and work. There are many ways to overcome a tendency to procrastinate and counseling is one option. Here are three ways it can help.

Identify Underlying Cause

Many people believe procrastination is a sigh of laziness. While that may be the case for a small percentage of people, it's not true for everyone. In fact, the act of putting things off can be a manifestation of underlying emotional, psychological, or physiological issues.

For instance, Carleton University psychology professor Timothy A. Pychyl, PhD found that self-doubt played a role in causing people to procrastinate. People may lack self-confidence in their abilities and put off completing a task to avoid failing at it.

Procrastination can also be a manifestation of Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). People with this disorder typically have a difficult time focusing, staying organized, and managing their time. However, you don't have to have full-blown ADHD to be a chronic procrastinator. Even those with anxiety may use procrastination as a coping mechanism.

There are many other reasons why people procrastinate. Working with a counselor can help you uncover your issues and work on resolving them.

Identify Triggers

Like many conditions, the urge to procrastinate can be triggered by external and internal factors. For instance, a person experiencing a lot of stress at his or her job may feel an overwhelming urge to procrastinate as a way of alleviating the pressure they're under. Conversely, some people procrastinate because they like the rush they get from hurriedly completing a project at the last minute.

A counselor can provide you with exercises and tools to help you uncover your triggers as well as develop coping mechanisms you can use to counteract the urge to procrastinate.

Provide Treatment Options

There are several treatment options available to help chronic procrastinators. The right treatment for you will depend on the cause of your procrastination. For instance, if the tendency to put things off is the side effect of ADHD, the counselor can recommend or prescribe medication that may help you focus and stay on point.

Other treatment options may include cognitive-behavioral therapy, stress reductions techniques, and improving decision-making skills.

To learn more about how counseling can help you overcome procrastination, contact a clinic such as Comprehensive Behavioral Health Associates Inc.

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