It's said, that procrastination is the thief of time, but procrastination and CPTSD are connected; avoiding things helps you feel in control again, but it also makes you feel even less valuable. To stop this cycle, you need to be kind to yourself, be able to control your emotions, and use practical tools like breaking down tasks. You can break the habit of putting things off if you are patient.
Having both chronic procrastination and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of trauma is not a coincidence. These two problems are directly related, and they can form a vicious cycle from which it is difficult to escape.
Childhood trauma, such as abuse, neglect, or having your safety repeatedly breached, is a common cause of chronic stress disorder (PTSD). A lack of control over one's life, worry, despair, and emotional dysregulation are some of the symptoms that could result. The inability to get things done when you know you should is known as procrastination.
In that case, how do you link these two concepts? Trauma survivors may have heightened apprehension and vulnerability in social situations. One method to attempt to restore control, even if it's ultimately counterproductive, is to put things off until later and avoid doing them altogether. When you're worried about doing something, putting it off gives you a short reprieve. Because it creates emotional dysregulation, CPTSD can also make it very hard to plan, concentrate, and follow through on objectives.
Anxieties about your value and your sense of being "undeserving" are widespread among people with CPTSD, and the difficulty is that putting things off until later causes those on the receiving end to be hard on themselves, engage in negative self-talk, and lack self-compassion. This spirals into an endless loop from which there is no way out.
So, what are your options? Though getting well from CPTSD should be your top priority, there are several doable steps you can take to overcome procrastination:
1) Take time to be kind to yourself. Instead of passing judgment, be kind to yourself. Just keep in mind that you're giving it your all.
2) Make sure to divide work into smaller, more doable portions. When you are overwhelmed, you tend to avoid things more.
Thirdly, try the "5-minute rule": give yourself permission to quit or continue working on a task once you've committed to working on it for just five minutes.
4) Use therapy or a journal to pinpoint the exact anxieties and negative thoughts that are causing you to put things off.
5) To lessen decision fatigue, establish habits and routines to the best of your ability.
6) Before beginning any task, practise emotional regulation techniques such as mindfulness or grounding exercises.
Getting out of the rut of procrastination isn't easy, but it's worth it for the confidence and competence it gives you. Take care of oneself with kindness and patience. Nothing is impossible for you.
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