Are you procrastinating…or do you need a nap?
I recently got back from a long weekend trip to Tennessee.
Friendly people. Delicious food (I might have eaten my weight in pork… #noregrets). And, of course, my favorite, lots of country music.
Coming back from a successful vacation can be tough as you dive head first back into the real world.
It’s difficult to get back in the swing of things and pick back up on the realities of life: chores, work emails, getting serious about taking big action on your goals…
I struggled with all the usual post-vacation blues. Only, this time I had a little extra added to the mix. My yearly cold hit right as I arrived home. I was sick.
As someone focused on productivity and working hard even when you don’t want to, this was a tough combo for me.
Was my post-vacation blues causing me to want to procrastinate and I just needed a kick-in the butt to get going?
Or…did I actually need a nap?
Read on for tips to tell the different between a case of procrastination just needing a little tough love, or your body signaling it’s time for a break.
4 Signs You’re Probably Just Procrastinating
#1 - You’re avoiding a negative emotion
A common reason you procrastinate is not that you are avoiding a specific task. It’s that you’re avoiding the feeling you’re associating with that task.
For example:
Are you afraid of feeling self-doubt because the task is something you’ve never done before and you know you’re going to have to learn a lot along the way?
Are you afraid of feeling anxiety because the task requires having a hard conversation or putting yourself in a vulnerable position?
Are you afraid of feeling overwhelmed because you don’t know where to start on the task or you think it will take up your whole day?
The fear of feeling some dreaded emotion triggers that procrastination muscle.
In this case, you likely don’t need a break.
Instead, focus your efforts on not resisting the emotions you’re putting off. (After all, an emotion is merely a sensation in your body. It can’t hurt you.)
You can feel self-doubt and still do a damn good job.
You can feel anxiety and still do the thing.
You can feel overwhelmed and still get it all done.
Your emotions can be along for the ride of life.
#2 - You’re productively procrastinating
Procrastination isn’t always about scrolling Instagram or mindlessly venturing down a YouTube rabbit hole.
Sometimes procrastination looks downright…productive.
Productive procrastination is cleaning out your junk drawer when you should be writing that business plan.
Or color-coding your closet when you should be filing your taxes.
Or responding to emails when you should be wrapping up the proposal for the big client pitch tomorrow.
You’re doing something “productive”...it’s just not the something you actually should be working on.
You probably don’t need a break.
In this case, you just need to switch gears. Pause your productive procrastination to shift back to the intended project at hand. Give yourself a 5 minute task to get started on the real project you mean to be working on. Make it easy to start so you can get back on track.
#3 - You’re avoiding making a decision
Procrastination can sneak in when taking action on a task actually requires making a tough decision.
These tough decisions may mean officially saying ‘no’ to working on something else you were hoping you might be able to sneak into your schedule.
Or, you’re overanalyzing all your options to try to find the perfect plan for fear of making a wrong move.
Again, this is likely not a sign you need a break.
Instead, just pick a path and go. Flip a coin if it helps jolt you out of procrastination!
You can always decide something different later on. Nothing is set in stone. Making a choice gives you the freedom to act, instead of wasting precious brain space debating and flip-flopping about a decision that probably wasn’t all the significant in the first place.
#4 - You’re waiting to feel motivated
Sometimes the tasks you need to do the most are just not all that inspiring. So you procrastinate waiting for motivation to strike.
But it’s the small, seemingly mundane, and insignificant tasks that move you towards big success. It’s rarely one monumental act driven by pure motivation that will achieve your goals.
Your lack of inspiration is not a sign something’s gone wrong. It’s not a sign that a nap will leave you reinvigorated and ready to go!
You don’t need a break. You just need a plan to get into action. If you need some help making a plan, try the 7 Days: Consider it Done! Guide. This step-by-step guide helps you break down and tackle any project you’ve been procrastinating.
If you do need a quick jump start, here’s a bonus tip. As you gear up to start the task, think about how good it will feel when it’s done. The relief. The pride. The accomplishment. Feel it in your body now as you get started. Let that feeling be the motivation to jolt you into action.
You Might Need a Nap When…
You’ve run through the procrastination signs and nothing seems fishy.
You aren’t avoiding a negative emotion.
You aren’t productively procrastinating.
You aren’t avoiding a decision.
You aren’t waiting around for motivation.
You may, my friend, actually just need a nap. Here are some surefire signs:
#1 You’re sick
Sure, you can probably work through just a runny nose or a slight headache. But if you’re feeling that strong fatigue as your body tries to give you the subtle (or not so subtle) hints that it needs a break….It might be time for that nap.
Pushing through this fatigue probably isn’t going to get all that productive. You’ll be less effective and very inefficient, definitely not producing your best work.
And you’ll probably prolong the sickness and this less effective state by avoiding the rest your body is demanding.
Remove the guilt. Take the break.
#2 Tasks are harder than normal
If you find yourself working on a task or project you’ve flown through time and time again, but it just feels like a slog, you might need a break.
Mental fatigue may have sunk in from a long day or extra stress from life feeling heavier than normal.
Pushing through might not be your best bet.
No need to feel guilt. Take the break.
When you’re successful and ambitious, there’s no denying you’re a driven hard worker.
But this drive can cause you to question your intuition. You may find yourself trying to override your body and mind’s genuine need to take the foot off the gas.
In all of our lives, there’s a season for hustle and a season for rest. But these seasons don’t have to be prolonged or even defined periods of time. Your “season” may just be a month. Or a week. Or even just an hour in the day before you need to shift gears.
Trust yourself to lean into what makes sense for you.
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About Me
Hi, I’m Kara. I’m a former workaholic turned time-management expert. I help women stressed out in their 9-5 get more done, in less time, so they can get back in the driver’s seat and start living a life they love.
