By: Deborah Tannenbaum, LCSW
The other day, I found myself checking my email, scrolling through social media, getting up to refill my
coffee cup – doing anything I could to avoid working on an important task. Then I started berating
myself. “You’re so lazy, no wonder you can’t get anything done.”
Does any of this sound familiar?
Here’s the truth. Procrastination is fueled by anxiety, not laziness. When something feels
overwhelming, our brains instinctively try to protect us by finding ways to avoid it. But avoidance only
incites more anxiety and we get stuck in a vicious cycle.
To help myself break the cycle, I developed a simple, mindfulness-based tool called ODAC – a four-step
process to help me confront my anxiety instead of pushing it away.
O – Observe
Pause for a moment and notice what you are thinking and feeling without judging it or trying to change
it. Observation creates a space between you and the feeling. “I notice that I’m feeling anxious right
now” is different from “I’m freaking out.” “I’m having the thought that I will mess up” is different from
“I can’t do this, I’ll mess it up.”
D – Describe
Name what’s happening in your body. “My shoulders feel tense.” “I feel a tightness in my chest.” “My
mind is racing.” Labeling your feelings helps calm the emotional part of your brain so that you can
access the logical part of your brain. Once you can think more rationally, you’re ready for the next step.
A – Act
Take one small action towards your goal. Don’t try to do it all at once, just take one step. Open the
document. Write one sentence. Make a phone call. Walk for five minutes. According to Sir Isaac
Newton, “an object at rest will stay at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion.” Once you start
moving, you’ll be more likely to continue.
C- Celebrate
Pause to acknowledge what you’ve done. “I did it!” You have accomplished something. Allow yourself
to feel good about it. This reinforces the practice of showing up even when it’s hard.
Final Thoughts
Procrastination isn’t about laziness, lack of discipline, or some other character flaw. It thrives on anxiety
but anxiety loses its power when confronted with action. The next time you find yourself thinking “I’ll
do it later”, take a breath and say “Let’s just start with ODAC”. Everything that seems complex and
overwhelming is just a series of simple steps.
Do you or someone you know struggle with procrastination or negative self-talk? Sonder is now accepting new clients! Call or email today
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