If you find yourself feeling motivated towards a goal or resolution and then losing momentum or stopping entirely, procrastination may be at play. This is familiar to all of us, we’ve worked through it before, but it’s still such a barrier to getting things done.

Why do people procrastinate?

There are many reasons why procrastination surfaces. The next time you find yourself stuck in procrastination, pause and ask yourself the following:

• Am I afraid of failing?

• Am I worried I am inadequate in some way?

• Am I exhausted (either physically, spiritually, or socially)?

• Am I feeling unfulfilled?

• Am I too identified with being a “procrastinator” or someone who starts but never finishes?

Now what?: Give yourself what you need to address your procrastination and move forward

If you find that you are worried about failing or about a perceived inadequacy, you can offer yourself self-compassion. Rather than engage in building up a nightmare scenario, pause and give yourself a self-compassion break. You can put your hand on your heart (or wherever feels comfortable) and state, “I’m having a hard time right now. Everyone feels this way sometimes. May I be kind to myself in this moment. May I give myself the compassion I need” or some variation of this.

It may also help to consider if you are magnifying something that will likely not happen. When you’re in touch with intense anxiety, this perspective is tough to reach, so I recommend the self-compassion break or other coping skill first.

If you find that your procrastination is driven by lack of energy, it’s time to rest. Not for 5 minutes. Not for an hour. Rest until you truly feel restored. If you are socially exhausted, you may need to intentionally carve out alone time or consider which loved ones help give energy back to you. If you are spiritually exhausted, you may need to re-engage in activities that you find inspirational.

It might also be that you’re procrastinating because you don’t feel connected to your goal. Maybe you picked something that is not personally meaningful. Maybe you picked someone else’s goal and it just doesn’t fit you. Consider adjusting your goal to be more aligned with your values or find a way to engage in a meaningful activity outside of your goal.

Lastly, words are powerful. If you identify yourself as a “procrastinator” it’s hard to escape that. Consider re-writing your narrative. Maybe you try on the label of “completionist” and see how that helps you build momentum towards your goals.