l you are more up to date with meeting your current obligations. Break large tasks into small chunks and do one small piece at a time.

Denial

I don't want to deal with this and if I ignore it maybe it will go away. Acknowledge your reluctance to deal with the situation. Take a good look at what is behind your denial. It could be fear, overwhelm, confusion, etc. Check those tips for clues to next steps.

Whose Values?

I think I should but I don't really want to. Clarify where the "should" originates. Is it from old rules from parents, teachers or clergy? What does your heart say? Wh

Stress management gurus often suggest that overcoming procrastination will help to clear up many daily stress issues. I find that in general, acting promptly is helpful to reduce stress, but let's look a little more deeply.

Procrastination simply means to defer, to put off until another day, to delay. In our age of multi-tasking and high expectations for instant gratification in every area of life, we usually see delay as negative.

Delaying or deferring several decisions and actions creates a log-jam of your energy, which you experience as stress. All those decisions and actions that are "on hold" in your consciousness pull on your energy until you complete them or let them go.

When you delay or put things off, there is usually a reason. That reason is rarely simple laziness.

What is your procrastination telling you? Here are seven common messages your delaying tactics could be signalling, along with a stress management solution tip for each one.

Fear

I am scared, or I don't have a good feeling about this. Acknowledge the fear and work to pinpoint its source. Often fear will be related to one of the other messages related below, or it could be fear based on past experience or a hunch about the future. Once you identify and examine the fear, you can take action or not based on greater clarity and understanding.

Lack

I can't, or I don't know how. I don't have the tools, money, time or energy.

Acknowledge your perception of lack and either take steps to gain the knowledge, tools, etc., or decide you will not tackle this project at present. There is no shame in saying, "This is not for me at this time." On the other hand, if you really want to do something, you will probably find less stress and more satisfaction in going for it, working to overcome any apparent lack of means.

Confusion

I am uncertain, not sure of the best choice, or I need more information.

Gather more information. Listen to your heart or intuition as well as your logic in aiming for the best choice. Try vividly imagining the outcome as a first step in checking out the best choice, then take small action steps and keep checking to see if this path is right for you.

Overcommitment and Overwhelm

I am overcommitted or stretched too thin already. I am totally overwhelmed; it's too much to do all at once. Renegotiate, get help, bow out, or set a later deadline. You could also say no to all additional requests until you are more up to date with meeting your current obligations. Break large tasks into small chunks and do one small piece at a time.

Denial

I don't want to deal with this and if I ignore it maybe it will go away. Acknowledge your reluctance to deal with the situation. Take a good look at what is behind your denial. It could be fear, overwhelm, confusion, etc. Check those tips for clues to next steps.

Whose Values?

I think I should but I don't really want to. Clarify where the "should" originates. Is it from old rules from parents, teachers or clergy? What does your heart say? Wha

ciousness pull on your energy until you complete them or let them go.

When you delay or put things off, there is usually a reason. That reason is rarely simple laziness.

What is your procrastination telling you? Here are seven common messages your delaying tactics could be signalling, along with a stress management solution tip for each one.

Fear

I am scared, or I don't have a good feeling about this. Acknowledge the fear and work to pinpoint its source. Often fear will be related to one of the other messages related below, or it could be fear based on past experience or a hunch about the future. Once you identify and examine the fear, you can take action or not based on greater clarity and understanding.

Lack

I can't, or I don't know how. I don't have the tools, money, time or energy.

Acknowledge your perception of lack and either take steps to gain the knowledge, tools, etc., or decide you will not tackle this project at present. There is no shame in saying, "This is not for me at this time." On the other hand, if you really want to do something, you will probably find less stress and more satisfaction in going for it, working to overcome any apparent lack of means.

Confusion

I am uncertain, not sure of the best choice, or I need more information.

Gather more information. Listen to your heart or intuition as well as your logic in aiming for the best choice. Try vividly imagining the outcome as a first step in checking out the best choice, then take small action steps and keep checking to see if this path is right for you.

Overcommitment and Overwhelm

I am overcommitted or stretched too thin already. I am totally overwhelmed; it's too much to do all at once. Renegotiate, get help, bow out, or set a later deadline. You could also say no to all additional requests until you are more up to date with meeting your current obligations. Break large tasks into small chunks and do one small piece at a time.

Denial

I don't want to deal with this and if I ignore it maybe it will go away. Acknowledge your reluctance to deal with the situation. Take a good look at what is behind your denial. It could be fear, overwhelm, confusion, etc. Check those tips for clues to next steps.

Whose Values?

I think I should but I don't really want to. Clarify where the "should" originates. Is it from old rules from parents, teachers or clergy? What does your heart say? Wh

uture. Once you identify and examine the fear, you can take action or not based on greater clarity and understanding.

Lack

I can't, or I don't know how. I don't have the tools, money, time or energy.

Acknowledge your perception of lack and either take steps to gain the knowledge, tools, etc., or decide you will not tackle this project at present. There is no shame in saying, "This is not for me at this time." On the other hand, if you really want to do something, you will probably find less stress and more satisfaction in going for it, working to overcome any apparent lack of means.

Confusion

I am uncertain, not sure of the best choice, or I need more information.

Gather more information. Listen to your heart or intuition as well as your logic in aiming for the best choice. Try vividly imagining the outcome as a first step in checking out the best choice, then take small action steps and keep checking to see if this path is right for you.

Overcommitment and Overwhelm

I am overcommitted or stretched too thin already. I am totally overwhelmed; it's too much to do all at once. Renegotiate, get help, bow out, or set a later deadline. You could also say no to all additional requests until you are more up to date with meeting your current obligations. Break large tasks into small chunks and do one small piece at a time.

Denial

I don't want to deal with this and if I ignore it maybe it will go away. Acknowledge your reluctance to deal with the situation. Take a good look at what is behind your denial. It could be fear, overwhelm, confusion, etc. Check those tips for clues to next steps.

Whose Values?

I think I should but I don't really want to. Clarify where the "should" originates. Is it from old rules from parents, teachers or clergy? What does your heart say? Wh

ng>

I am uncertain, not sure of the best choice, or I need more information.

Gather more information. Listen to your heart or intuition as well as your logic in aiming for the best choice. Try vividly imagining the outcome as a first step in checking out the best choice, then take small action steps and keep checking to see if this path is right for you.

Overcommitment and Overwhelm

I am overcommitted or stretched too thin already. I am totally overwhelmed; it's too much to do all at once. Renegotiate, get help, bow out, or set a later deadline. You could also say no to all additional requests until you are more up to date with meeting your current obligations. Break large tasks into small chunks and do one small piece at a time.

Denial

I don't want to deal with this and if I ignore it maybe it will go away. Acknowledge your reluctance to deal with the situation. Take a good look at what is behind your denial. It could be fear, overwhelm, confusion, etc. Check those tips for clues to next steps.

Whose Values?

I think I should but I don't really want to. Clarify where the "should" originates. Is it from old rules from parents, teachers or clergy? What does your heart say? Wh

l you are more up to date with meeting your current obligations. Break large tasks into small chunks and do one small piece at a time.

Denial

I don't want to deal with this and if I ignore it maybe it will go away. Acknowledge your reluctance to deal with the situation. Take a good look at what is behind your denial. It could be fear, overwhelm, confusion, etc. Check those tips for clues to next steps.

Whose Values?

I think I should but I don't really want to. Clarify where the "should" originates. Is it from old rules from parents, teachers or clergy? What does your heart say? What do you really want for you? If it doesn't hurt anyone, and is a loving, caring, uplifting action, then you might feel free to let go of the "should" and go for what you truly want for yourself.

Resentment

I resent doing this, so I put it off. I think someone else should have to do this, or it's not fair that I have to do it. Acknowledge your irritation. Is it reasonable to talk to whoever has assigned this task to you? (This could include checking in with yourself!) Can it be renegotiated? Is it one of those things you simply need to do because it needs to be done? Often just acknowledging that you find the situation unfair, but you are going to do it anyway, frees your energy to take the needed action.

When you take the time to interpret the message of your procrastination, you will often be able to handle the stress effect with greater ease and grace. Perhaps you would agree with me, after reading this list, that the only laziness is in being unwilling to look at the reasons behind your procrastination!

As you sort out the causes for your delaying process, you may find that your procrastination is not negative but is an attempt at protecting you. Let your new understanding help you move forward one way or the other and you'll probably find it much easier to reduce stress and increase your inner peace.