RWAnswers: How to Stop Procrastinating on Important Tasks

"I would like to ask the psychologist's opinion on why we repeatedly postpone an important work task, not because we lack time or motivation, but because an internal barrier (for example, a fear that the task will turn out to be too difficult, that we will make mistakes, or that we won't be able to complete it perfectly) prevents us from starting it. Meanwhile, we continue to feel anxious or blame ourselves for not doing the work. At the same time, we actively shift to other work tasks that are not objectively priorities, creating a false sense of productivity. Eventually, we discover that the postponed task itself was not particularly time-consuming, which leads to self-criticism and thoughts like, 'I should have done it earlier.' Have you encountered something similar in your practice, and what approaches or methods, in your experience, help to address these issues?"

Olga Fedorova, an experienced psychotherapist, clinical psychologist at the behavioural therapy centre ‘Handling Better’, and member of the International Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (IACBT), answered the question:

Your question accurately captures a pattern familiar to many people: the task appears insurmountable not because of its actual scope, but due to an internal barrier. At the same time, a person may stay very busy with other activities while continuously feeling tension and guilt stemming from the postponement of the main task. Later, it often turns out that the task was not particularly difficult leading to further self-disappointment.

Most often, this happens because people who deeply identify with their work and its quality cannot perceive an important task as merely a task. It becomes a test of their professional competence. A person might not realise that a defence mechanism kicks in when they think: "I would rather not start the task than risk doing it imperfectly."

Externally, this appears to be procrastination, but internally, an exhausting dialogue unfolds between the inner critic, who demands perfection, and the part that fears falling short. Surprisingly, it is often this very conflict that lies concealed beneath an outward appearance of confidence and competence.

In my practice with lawyers and managers, this is a frequent topic. In such cases, we rarely focus on how to "force ourselves" to act. Instead, we carefully explore what contributes to the emotional weight of the task and how that weight might be lightened. Often, it helps not to demand immediate, flawless results, but to give ourselves permission to create a first draft, a rough sketch, or to break the process into smaller, less intimidating steps. The tone of our internal dialogue also matters—we can gradually learn to offer ourselves encouragement at the outset, rather than criticism after the fact.

The ultimate goal of this exercise is not merely to overcome procrastination, but to restore a calm and confident approach to your work responsibilities and important projects, so that your energy and resources flow toward action rather than being drained by an exhausting internal struggle.