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Procrastination is an internal tug-of-war.
By Christy Whitman — Written on Jan 22, 2022
At its core, procrastination is just a symptom of split energy.
It’s that uncomfortable tension we experience whenever we have two intentions working at cross purposes with one another. Part of us knows we’d be best served by taking a certain course of action, while another part of us is resistant to that very course of action.
The following Energy Mastery Techniques will help you come back into a state of alignment with the outcomes you most desire to create, which is the natural remedy for overcoming procrastination.
Here are 3 Energy Mastery techniques that will help you overcome procrastination.
1. Accept that procrastination is simply an energetic tug-of-war happening within you.
When you think of procrastination in terms of energy, it’s easy to understand it as a kind of tug-of-war playing out within your energy field. The act of wanting to do something, and not wanting to do it at the same time, can cause you to feel paralyzed with inaction.
Then add to this energetic tug-of-war, the guilt, anxiety, and self-condemnation we often feel when we’re putting something off, and voila. Our energy is no longer only locked up but is rapidly spiraling downward.
Now, in addition to feeling unmotivated, we feel bad about ourselves, which further diminishes our mood and depletes our energy reserves.
Unlike winning a traditional tug-of-war, the first step to overcoming procrastination is to drop the rope, so to speak, and end the internal struggle. Recognize that self-critical thoughts will not propel you into productive action; in fact, actions taken from a place of energy misalignment often make matters worse.
It’s a little like stepping in glue or finding yourself stuck in quicksand; the first course of action is to stop moving because thrashing about, physically or mentally, will only make the situation worse.
So instead of condemning the situation you find yourself in, simply give yourself permission to be exactly where you currently are, and to feel exactly as you feel.
Just accept that in this moment, as with every moment, you are experiencing a mix of both resistance and allowing vibrations within you. And uncomfortable-feeling emotions like frustration, powerlessness or fear are simply indicators of your own resistant energy.
Rather than fighting against this misalignment, see if you can accept whatever emotions you are experiencing without judgment. Give yourself total permission to feel what you feel, knowing that your emotional state is temporary and always in flux.
The moment we accept that we are where we are, we open ourselves to new possibilities and solutions. Acceptance creates a feeling of freedom, which begins to jar loose the internal log jam that leads to procrastination.
2. Get your energy moving.
Remember that procrastination is only a symptom of a misalignment of energy. It’s a build-up of resistance that’s gained a certain degree of momentum. And like a train barreling down a track toward an unwanted destination, we first have to stop the unwanted momentum before we can make progress in a more desired direction.
But in the same way we can’t suddenly pivot from despair to joy or from lack to abundance on a dime, it’s rarely possible to make a quantum leap from inertia into creativity, inspiration, and exhilaration. Therefore, it’s best not to try to overcome procrastination in one fell swoop.
If instead we simply aim to return to a state of neutrality, we can gradually reverse unwanted momentum and turn the tides of our own vibration in a more favorable direction. And the fastest way to do this is to get your energy moving.
Give yourself permission to walk away from the task at hand for a moment. Change the environment you’re in and give your senses new impressions to take in. Put on music that engages or inspires you. Bring your awareness to your breath.
Drink a large glass of water. Take a shower with hot water then cold. Clear the clutter from your desk. Go for a drive. Spend a few moments outside. If possible, go for a brisk walk or do a few yoga poses.
Your body and mind are intimately connected in an ongoing feedback loop. Whatever you do to release resistance in one will automatically improve the flow of the other. And when your body is energized, your mind and emotions will follow suit.
3. Connect to the 'why' that underlies your 'what.'
Chances are, what you desire in any moment of procrastination is fairly easy to define. For example, if you easily become winded or your clothes don’t fit like they used to, you desire to be in better shape. In this case, “get in shape” is your what.
Your “why” is the invisible, internal component of your desire. And from an energy summoning standpoint, it is infinitely more powerful. Your “why” reflects the quality of energy you are hoping to gain access to once your desire is fulfilled.
Going beyond what you desire and focusing on your why helps you tap the enormous power of your unconscious mind. This part of your psyche doesn’t think in words. It speaks the language of pictures and emotions.
The deeper answer to “why” you desire a fitter body, for example, goes way beyond a number on the scale. There is an energetic and emotional payoff you believe you’ll receive once this goal is realized.
Perhaps you believe you’ll experience a feeling of pride or satisfaction. Maybe you’re seeking a feeling of greater ease or freedom.
When we’re connected to our deeper “why,” overcoming procrastination is a breeze. For example, if you’re clear about why you want to go to Cabo, you wouldn’t dream of procrastinating on getting to the airport to catch your flight.
These deeper “whys” naturally compel us into action. And by focusing on your why, deliberately and consistently, you can overcome the tendency to procrastinate and keep yourself in alignment with all you desire to create. Once you understand that procrastination is simply a symptom of an energy misalignment, you can release it with more precision.
Whenever you find yourself contemplating an action that feels arduous or unpleasant, if you’re feeling resistant about it rather than being carried on the wings of it, your best course of action is to back away from it.
In every case, when you feel like the momentum is moving against you, your highest possible priority is to soften your internal struggle. Soothing your emotions before you take the action will save you the frustration of taking one step forward, two steps back.
Do your best to abandon the resistant thought. Abandon the activities that are getting you nowhere. Abandon your attachment to you’ll meet your goals or the disappointment that they haven’t been realized yet.
Place the majority of your focus on the alignment of energy. Once you’re energetically aligned with the essence of what you desire, your next steps will look clearer and feel lighter and more logical.
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Christy Whitman is an energy healer, Master Certified Law of Attraction Coach, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Having It All: A Woman’s Guide to Unlimited Abundance, as well as her latest book, "The Desire Factor: How to Embrace Your Materialistic Nature to Reclaim Your Full Spiritual Power."