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6 Not-So-Obvious Ways Procrastination Can Impact Your Ability To Move Forward
When it comes to our productivity, procrastination will always be our greatest adversary.
Most of us live busy lives, with goals and dreams that we work tirelessly to achieve, but when the sneaky presence of procrastination starts to creep in, it can have a significant impact on our efficiency, which lead to delays, missed deadlines, and feeling of dread.
While it’s often not our intention to put off important tasks and focus our attention on trivial tasks, when we reach mental blockages like fear or imposter syndrome, we can’t help but to fall into the trap of low performance and lack of motivation brought on by procrastination.
But what’s the reason for this? Procrastination is a complex subject and comes in many different forms. It’s generally defined as an involuntary delay of an intended action, despite being aware of the negative consequences associated with said delay. Beyond the many ways that procrastination can present itself in our day-to-day lives, it’s important to note that there’s much more happening underneath the surface.
While some may reduce procrastination down to laziness or the lack of discipline, it can be viewed through several frameworks that apply to different people in different manners. For example, the temporal motivation theory suggests that individuals weigh the costs and benefits of different tasks and allocate their time accordingly. This mental dilemma known as “opportunity cost” is procrastination showing up in how individuals prioritize short-term rewards like socializing and entertainment over long-term goals like studying, exercising, or seemingly mundane tasks.
On the flip side, the self-regulation model highlights the role of emotion regulation in procrastination. According to this model, individuals may procrastinate as a means of avoiding negative emotions related to anxiety and boredom that are typically associated with an activity. However, this can ultimately have an increased negative effect, resulting in lackluster performance and outcomes.
With research identifying several factors that contribute to procrastination, including individual differences like impulsivity and perfectionism, environmental factors from distractions or lack of structure, and task characteristics like the complexity or unpleasantness of a task, we can all see ourselves each category depending on our mood or the capacity of tasks or project. However, when we find ourselves facing the consequences of our procrastination, it can lead to even greater impacts on our mental health and well-being.
The loop of procrastination can be a difficult web to get untangled from. When we procrastinate, we often feel guilt, shame, or even anxiety about the work neglected, which can bring about unwanted stress and negative self-talk. We can sometimes attach our productivity to our self-worth and associate our value with our output. When these loops occur in our minds, it further exacerbates a decrease in our productivity, as we may become distracted or demotivated.
Overall, it's important to identify the reasons behind our procrastination and find ways to overcome it to achieve our goals and lead a fulfilling life. If you find yourself in the loop of procrastination, it’s important to identify the cause so you can get to the solution. That’s why we’ve curated a list of procrastination triggers and how to correct them.
Trigger: You find yourself doing unimportant tasks like scrolling social media instead of the important ones you need to be working on.
Try This: Try creating distance from your distractions and the tasks at hand. If you find it hard to stay focused on top responsibilities, it may be time to install a social media blocker app on your phone and set it for the duration you’d like to complete your work in. You might even want to try putting your phone in a different area than where you work so that it’s less easy to grab in between assignments.
Trigger: You feel overwhelmed or stressed about the work you need to do, but you can't seem to make progress on it.
Try This: When it comes to the duties that stress us out the most, it’s essential that we understand that we can only do what’s in front of us first. We don’t get to the next tasks until we finish the first one, so put less on your plate by giving yourself smaller portions and working your way through. Before you know it, you would have tackled your biggest tasks, bit by bit.
Trigger: You feel guilty or ashamed about your lack of productivity or progress on important tasks.
Try This: It’s time to give yourself some grace. Self-compassion goes a long way when you know that procrastination is less about you as a person and more about the stimulus that’s causing you to put the tasks off. When you begin to feel that negative self-talk begin to creep in, pause, and allow yourself a moment to collect your thoughts, grab a snack, take a walk, or simply breathe before you reapproach what’s at hand. Beating yourself up about procrastinating will only create more procrastination, so forgive yourself and move forward.
Trigger: You are often working on tasks at the last minute, which can lead to low quality work or mistakes.
Try This: Before you start your next tasks, it’s important to remember that it’s okay to approach them in small chunks. Oftentimes, we work on things at the last minute because it feels too big and overwhelming to take on. But if we are reminded to pace ourselves and not try to take everything at once, we can give ourselves the time necessary to present our best work.
Trigger: You find yourself easily distracted and unable to focus for long periods of time.
Try This: Time blocks are going to be your best friend here. By breaking down a larger task into smaller, manageable blocks of time, you can make it less intimidating and easier to start. By setting a clear structure and working in short bursts, you can overcome procrastination and make steady progress toward completing the task.
Trigger: You have a lot of unfinished tasks or projects that you keep putting off.
Try This: Sometimes we put certain tasks off because we may not have the capacity to complete them, or they might simply not be in our realm of expertise. In this case, it’s perfectly okay to ask for help. Delegating tasks and projects over people who are more skilled and have more time to complete them, can take them off our plate and allow us to execute our to-do lists in a timely and stress-free manner.
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Aley Arion is a writer and digital storyteller from the South, currently living in sunny Los Angeles. Her site, yagirlaley.com, serves as a digital diary to document personal essays, cultural commentary, and her insights into the Black Millennial experience. Follow her at @yagirlaley on all platforms!
How This New Bond Repair Line Transformed One Mother's Postpartum Shedding Into The Ultimate Curl Comeback
This article is in partnership with SheaMoisture
For Crystal Obasanya, her wash day woes came shortly after her son did. The beauty and lifestyle content creator had been natural for years, but during postpartum, she quickly learned about one reality many mothers can relate to experiencing: postpartum hair loss. “Sis had thinning hair. Sis had split ends,” she shared about her hair changes in a Reel via xoNecole.
Over a year into her postpartum journey, Crystal explained she also had dry, brittle hair, noting that keeping it hydrated before pregnancy had already been “a task.” The 4C natural recalled going from thick hair during pregnancy to a thin hairline due to postpartum shedding as “devastating.” When it came to strengthening and revitalizing her hair, the new SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection was just the thing she needed to elevate her damaged coils to revive and thrive status and get them poppin' again.
SheaMoisture is providing us with the cheat code for transforming dry and damaged strands into thriving and deeply nourished crowns. By unveiling their 4-step hair system, the SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is equipping you with the tools to reverse signs of hair damage caused by protective styling, heat, and color and is uniquely formulated for Type 3 and 4 hair textures.
The haircare system revives damaged natural hair by repairing and rebuilding broken hair bonds through a game-changing combination of HydroPlex Technology and AminoBlend Complex, a unique blend of fortifying amino acids formulated specifically for curly and coily hair. Scientifically proven to reduce breakage by 84% and make your hair six times stronger (vs. non-conditioning shampoo), the collection infuses your hair with the nourishment it craves and the strength it deserves.
All five products of the SheaMoisture Bond Collection are infused with natural strengthening ingredients like Amla Oil and fair-trade shea butter. The collection consists of the 4-step breakage-fighting Bond Repair system, as well as the Bonding Oil.
“When trying it out, I quickly noticed that my hair felt revived and renewed, and my curls were so hydrated,” Crystal said while using the Amla-infused Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner. “I also felt my hair strands were stronger.” So much so that the influencer felt brave enough to get her hair braided shortly thereafter. “I can definitely say that I will be keeping it in my hair wash routine,” she added in the caption of her Reel about her positive experience using the products.
SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is making bond-building a key player in your wash day routines and the purveyor of life for thirsty manes. Because who doesn't want stronger, shinier, happier hair?
Step One: Bond Repair Collection Shampoo
Rejuvenate your hair with SheaMoisture Bond Repair Shampoo, your go-to solution for luscious locks. Packed with hella hydration power, this shampoo adds moisture by 60% while removing buildup without stripping your strands. This shampoo gently cleanses impurities while significantly enhancing shine, smoothness, and softness.
The Bond Repair Collection Shampoo is the first step in the 4-step Bond Repair system, all of which are powered by the uniquely formulated AminoBlend, and HydroPlex, SheaMoisture’s technology that rebuilds hair strength at its core.
Step Two: Bond Repair Collection Conditioner
Tailored to repair styling damage, this creamy conditioner locks in 12x more moisture than standard non-conditioning shampoos, boosting damaged hair strength by 1.5x with significantly less breakage. The creamy SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Conditioner deeply hydrates, enhances manageability, and leaves your hair looking healthier and shinier.
Step Three: Bond Repair Collection Masque
This Ultra Moisturizing reparative masque is a moisture-rich game-changer for those dealing with the aftermath of hair damage caused by styling. The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Masque delivers 13 times more moisture compared to non-conditioning shampoos, ensuring your hair feels nourished and soft. Designed to repair and rejuvenate, this masque significantly strengthens damaged hair — making it twice as strong while reducing breakage.
Step Four: Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner
Elevate your curl game with SheaMoisture’s Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner. Lightweight and hydrating, the Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner provides 12x more moisture than non-conditioning shampoos and tames frizz with 24-hour humidity control. Designed to define curls and coils, the leave-in conditioner enhances softness and shine allowing you to detangle effortlessly.
Bonding Oil
The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Bonding Oil is a multitasking all-in-one formula that acts as a heat protectant and provides the hair with moisture, strength, shine, damage protection, and intense nourishment. This lightweight oil not only offers 24-hour frizz and humidity control but also fortifies your tresses, making them up to 5 times stronger with significantly less breakage.
Featured image courtesy
Shaunie Henderson On Being A Nontraditional Pastor Wife
Shaunie Henderson, the creator and executive producer of Basketball Wives, redefines traditional expectations as a pastor's spouse and first lady of The Lighthouse Church.
The star's journey began with a whirlwind romance with Pastor Keion Henderson in 2020, which led to their marriage years later. Since then, Shaunie has embraced many typical first lady roles, including supporting her husband, engaging in ministry responsibilities, providing spiritual leadership, and conducting community outreach.
Yet, the 49-year-old's background sets her apart from other first ladies. Shaunie brings a unique perspective as a public figure, which stems from her previous marriage to NBA star Shaquille O'Neal and her experience in reality television.
In an interview with xoNecole, while promoting her memoir Undefeated, the Basketball Wives creator discussed what being a first lady means to her and how she has lived her life non-traditionally.
When asked if she had always been nontraditional, Shaunie revealed that throughout her life, she has made it her mission to better herself by learning from experiences and breaking harmful cycles.
Shaunie Henderson and Pastor Keion Henderson
Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images
“I think that's just who I am. I can’t say I intentionally go against the grain. In the book, I talk about things from my childhood, like my dad being late all the time. I was totally opposite with my kids when they were in school. I was always there early. My mother is not affectionate, and she doesn't verbally say, ‘I love you,’ but she does things to let you know. That's the way she shows her love,” she said when describing her relationship with her parents.
“But because I missed that 'I love you' and hugging and kissing, I do that with my kids. I try to always give what I needed myself. There were basketball wives who weren’t very nice to me, so I went out of my way to make sure that once I was a wife that I didn't treat anybody else like that. No one was going to feel like that on my watch.”
Toward the end of the conversation, when discussing her first lady responsibilities and the pressures of upholding that image, the mother of five explained she isn't too hard on herself to fit the mold, given her significantly different background from most first ladies and her relatively new role.
“As far as being first lady, now, I'm not knocking how any first ladies decide to operate but I just knew that the idea of what that usually is was not me. And, to be honest, rightfully so. I'm probably the only first lady that created a reality show that has been on television since 2010. My life is not remotely close to that of most first ladies. We've experienced completely different things. Most of them have been pastor’s wives for a long time, this is all new for me. I come with an entirely different journey; that wouldn’t lend itself to being a traditional first lady,” she stated.
Shaunie's nontraditional approach appears to work in her favor, as she has been welcomed with open arms just as she is.
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Feature image by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images