Why is it hard for me to get things done? 5 causes

One of the aspects of the human mind that psychology has dealt with studying more is the separation between the path of facts and the path of reason. Even if we know what we should do, that doesn't mean that we will finally do it.

For this reason, there are many people who in their day to day are blocked and are not able to get down to work with their projects. "Why do I have a hard time getting to do things?" it's a recurring thought in these cases. In this article we will see what the possible causes of this problem may be and how it can be overcome to get out of this blocked situation.

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Why is it hard for me to do things?

When it comes to getting to do something, there may be several reasons why we postpone that action or abandon it after several attempts to start doing it.

Next we will see what are the most common causes for which this can occur.

1. Excess of perfectionism

It is relatively common for us to feel intimidated by the prospect of starting a complex task.

This is a situation that occurs especially when the action we must carry out is complex or involves a certain amount of creativity and decision-making, and not so much in cases where it involves more automatic, monotonous or routine.

2. The possibility of attributing blame to others

Sometimes the simple fact of being able to find an excuse in the behavior of others it makes us not carry out certain actions that are convenient for us, or certain responsibilities.

For example, if there is a team project to be done and a colleague does not send us his part, it may be tempting to do nothing, as if the problem did not exist, and let time pass. The reason: we take refuge in the moral superiority that gives us having done what was agreed, at the cost of sacrificing the final result.

3. Fear of facing a stressful situation

Another of the reasons why we feel that it is difficult for us to do things may be the fear of exposing ourselves to a situation that makes us feel a peak of anxiety or anguish, before which we prefer not to address the problem and experience a lower level of anxiety but which accumulates as time goes by.

For example, if we have been putting off responding to the emails of the last few days for a while, the simple The fact of sitting in front of the screen and seeing the ones that have accumulated can make us feel bad, which is why we avoid it.

This is one of the reasons why we postpone the tasks that are given once other reasons have led us not to do those actions before, when it was time to carry them out.

4. Lack of motivation

The lack of motivation is a reason that overlaps with the previous ones, but it can also be based on something that has not been commented on until now: what we have to do does not seem significant or stimulating in itself, unless other reasons unrelated to the task are added (rewards, scolding, desire not to cause rejection in others, etc.).

For example, if we don't value order, we may not have much incentive to start doing it.

5. Depression or other mood disorders

Depression and psychological disorders of its type, linked to mood states, can lead to a phenomenon called apathy, characterized by almost complete lack of energy and motivation to do anything.

Of course, in the vast majority of cases this is not the reason why people do not do what they should do, and in any case, this class of disorders can only be diagnosed by mental health professionals.

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How to solve the problem and get down to work?

To start doing things that have been waiting for a while, the solution is above all to divide the task into a chain of simple objectives to accomplish, so that it is easy to start the sequence of action. Once we have started, it will be much easier to complete the task.

On the other hand, if the situation becomes complicated, the help of psychologists can be very helpful, especially if there is stress and emotion regulation problems, or in cases where the task is complex and there is a lot at stake. game.

Bibliographic references:

• Burka, J. B., and Yuen, L. m. (2008). Procrastination: Why do you do it, what to do about it now. Cambridge: Da Capo Press.
• Gosling, J. (1990). Weakness of the will. New York: Routledge.
• Ferrari, J. R. (2001). Procrastination as self-regulation failure of performance: Effects of cognitive load, self-awareness, and time limits on “working best under pressure.” European Journal of Personality, 15(1), 391-406.