Procrastination is a common challenge for people of all ages, including seniors. We are all guilty of it. And to add injury to insult, sometimes seniors don’t want to “get to it” and then our families may think we are “letting the home fall apart”. Oh goodness, what to do!
- Break Tasks Into Smaller Steps: Seniors often procrastinate when tasks feel overwhelming or too large to tackle. Breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable steps can make them feel less daunting. For example, if organizing a room seems like a massive undertaking, start by decluttering one shelf or drawer at a time.
Example: Let's say our kids want us to clean out the attic full of photos and whatnot. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the entire task, we can break it down into smaller steps. How about taking one box at a time and then setting out a box for each child so you know which box to throw the photo into? (NOTE: Don’t make the mistake my mom did. She put all of Suzanne's pictures in Suzanne’s box. I didn’t want all my pictures to be of myself. I wanted pictures of my siblings, too!) So spread the photos around to everyone.)
- Set Realistic Goals: Seniors may sometimes set overly ambitious goals, leading to procrastination due to the perceived difficulty of achieving them. Encourage setting realistic and achievable goals that can be accomplished within a reasonable timeframe.
- This helps in maintaining motivation and reducing the likelihood of procrastination.
Example: You want to start an exercise routine but feel intimidated by the idea of working out for an hour every day. Instead of setting such a lofty goal, decide to start with a more realistic aim of walking for 15 minutes three times a week. This smaller goal is achievable and can be gradually increased as they build confidence and stamina.
And if you skip a day, that’s ok too.
- Create a Schedule: Seniors can benefit from creating a schedule or to-do list to prioritize tasks and allocate time for each one. This not only provides structure to their day but also serves as a visual reminder of what needs to be done, reducing the temptation to procrastinate.
As retired seniors, we often don’t look at a calendar unless it’s filled with commitments. It’s not like we work 5 days a week anymore. But keeping a calendar it still important to keep us on task for what we want to plan out in small steps like suggested above. It’s still a commitment to yourself.
- Use Time Management Techniques: Time management techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique can be effective for seniors struggling with procrastination. This technique involves breaking work into intervals, typically 25 minutes long, separated by short breaks. Seniors can focus on a task for a set period, knowing they have a break coming up, which can help combat procrastination.
Seniors can struggle to focus on paying medical bills because they find the task overwhelming. They decide to use the Pomodoro Technique to break it down. They set a timer for 25 minutes and commit to focusing solely on first calling the doctor’s office, next the insurance company, and next taking notes and putting a follow-up date in their calendar. See my article on Medical bills.
Sometimes, just calling the doctor’s office is enough for one day! Whew!
- Find and Like Your Accountability Partner: Seniors can and should enlist the support of friends, family members, or caregivers to help hold them accountable for their goals and tasks. Sharing goals with someone else can provide motivation and encouragement to stay on track, reducing the likelihood of procrastination.
For example, let’s say I want to go through that attic, one box at a time. Why not share this with a family member who is willing to help me once a week for one hour?
This person can record my stories and we know we are tracking our progress. It’s also enjoyable to do an overwhelming task with someone else.
- Practice Self-Compassion: Seniors need to practice self-compassion and recognize that occasional procrastination is natural and doesn't define their worth. Instead of being overly critical of themselves, they can acknowledge their feelings of procrastination with kindness and focus on taking small steps forward.
For example: Let’s say I want to get the garden done. Pull all the weeds, plant spring flowers, and put in new mulch for the summer. But I also know that my back will hurt when I’m done, my hands will definitely hurt from arthritis. I don’t want to take pain meds to do this. What do I do? I put myself first. Instead of letting the task overwhelm me, I overwhelm the task by stating what I can do each day.
In truth, what really happens is the task ends up not being the huge job we thought it would be. We often overwhelm ourselves before we even get started.
For more common-sense tips on how to age healthy and for families who want the best for their loved ones, see my Ultimate Senior's Guide. On sale now. Click here.
Hope this helps!
