Understanding Procrastination and How to Move Through it.

Have you been meaning to do something for some time, yet for some reason you never quite get around to doing it? You’re not alone. Procrastination can show up at any time, and regardless of what’s involved, it can impact our mindset, energy levels, and even self-worth. It isn’t just a mindset issue – procrastination can be a pattern held in the brain and nervous system, and with awareness, compassion, and support, can be rewired.

Over the years and especially recently, I’ve been working with clients who have been struggling with procrastination — whether it’s avoiding life admin like tax returns or delaying wellness or self-care routines like going for a walk. Sometimes even when we want to tick things off or implement positive habits, something can stop us from taking action — and that can feel incredibly frustrating.

I know this from my own life, too. Even though I’m generally self-driven, I still have things I keep putting off – comparing insurance policies, organising a chaotic cupboard, washing my car, booking a skin check (not something to delay!), or finally looking into that body scan assessment I’ve been meaning to do.

It’s important to remember that procrastination isn’t just laziness or a lack of will power — and it certainly isn’t a character flaw. Procrastination can come in many shapes and forms and, often, can be a pattern held in our nervous system, shaped by various factors including stress, fear, past experiences, or limiting beliefs.

What is Procrastination?

Definition (Oxford Languages):
Procrastination (noun): the action of delaying or postponing something.

Origin from Latin (Merriam-Webster):

Pro — forward
Crastinus — “of tomorrow”

In other words, pushing something into the future (rightly or wrongly).

How Procrastination can affect us.

Procrastination can be stressful and weigh us down. And there are consequences, depending on what we are avoiding and why. The impacts can show up in different ways. Some are immediate, easy to recognise, and potentially negative (which may or may not fuel our motivation to get the task done). Others can be more subtle and slowly drain us and our energy.

In my view, there are two main areas to consider:

External: Life Admin and Deadline Driven Tasks

Work or study assignments, tax or BAS submissions, paying bills, scheduling medical checks, renewing insurance or licences, grocery shopping, cleaning ….

Because of their nature, the chances are that one way or another we tend to get these tasks done eventually — even if it’s at the very last minute. For some people that pressure works; I know it doesn’t for me, and many of my clients feel the same. Either way, stress builds in our system if we keep pushing things out.

Internal: Self-Care and Wellbeing Practices

Going for a walk or increasing movement, improving nutrition or eating habits, reducing alcohol consumption, going to bed earlier, slowing down, meditating, taking breaks, avoiding difficult conversations, setting boundaries, stopping the scrolling or reducing social media exposure…

These wellbeing-focused aspects are harder to start or maintain and from my experience, are often the first things we push aside or drop when we feel tired, busy or under pressure (especially if there is no pressing medical reason ‘forcing’ us to act).

Based on my experience with clients, the second category is where blocks or underlying deeper patterns can show up – whether they are linked to stress, overwhelm, fear, lack of motivation or clarity, family upbringing, self-sabotage, or limiting beliefs. Whether we are conscious of them or not, they can influence our attitudes, behaviours and follow through. Our brain pathways can be wired to favour familiar patterns, even when these aren’t helpful. This is why these cycles can feel so persistent and disheartening.

The Energetic Cost

I believe that procrastination drains our energy, because the ‘task’ or ‘thing’ we still haven’t done, hangs around and lingers in the background, creating a sense of heaviness or subliminal tension that stays with us on some level, like a form of attachment, until we either:

Finally do something about it, or
Consciously decide it’s not important enough to keep carrying with us.

The Mental Cost

When procrastination prevails, it can take up valuable mental space. The mind tends to keep circling back to the unfinished task or routine, replaying it repeatedly. This mental noise is distracting and can make it more difficult to focus, make decisions or get other meaningful things done. It drains our mental capacity and energy, impacting our cognitive function. When these loops or thoughts keep popping up, the same neural pathways are re-activated, further contributing to mental fatigue and procrastination.

The Emotional Cost

I consider this one of the most significant impacts of procrastination: it can trigger negative self‑talk and self‑judgement. I’m sure we’re all familiar with this — we beat ourselves up, label ourselves useless or lazy, and slowly chip away at our confidence, self‑belief, and personal power. This emotional spiral can also activate our body’s fight-or-flight response, keeping us and the nervous system slightly on edge and amplifying feelings of stress or overwhelm. Over time, this reinforces the very patterns that keep us trapped, creating a loop that feels utterly exhausting.

Supporting ourselves through Procrastination

So how can we navigate procrastination? Honestly, I don’t believe there’s a one-size-fits-all solution. We are all unique, and as such, the reasons behind procrastination differ from person to person. This is where Advanced Kinesiology is so effective – it allows me to tap into your specific stresses, blocks, or patterns.

I believe that the key is to bring the underlying causes into conscious awareness. When we understand what’s really going on, we are far more equipped to ‘overwrite’ and shift old or restrictive ways of being and thinking.

A Practical Approach

If you feel ready to address your procrastination patterns or underlying connections, consider the steps below.

1. Create Conscious Awareness

First things first, are you aware that you are procrastinating, or is someone else pointing it out? And importantly, how important is this task or thing you are pushing out to you right now? Sometimes we hold onto old goals or expectations that no longer align with who we are.

2. Take Ownership

Once we are aware, honesty is essential and this can be challenging or uncomfortable. Are you willing to do something about it? Are you making excuses or blaming others or circumstances? Or is there a part of you that feels strangely comfortable staying stuck?

3. Assess and Evaluate

Set aside time, grab some paper and explore:

What am I procrastinating?
Why am I avoiding it?
What are the layers behind the why — keep asking, what’s underneath?
- E.g. is it stress, fear, overwhelm, lack of motivation, just can’t be bothered, no time, not knowing how, a limiting belief or a self-sabotage pattern?
Can I let this task go — and if not, why not?

Remember: Be gentle with yourself during this process — you’re exploring, not judging.

4. Make a Plan

Brainstorming and reflecting can bring a lot of clarity to determine your next steps:

Can I do this on my own? Do I need to research something? Or
Do I need support?

Break the task you are procrastinating into smaller, achievable steps and create a realistic timeline. Hold yourself accountable – but with compassion and kindness.

5. Adjust and Reassess

Check in with your progress on a regular basis. If you notice the plan isn’t working, give yourself permission to reassess your expectations and scale things back.

For example:

Instead of expecting yourself to walk every morning, try every second day or twice a week
If you can’t get out of bed because you are too tired, ask yourself – why am I too tired? Is this a mindset pattern or am I genuinely tired? If it is genuine tiredness, look at your sleep patterns or overall energy levels. If it’s mindset-related, gently acknowledge the belief or block that’s showing up.
If you keep avoiding a life admin task, ask yourself whether you need more information or clearer steps, or external support

Adjusting your plan doesn’t mean you’re failing — it means you’re listening to your body, honouring your capacity, and creating a more sustainable path forward.

An Intuitive Approach

In addition to the practical steps above, it can be equally powerful and supportive to approach procrastination intuitively — by connecting with your body and inner landscape.

Tune into your Body

Take a moment to sit comfortably, breathe, and tune in. Notice where you feel procrastination or stuckness in your body. It might show up as tightness, heaviness, pressure, or a sense of holding.

As you breathe in, imagine gently “hooking into” that stuckness — connecting with it without judgement.
As you breathe out, visualise releasing it, almost as if you’re pulling the tension or stagnation out of your system.

Repeat this for a few breaths, allowing your body to soften, your nervous system to settle, and resistance to shift.

Connect with the Feeling, not the Goal

Instead of focusing solely on the outcome or the task itself, connect with how you want to feel — or how it will feel — once you’re doing or have done it.

For example, if your intention is to go for a walk, tune into the feeling it gives you:

Feeling joy and clarity
Feeling spacious yet grounded
Feeling good in your body
Feeling content with a sense of accomplishment

Hold that feeling in the morning when getting out of bed feels difficult. Let the desired feeling guide you rather than the pressure of the task or practice.

This intuitive approach helps shift you out of force and into alignment — making action feel more natural, embodied, and self-supportive. When we address procrastination through the body, heart, and mind, we open space for deeper clarity, confidence, and self‑trust.

How Advanced Kinesiology can help.

With 10+ years’ experience in this field, I offer mental and emotional support to my clients as we unravel any blocks and patterns that are holding you back. Through a powerful combination of muscle testing and wellness coaching, I help you identify, understand and clear what’s going on beneath the surface. Together, we create space for growth, expansion, and empowered action — so you can move forward.

You’ll walk away with:

Clarity around the root causes
Strategies tailored to your unique needs
Accountability and support
Renewed confidence and emotional stability
A deeper connection to your strengths and inner guidance

If procrastination is weighing on you and you’re ready to shift the pattern, I’d love to support you. If you need guidance and professional support, please email me or book online.

With ease & awareness,

Lexi