Most people will suffer from procrastination at some stage in their life. For many, it is not a significant disadvantage, and they will quickly snap out of it and continue. But is this the same for an INFJ, or do they become overwhelmed? To answer this question, we need to find out what may lead them to procrastinate!
INFJs do procrastinate more than other personality types. A contributor to this is their constant strife for perfection. INFJs will perfect a task in their head before starting it, which may lead them to become demotivated. Setting and following a to-do list may help overcome their procrastination.
Read on to discover why INFJs procrastinate, what causes it, and simple ways for them to stay motivated.
Do INFJs Procrastinate?
Most people will have to deal with procrastination or a straight lack of motivation in their life at one point or another. INFJs are, in general, quite focused and have great organizing skills. Still, they do have a tendency to procrastinate more than others. In fact, it can become quite a struggle for an INFJ to gain the correct motivation for even the most basic tasks.
INFJs will have their own way of doing these basic tasks even when they are procrastinating and will finish the task. Getting things done the right way is important to an INFJ, even if it is under an extreme time schedule. The truth is that INFJs do not want to fail. Thus they tend to overthink, and some even prosper working under pressure.
Why Do INFJs Struggle With Procrastination
Leaving certain things till the last moment is a trait of the INFJ personality, so if they have a task to accomplish, it will get done. More often than not, complicating procrastinated tasks are completed effortlessly, even at the last minute.
INFJs will often motivate themselves at the last minute before starting a task. But the build-up to self-motivation can leave them stressed out and fatigued. Getting things done is all that they are concerned about, and figuring out how to complete it perfectly is what leads INFJs to procrastinate. Perfecting large tasks, step by step in their mind first, is the big reason INFJs procrastinate.
Failure is another deep fear that causes INFJs to procrastinate. Failure is equal to an unfinished task for an INFJ, and they do not want the added disappointment from themselves, friends, or colleagues. This will put a lot of stress on an INFJ to do things perfectly the first time; this can cause them to lose inspiration to start a task.
The stalling effect of starting something can result in the INFJs holding themselves back or not starting the task due to possible failure. While INFJs may be fearful and have doubts about certain tasks or objectives. They are competent people when it comes to getting something done when they set their minds to it.
When trying to work out all the angles to perfect a task, the INFJ will find it difficult to see the end result clearly. This is due to the desperation to do it right the first time round, and looking for faults that are not there will make them hesitate. But in true INFJ fashion, they will commence with the task at the last minute as they have no more choices left. They must complete the task with their skill set, often with very successful results.
INFJs have vibrant minds and wonderful imaginations that can distract them from their tasks and motivation to start something. Getting caught up in their thoughts will place an INFJ mentally somewhere else, as they find their thoughts much more interesting than some mundane task.
Suppose a particular task just does not inspire an INFJ. In that case, they will simply delve into their dreamy minds and go where their imagination will take them. This is not just daydreaming but rather dreams and goals that need to be set or achieved and are often unobtainable. This could be far away destinations to travel to or designing the perfect house with all the trimmings.
How To Stay Motivated As An INFJ
INFJs will procrastinate; it is you they are. The best way for them to motivate themselves to do tasks will be to know what they will be getting into. Below are four ways to assist INFJs in motivating and procrastinating less on a specific task.
Is The Task Something They Want To Do?
When an INFJ is procrastinating over a specific task, they should ask themselves, “is this something I really want to do?”. They will need to answer this vital quest as INFJs will agree to things they will regret later. The second function of an INFJ is the “Extraverted Feelings (Fe), making them very in touch with the needs of people.
The desire to assist others and the tendency to always try to avoid conflict make INFJ agree to requests without giving them much thought. Whatever they have agreed to is now an obligation; meeting this obligation is necessary to avoid disappointment or rejection. This will create an inner conflict in the mind of an INFJ.
So the question an INFJ needs to ask themselves before agreeing to something is,” do I truly want to do this or do I need to do this?”. Answering this question will allow them to remove procrastination from the decision-making process of the requested task.
Create A Strong Purpose For Everything They Do
After considering if the task is something they would like to do, the debate that will continue is whether the task is something we can choose to do or is it a “must do the task.” For instance, washing dishes, an INFJ may say they don’t want to do this task, but deep down, they know it must be done. This sets the purpose as the priority.
INFJs will seek meaning in everything they do. To maintain a motivated feeling, they need to understand why they need to do a specific task and how meaningful it is to them. Procrastination will kick into high gear if they have not taken the time to analyze the task.
Using the washing dishes example, an INFJ will not see the task as just another daily chore. They will instead see it as a more spiritual practice of staying in the moment and being present. The dirty dishes will constantly stay on their mind if they have decided to leave the task for a later time. This may cause slight anxiety while they are busy with other tasks.
When it comes to larger projects or tasks, an INFJ can easily become lost in the finer details and lose track of how the task is to be finalized. Aligning tasks in a meaningful and visionary way is essential for large tasks.
Break Large Tasks Into Smaller Phases
INFJs have big visions and tasks that they may want to accomplish. Large projects all start with a single small task; many small tasks are equivalent to a project. Think of a large project as a mountain trail you want to hike. To start is easy, just take the first step, but set a goal to reach the first viewpoint. Once the viewpoint is reached, set the next goal, and so on, till the trail is complete.
Breaking down bigger tasks into smaller and more manageable ones will make them easier to accomplish and seem much less daunting. This, in turn, will leave procrastination down to the minimum as the task is easily obtainable.
Finding Inner Motivation For An INFJ
Putting faith in themselves is, in many cases, quite possibly the main component in tracking down their inward inspiration. INFJs should be more equipped to confide in their capabilities instead of continually questioning themselves, leading to anxiety about failing. INFJs can be so unforgiving of themselves because they take a stab at specific degrees of perfection that are often unreachable.
They can frequently fault themselves when things don’t go perfectly. Thus this creates an absence of inspiration. The INFJ must genuinely begin to confide in their own abilities and not speculate on their undiscovered weaknesses.
The more the INFJ figures out how to believe this instinct, the more they become optimistic about their abilities and pull away from this feeling of disappointment. When they trust in themselves, it allows them to truly track down inspiration for the task and view a positive outcome rather than an unsuccessful uncompleted task.
For INFJs, not having any desire to begin certainly comes from this staggering inclination that they can’t achieve their task. Thus, they need to find this feeling of confidence in themselves.
For INFJs, occasionally figuring out how to begin is the most effective way to stay motivated.
The greatest thing for the INFJ is to stop putting all the strain on themselves or going to another person for help to accomplish a task. This will guarantee that the tasks can be completed correctly. They need to be confident in themselves and trust the individuals around them to help them reach their goals.
Tips To Increase Productivity As An INFJ
Putting a few routines into practice can assist in increasing productivity as an INFJ. A simple “to-do” list will help if used regularly to boost motivation.
Set Realistic Limits On Daily Accomplishments
INFJs have many ideas, but most will struggle with getting an idea started or off the ground. INFJ can easily construct a list of 20 or more things they would like to get done in a day. But with an extensive list, it is usually the case of constantly carrying tasks over to the next day.
This will in turn, create a feeling of being overwhelmed and frustrated. The answer is to set a realistic list of tasks to complete in a day. Simply choose three or four tasks to complete and check off the “to-do list.” Setting a weekly task list and breaking it down into achievable daily tasks will make the to-do list more manageable.
Select Valued Tasks
Connect your daily to-do list of three or four items you want to accomplish to what matters most to your values. Identifying your values ensures that every task that makes it to your to-do list moves you toward your goal. As an INFJ, motivating yourself for tasks that aren’t connected to your values is difficult.
Identify The Reasons For Avoiding Tasks
If an INFJ starts to procrastinate or blatantly avoid doing a task, they need to evaluate their personal feelings. Are there tasks on the “to-do” list that are not connected to their values? INFJs will instead help and serve others first before helping themselves, so they include items on their list devoted to someone else’s agenda. If this is the case, they need to re-evaluate the tasks.
Include Breaks Into The To-Do List
Setting breaks into the “to-do” list is vital. Regular intervals for rest and recovery will prevent the INFJ burnout. INFJs are not the best at taking care of themselves. But it is needed for an INFJ to stay focused and maintain productivity.
Limit Your To-Do Tasks
INFJs always want to help one more person or add an extra task to the “to-do” list. They must respect their list, as this is set with their values and what they can accomplish in a day. Do not simply add a task to please someone, but rather stick within the boundaries.
Celebrate Completed Tasks
INFJs should celebrate when a goal or “to-do” list is completed. They will now have a broader understanding of their limitations and strengths. Review the lists and see where items can be added to increase the daily and weekly accomplishments. Be wary to not add too much but add one thing at a time and include extra breaks for resting.
Conclusion
INFJs constantly strive to please people, which may lead them to take on more than they are comfortable doing. They are perfectionists and will work out all the steps to complete a task. They will do this in their minds, often adding even more steps and eventually losing motivation to start the given task.
Following a “to-do” list will assist an INFJ in selecting tasks that contribute to their values and goals rather than adding tasks to simply please others.
