It takes me three songs to walk to the bus stop from my house, or about 10 minutes. My Sunday chores — changing my sheets, cleaning my bathroom — feel manageable only when I remind myself that they’re just five songs long. And finally unpacking my rucksack after a month of it sitting in the corner of my room took only half a song to finish. Sure, I love music, but I didn’t realize until a few years ago that I have been relying on it for much more than easy listening — I use it to work, to sleep, to exist.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve put things off until the last minute. I had always chalked up my anxiety about starting and finishing tasks to procrastination, a word I have used to generously blame myself. It took me a long time to articulate that I find it difficult to estimate and manage my time because I struggle with avoidance and prioritizing my goals. “Feelings of overwhelm associated with the task at hand can lead to procrastination or spending an excessive amount of time on a task,” says Dr. Annia Raja, licensed clinical psychologist. It may arise from struggles with perfectionism, a desire to “get it right,” or a fear of rejection or judgment related to the outcome.
According to Dr. Raja, it can be challenging to accurately estimate how long a task will take when you’re feeling anxious. “This can lead to overcommitting, overestimating your abilities, and ultimately falling behind schedule,” she says. “And [it] can cause indecision and analysis paralysis, which eats up even more valuable time.”