Lately, I’ve been noticing a quiet theme emerging in the conversations I’m having and the spaces I’m holding which is procrastination. Not the kind that comes with shame or self-blame, but the slower, heavier kind. The kind that shows up when we’re trying to force ourselves forward while something deeper in us is asking to pause. That’s what I want to speak to today.
In this piece, I explore procrastination, not as a flaw or a failing, but as a message. A signal from your energy, your nervous system, your body. It’s not here to be fixed. It’s here to be heard. These are not just ideas. They are invitations to slow down, reflect, and lead from truth.
EPISODE 165: Listen using the player below, or click the links to your fave platform to subscribe and listen over there:
Procrastination isn’t laziness—it’s misaligned energy
There’s often a gap between what we think we should be doing and what our energy is actually available for. When that gap widens, procrastination enters. Not because we’re unmotivated, but because something in us isn’t aligned with the timing, the task, or the reason behind it.
Your body might be saying “pause” while your mind is saying “go.” And in that tug-of-war, it’s easy to slip into self-judgment. But what if this pause is intelligence? What if your energy is wiser than your task list?
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Sometimes, we’re forcing ourselves to create from a space of depletion, and what we put out from that place feels hollow, or flat, or even draining to others.
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The pause might be asking us to look inward first, to check in with what we actually want to say or offer, rather than what we think we’re supposed to.
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When you learn to trust the ebb in your energy as much as the flow, procrastination loses its shame and becomes guidance.
There’s nothing wrong with slow days, or days where the bare minimum is all that gets done. That rhythm might be exactly what’s needed.
Procrastination as protection: what your nervous system is telling you
There are moments when taking action doesn’t feel safe. Especially if that action means being visible, promoting your work, or sharing something vulnerable. In those moments, procrastination can be your nervous system’s way of protecting you from perceived risk, even if it’s not logical, even if it seems small.
We often overlook how powerful our inner safety systems are. But when a task brings up fear, fear of being judged, of getting it wrong, of being seen, your system will slow you down.
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It might not be the task itself that feels hard, but what it represents. Success, change, more responsibility.
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You may feel frozen or numb, even when you “know” what to do.
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Instead of pushing, pause and ask: what feels unsafe or uncertain about finishing this?
This isn’t about giving in to fear, but about listening to it long enough to find what needs support. When we bring groundedness and presence to those moments, our system often softens—and action becomes possible again, without the fight.
You might be trying to do the right task on the wrong day
One of the most practical shifts I’ve made is learning my own energy patterns. Some days I’m clear and visionary. Other days are for rest, or quiet admin, or play. When I try to write or record on a day that’s meant for reflection, it doesn’t land. I can feel the friction.
Procrastination can be a sign that you’re trying to create outside of your natural rhythm. That you’re pushing when your energy is asking for something else.
A while ago, I tracked my days for a week. What I did, how I felt, when I had clarity or spark or energy. It helped me see patterns I couldn’t feel in the moment. Now, I know when my creative windows are. I can honour them, instead of overriding them.
This isn’t always convenient. But it builds trust. And over time, that trust becomes flow.
Final Reflections
If you’re in a season of pause or resistance, I want you to know: there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re not behind. You’re not broken. You’re not lazy. You’re in rhythm with something deeper. And even if you don’t fully understand it yet, that’s okay.
May this piece give you space to honour what’s real for you right now.
Your rhythm is enough.
You are enough.
Here for the links that may have been referenced in the show or is complementary to this episode.
- Podcast – EP 160 Sacred Self Leadership
- Podcast – Ep 157 Lead With Heart, Not Ego
- Podcast – Ep 145 Trusting Yourself As A Businesswoman
More in-depth content and resources:
Finish off with a call to action .. Tash uses an image here linked to her programme
