Page 215 - End Procrastination Now Get it Done with a Proven Psychological Approach

Sample Therapy Script for a Procrastination Scenario 179

Interaction Process Comments

Ted: One is to find another job where I won’t
have to do reviews. Another is to ask for a demo-
tion and let someone else do them. I could learn
to stop procrastinating on doing my perfor-
mance reviews. I’d rather keep my job. There is a
lot about it that I like.
Bill: You spit that out pretty quickly. It sounds as
if you’ve given your options some thought.
Ted: Absolutely. But there is only one good
option for me: get them done and keep out of
hot water in the future.
Bill: Okay, then the goal is to keep your job, and Strongly reinforce
this starts with finishing the reviews and avoid- client’s rational goal.
ing this sort of problem in the future.
Ted: That’s my best option.

Bill: Besides should thinking and failure fears that Summarize and
can start procrastination in motion, procrastina- continue to educate
tion can start with any perception that triggers about procrastination.
discomfort of any sort. It also can be an indepen-
dent problem habit that takes an extra effort to
stop. Let’s see what’s going on when you pro-
crastinate. When you think about your perfor-
mance reviews coming due, what do you think?
Ted: I feel like I don’t want to do them.

Bill: And then? A question to cause
Ted to think more
deeply about the pro-
cess he follows when
he procrastinates.

Ted: I do something different.
Bill: For example? It’s easier to work
with examples than
with speculative
interpretations.