This post I wanted to list defense mechanisms that are preventing the thesis journey. They bring more pain and anxiety and exhaustion. Seeing them makes us able to do something about them. Note, I am actively engaged in the distraction defense mechanism now by updating this blog XD
- Self-Attack: “I’ll never be able to do it”
- Classic self-sabotage. Your mind tells you you’re not capable, so why bother even trying? It’s the ultimate paralyzer, convincing you that failure is inevitable before you’ve even started.
- Unrealistic Optimism: “I can learn it all!”
- The opposite extreme. Instead of stressing about not doing enough, your mind tricks you into thinking you can absorb everything in one heroic, last-minute cram session. Spoiler: you can’t.
- Overvaluing Others: “Everyone else is so much more capable!”
- This one’s nasty. You look around and think everyone else has it together, which conveniently gives you a reason to procrastinate because “you’ll never be as good as them.”
- Distraction: “Let me just check one more thing…”
- Ah, distraction. The sneaky little avoidance tactic where you convince yourself that answering emails, cleaning your desk, or scrolling endlessly is somehow productive. Spoiler: it’s not.
- Perfectionism: “If it’s not perfect, what’s the point?”
- This one makes you avoid even starting, because the thought of doing something imperfect or less than ideal is terrifying. So instead of doing something, you do nothing. Great plan, right?
- Overwhelm: “There’s just too much to do”
- You’ve built the task up so much in your mind that it feels like an impossible mountain to climb. It’s so big and scary, you freeze in place instead of taking that first step.
- Rationalization: “I’ll have more energy tomorrow”
- The classic lie. You convince yourself that if you just wait a little longer, you’ll feel more inspired, more ready, more energized. Spoiler: tomorrow never arrives.
- Procrastination as Preparation: “I’m just getting ready”
- You spend forever preparing to do the work, setting up your workspace, reading up on random background info, making study schedules… but somehow never actually doing the thesis work itself.
- Deflection: “This other task is more urgent right now”
- You trick yourself into thinking other, smaller tasks are more important or urgent. That way, you get to avoid the big, scary thesis while still feeling like you’re doing something useful.
- Self-Sabotage via Stress: “I work better under pressure”
- Ah yes, the “I’ll do my best work when I’m completely panicked and running out of time” lie. Your mind convinces you that stress will fuel productivity, but really, it just piles on more stress.
- Overcomplicating: “I need to understand everything before I start”
- You tell yourself you can’t proceed until you fully grasp every tiny detail, turning a manageable task into an unnecessarily complicated nightmare. So, of course, you avoid starting at all.
- Resentment: “Why do I even have to do this?”
- You start getting mad about the fact you have to do the thesis at all, which makes you procrastinate out of sheer defiance. It’s a “this sucks, so I won’t do it” mentality.
- Catastrophizing: “If I mess this up, my whole life is ruined”
- Your mind convinces you that any mistake is the end of the world. So, instead of risking that catastrophic failure, you avoid the task entirely.
- Guilt-Driven Procrastination: “I’m already behind, so what’s the point?”
- Since you’re already behind schedule, you feel guilty and let that guilt keep you from starting at all. It’s like a vicious cycle of guilt and avoidance.
- Comparing Past Failures: “I’ve messed up before, I’ll probably mess this up too”
- You look back on any past mistakes and use them as “proof” that this time won’t be any different, leading to more hesitation and avoidance.