The perfectionist procrastinator - also referred to as the INFJ personality type - knows exactly what it’s like to distract themselves from a project or task. With a natural tendency to focus on the overall concept and bigger picture of every situation, INFJs can feel truly stuck when it comes to staying focused on mundane requirements. Welcome or welcome back Rediscovermind! Today we’ll be presenting the 5 key tips for optimal INFJ focus.
Number 1:
Intervals, intervals, intervals! While the INFJ can surely get carried away with procrastination and distractions, they can just as easily get carried away with working hours on end, especially on a project they are passionate about. Although this ultimately leads to burnout and discouragement when they finally do step away, INFJs can’t help but approach most things with an all-or-nothing approach. Once INFJs realize this nature they can easily work with it by giving themselves the time to organize their requirements into bite-size pieces and then creating deadlines around them. It’s important for an INFJ to outline all necessary details that are associated with each smaller task to be able to see the bigger picture of each individual task rather than putting a focus on the entire project at hand. Besides the fact that creating smaller steps allows for an easier road map to completion, it also gives this idealist type a good look at their accomplishments along the way - something that often gets overlooked when an INFJ is determined. This is where the classic INFJ to-do lists come in handy. When there's a personal list of obligations, even the most boring tasks become satisfying when you know you can cross it off your list!
Number 2:
Experiment with work settings With an interesting combination of introverted intuition, extraverted feeling, introverted thinking, and extraverted sensing, the INFJ is undoubtedly impacted by the environment and people that surround them. So, it’s no surprise that one of the most crucial tips to true INFJ focus is a proper project haven. One thing that’s for sure is that most INFJs probably prefer a more quiet, peaceful environment with little distraction. But does that really work for all INFJs? Well.. not exactly. In fact, the ideal work setting is uniquely different for every INFJ. While some people with this personality type can easily pop in a pair of headphones playing lo-fi study beats and work away in a quiet cafe, other INFJs require complete silence and solitude to really get in touch with their creative side. Even the slightest change in the sensation of a room can cause them to lose focus. Now, it’s not all about setting either, things like the time of day and even the weather can play a crucial role. Some INFJs may feel more emotional and gloomy on rainy days, making them perfect for more artsy projects, while the sunshine can influence this type into feeling energized and encouraged to complete the more complex stuff. To find out what work setting works for you, try experimenting and paying attention to things like room lighting, screen dimness, background sounds, and even meals and stimulants.. Maybe that afternoon coffee isn’t doing your productivity any good after all!
Number 3:
Separate self-worth from progress When it comes to family life, relationships, career, self-improvement, and just about every other aspect of life INFJs have a tendency to associate their self-worth with the progress they make. In fact, INFJs have such a clear idealistic picture of the way they think things should be in their lives that they can easily get caught up in self-doubt and disapproval. This is such a prominent trait in the INFJ because they seek meaning in every aspect of their lives - unconsciously striving for perfection on a mental and emotional level. So, when things don’t go as planned, the INFJ can’t help but become discouraged from continuing - sometimes so much so that they may even start to question if they even have the right skills to be completing such a project or task. However, when INFJs are able to disassociate their self-worth from their progress in life it can take a considerable amount of pressure off making the task considerably less dreadful - possibly even enjoyable.
Number 4:
Prioritize alone time With INFJs being the homebodies they’re known to be, it may seem like the act of prioritizing alone time would seem like a breeze, however, that’s not always the case. INFJs can get so wrapped up in using their empathetic nature to help others that their own needs get pushed to the side. Whether it’s on a small scale such as spending a day helping a coworker with their work rather than getting their own tasks done, or on a larger scale like putting off their dream of starting a blog because they have so many obligations from the people in their life. Sometimes the INFJ’s strengths can in fact be detrimental to their own happiness and success. Luckily, when an INFJ fully dedicates blocks of time to work on the desired task, they can easily switch to full force determination mode. The key is to not only dedicate time for work but also add blocks of time for play. Without this, it can be easy to mix the 2, leaving the INFJ in a vicious cycle of playing.. aka procrastinating until something is reaching a deadline. This type requires alone time to escape their mind and separate alone time putting their creativity into action in order to fully utilize their complex ideas without interruption or burnout. Plus.. when you run on introverted intuition, your best ideas usually come in times of solitude anyway.
Number 5:
Leave the perfectionism at the door Okay, we get it. For an INFJ to be able to separate themselves from their perfectionistic nature would be nothing short of a miracle. So, it’s fair to say that it’s nearly impossible for an INFJ to quiet their high self-expectations completely. Luckily, INFJs can slowly learn and realize that the ideal expected outcome they envision within their minds may not match up to the outcome in reality. Optimal focus and less distraction for this procrastination-prone type come when they realize there are no consequences should something not play out as expected - besides the consequences, they fabricate in their minds. In fact, an INFJs perfectionism is one of, if not the main culprit behind their procrastinating stereotype because the unnecessarily high expectations they place upon themselves makes it so difficult to take the first step, in fear that they may not live up to their own standards. So, when an INFJ consciously chooses to not invite their inner critiques aboard a project, they are choosing to actively focus on and maybe even enjoy the task at hand rather than the distraction of the final result.
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