When you put off reporting because you don't want to be scolded
When you put off reporting, it does not necessarily mean you do not understand the necessity of reporting.
Rather, it is precisely because you know that the report is important that you continue to think about what might happen after you report it, which can leave you unable to act.
This tends to happen especially when you have to make an awkward report, such as when progress is behind schedule or you have noticed a small mistake.
In fact, I have had this experience myself when I was younger.
I completely forgot to consult with my supervisor about scheduling the client's next visit. I didn't realize it until about two weeks later. I should have reported and consulted immediately, but I thought, 'Oh no...', and ended up delaying the report to my supervisor for several more days.
What was on my mind at that time was not how to recover the missed appointment, but only how to convey it without being scolded.
In such situations, my supervisor's face would come to mind and I would feel tense, and I would think things like,
'I'll tell them after I've made a little more progress,' or 'I'll look into the cause so I can explain it,'
and end up putting off the report.
By doing so, you can avoid facing a situation where you are scolded in a harsh tone or given a dirty look at that moment. Since that reduces the tension a little, you might be able to return to the work in front of you for the time being.
However, in the long run, the fact that you haven't reported it becomes a new source of anxiety.
As time passes, the possibility of being asked 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' is added. What should have been a small matter of just reporting progress starts to feel like you have to explain excuses for why the report was delayed, even though the content of what you are reporting has hardly changed from the beginning.
In this way, reporting gradually becomes a task with a heavy psychological burden.
Preparing not to be scolded makes reporting heavier
Thinking 'I'll do a little more' or 'I'll look into the cause first,' and ending up procrastinating, is not because you want to slack off at work. It is often because you feel that doing so might soften the other person's reaction a little.
In other words, what you were trying to prepare before the report was not an explanation, but a defense against being scolded.
That is why it feels like just conveying the situation is not enough. You feel like you can only report once you have clarified the cause, decided on future measures, and braced yourself to answer even if you are blamed.
However, in actual work, reporting is not just about conveying things after everything has been resolved. There are times when it is necessary to share the current situation first, even if there are still things you don't know or if it is just an interim report.
When you have put off reporting, before you immediately evaluate yourself negatively by saying 'I am irresponsible' or 'I ran away from work,' try looking at how much you had blown the act of reporting out of proportion in your own mind.
Share interim progress instead of a 'completed report'
When the hurdle for reporting feels too high, try not to aim for a perfect explanation from the start, but instead break it down into a smaller task of just briefly sharing the current situation.
This actually applies to more than just reporting; when you break down and concretize the things you 'need to do' or 'are planning to do,' it becomes harder to procrastinate.
For example, think back to your student days. Just thinking 'I have to study' makes it hard to know where to start, but if you break it down and think, 'I'll work on the math problems where I made careless mistakes earlier,' it becomes easier to take action, right?
In terms of work reporting, it would be:
'I have progressed this far. I am currently waiting on confirmation for XX, so I am sharing the situation for now. I will report again as soon as I have confirmation.'
That is how you can convey it.
While adjustments based on your actual workplace and the content are necessary, the important thing here is to start the report first, rather than taking on the burden of convincing the other person all at once.
Of course, if you are yelled at every time you report or your character is attacked, making the act of communicating itself a heavy burden, it cannot be reduced to just a matter of your own courage or how you phrase things. If it is interfering with your work, it is necessary to share the situation with a trusted person or a workplace consultation contact rather than carrying it alone.
Even if you have tried to report and stopped, and time has just passed, you do not need to have a complete explanation ready the next time you communicate.
You can start reporting simply by sharing the current situation first.
If it is still difficult to move toward the act of reporting itself and you are unsure what to do during the night, there is also a method of 'leaving just one thing to check tomorrow.'