We all struggle with Procrastination and have thought of getting rid of it many times, but Procrastination is nothing new.
Ten thousand years ago, the ancient Greek philosophers even had a word for it, a crazier meaning to act against our better judgment by doing one thing even though we know we should be doing something else. From ancient history till now, it’s even more prevalent today as we live in a world full of distractions, and Procrastination is common nowadays.
Why do we procrastinate?
Procrastination is simply the process of delaying or ignoring completing an important task. It’s an everyday problem that may result in a number of issues, like missed opportunities and high-stress levels.
Many of us struggle with this problem and end up procrastinating until the last minute. It’s possible that you tried to get close to it but failed.
Sometimes, it won’t take much time to finish, so we delay it until the deadline, which leads to the mindset that we have plenty of time and can do this simple thing later. But just before the deadline, we felt huge work pressure and realized we should have done it earlier.
Procrastination is not laziness:
Procrastination is not the same as being lazy, although knowing that this is sometimes true. Psychological stress or low self-esteem are the main reasons for procrastination. We decide to avoid doing something meaningful in favor of something easier or more enjoyable. We call it procrastination.
Long-term procrastination reduces our energy and desire for our work, which in serious scenarios may end in depression and even the loss of our jobs. Procrastination can be deadly for students because it may end in low marks.
Types of Procrastination:
You need to identify what kind of procrastination you’re experiencing before you can find a remedy. Experts put procrastinators into two categories:
- Passive procrastinators tend to delay tasks due to a fear of failure and social anxiety. They avoid taking action because they are anxious about not fulfilling expectations or making mistakes.
- Active procrastinators tend to put off tasks until the very last minute yet still deliver excellent work on time. They wait for pressure.
I will not discuss them here, but there are numerous types of procrastinators based on different habits.
How to stop Procrastination:
Before trying to overcome it, you must admit that you are procrastinating. Prepare your mind to overcome it and challenge yourself to remove Procrastination. Here are the most useful steps that helped me eliminate procrastination.
1. Make Your To-Do List Short:
You can have extensive tasks but procrastinate. It is better to make it short because, in the beginning, it may seem like a lot of things to do. Just keep the necessary tasks and focus on them. When you do the essential functions earlier, then optional tasks will be easy to do.
Start by choosing one task you’ve been avoiding and committing to finishing it this week. Eat slowly but often, start with only one task, and do it for a while without getting distracted. This will provide a clear idea of functions, reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed and making it easier to get started.
2. Start with the Hard One:
When we start to do something, we have the highest mental and physical energy to do the task. It is better to start with the hard one, as it may require effort and hard work to sort out. Identify the arduous task from your to-do list, and with any thought, start it.
It may seem weird, but it helps. I have done this often. Doing and completing the challenging task will also give you a moral boost and confidence to do the following task, which will feel relatively easy. Doing the most challenging task first will provide you with a sense of accomplishment and momentum that carries over to other tasks.
3. Break the task into small parts:
eating food in small amounts is easier than eating it all at once. It is more effective to take small steps at a time. Smaller tasks are quick and easy to focus on, which also inspires you to keep going.
The task can be done faster and more efficiently by focusing on completing small parts at a time. It can be solved by breaking the task into reasonable, fun, and rewarding steps.
4. Take a break and have a cold shower:
It can be easily overcome with an ice bath or a shower that is cold. The discomfort of being in the cold may help in motivation recovery and help one to overcome the dopamine trough.
Taking a break is essential; the best way to increase productivity is to take a cold shower during a break. Breaks help you recover your mind, improving focus and productivity when you return to the task. Sleep can also be an excellent choice. Cold showers have been helpful for stress reduction and brain development, which is proven through research.
5. Take Accountability
Accountability is a powerful tool to fight procrastination. Being accountable for your actions leads to mindfulness and goal achievement, a way towards improvement.
It allows us to learn from our mistakes and be better in all areas. Also, it promotes helpful changes in us and builds our own development, both of which are beneficial over time. These will all help us in overcoming the need to put tasks away.
Conclusion
We all procrastinate, and it’s okay to procrastinate sometimes. But it becomes harmful when done daily and starts to harm us. Many people don’t take it seriously and don’t try to overcome it, but it may cause severe damage if not appropriately cured in the long term.
You can watch Ali Abdaal’s video on This topic.
This guide gave you the main tools you need to stop procrastinating, but you have to apply them in your life to get the result. It is okay to fail but not give up. If you wait for the right time to take action, the time will never come.
How do you deal with procrastination? Let us know in the comments.
As a seasoned content writer specializing in self-development and AI tools, I draw from my past experiences to create insightful and engaging content. My work is dedicated to helping readers enhance their personal growth and leverage AI for better productivity.
