Overcoming procrastination to achieve success

What is Procrastination? Procrastination is the habit of delaying or postponing tasks or actions that you should do, either by doing other, less important things or by distracting yourself with non-work activities, like checking social media or watching a TV show. It involves intentionally putting off tasks that need to be completed, often despite potentially negative consequences.

Procrastination is a response to internal and external pressure, perfectionism, and anxiety. Low self-esteem can also contribute to procrastination. Procrastination is a common hurdle that many individuals face when it comes to accomplishing tasks and achieving goals. It is a challenge that we have all faced at one point or another. People procrastinate for so many reasons. It is a common habit that affects many people, but it does not have to control your life. It affects everyone from school students to corporate employees, and the consequences can be dire. Sometimes we know we are doing it and it is intentional, other times it is habitual and we may not even be conscious of it. As humans, we struggle to make decisions. We can delay, ignore, or avoid actions but ultimately, procrastination can lead to failures. Keep in mind that by procrastinating you can damage your performance, harm your reputation, and cause yourself unnecessary anxiety. The more we procrastinate, the harder the habit can be to break.

1. Acknowledge That You are Procrastinating – Sometimes people are not willing to acknowledge that they are procrastinating. Unfortunately, you cannot expect to correct or overcome this behaviour if you do not admit it is a problem. The first step towards reducing procrastination is to be aware, recognise and admit that you have a problem with procrastination. It involves becoming aware of the signs that indicate you are avoiding tasks or delaying important work. If you frequently postpone jobs or tasks without a genuine reason, you are procrastinating.

2. Break Tasks Into Smaller Steps – If you have procrastinated on a task, it can feel like you are confronting a mountain. Sometimes it is hard to clearly see how and when you will complete a big project. As a result, it is tempting to just put it off. To prevent yourself from procrastinating when facing complex tasks, try breaking them into smaller, more manageable steps. It is a lot less intimidating to tackle a small part of a task than to take on the whole thing at once. This way you can tackle even the most challenging tasks with ease.

3. Prioritize Your Tasks and Set a Schedule – What are the outcomes you want to achieve? You need to think on the importance and amount of time the tasks will take when you attempt to prioritise tasks. Make a list prioritising the tasks, and create a schedule to get them done. This will enable you to quickly identify the activities that you should focus on, as well as the ones you can ignore. Allow room for adjustments as unexpected hurdles arise. The aim is to get all your due dates and major events plotted out in a format that lets you see the big picture easily.

4. Establish Achievable Goals – Are your goals specific, realistic, and achievable? Many people procrastinate because the task at hand seems too large for them to tackle or they do not know which task to start with. One of the most effective ways to stop procrastinating is to set realistic and attainable goals that include your objectives along with the action you hope to take. When you set goals, you will have something to work towards and you will be more likely to take action and less likely to procrastinate. When you do not have a destination to work towards, you can feel confused, stuck, and powerless, which causes procrastination.

5. Tackling the Task – People sometimes find it beneficial to start with their hardest or most unpleasant task first, because this helps them get it out of the way quickly while they are fresh. On the other hand some people find it more beneficial to start with their easiest or most fun task first, because this increases their confidence and helps them mentally to get into work mode. You are the best judge to decide as to whether, you want to start with the hardest or easiest task.

6. Set Deadlines – The problem with procrastination, of course, is that it causes unnecessary stress. When something is put off until the very last minute, you may be left with no choice but to rush through the task to complete it by the deadline, affecting the quality of your work. Without a clear sense of when things are due, it is tempting to put that work off. Setting yourself specific deadlines to complete tasks will keep you on track to achieve your goals, and will mean that you have no time for procrastination. Clear deadlines make it easier for you to understand exactly when a task needs to be completed.

7. Follow the 2 Minute Rule – The 2 minute rule is that if any task takes less than 2 minutes to complete do it now. You can decide what is considered a “small” task, based on what works well for you. The two-minute rule aims to banish procrastination and help people accomplish small tasks. It can sometimes be beneficial to complete small tasks as soon as you encounter them, as the motivation for them is still fresh and scheduling them will require more work than just doing them. This prevents the tasks from piling up into something that feels overwhelming.

8. Take a Break – Taking a break between tasks may seem counterintuitive to procrastination, but it is crucial in order to let you clear your head and recharge mentally. This can make you more productive once you get back to work. Get up, walk around and chat with a colleague. Try to take short breaks often instead of working for long periods and set a timer for your break so you know when to get back to work. Give yourself the time and space to de-stress.

9. Find the Right Kind of Motivation – What will motivate you to start, keep going, and finish a task? Identify a motivator for each of your goals and keep that in mind as you approach each task. For optimal motivation, work on finding a way to increase your task value and expectations and decrease hastiness and delay. Remember, higher value and expectations increase your motivation, and higher hastiness and delay decrease it. Motivation can be a major defense to overcome procrastination.

10. Increase Confidence and Self-Belief – Procrastination is often linked to low self-esteem because it can be a way of avoiding failure or criticism. Sometimes if your self-confidence is low your tendency to procrastinate is much greater. To overcome procrastination learn to believe in yourself. It is important to remember that you are capable of achieving your goals and that you have the power to make positive changes in your life. Self-belief is the foundation of success.

11. Avoid Distractions – Distractions can derail your progress and lead to procrastination. Avoiding temptation is crucial to finishing tasks. It is more difficult to lose your focus if you remove distractions from your workspace. To eliminate distractions, you need to identify what distracts you the most and come up with a plan to eliminate it. Try blocking social media websites, silencing your phone and imposing other restrictions on yourself to ensure you are focusing solely on the task at hand.

12. Overcome Perfectionism – The need for perfection will cause you to procrastinate. Most perfectionists procrastinate because they believe they are imperfect. Perfectionism can be a significant obstacle to productivity. Keep in mind that perfection is unattainable and often unnecessary. Learn to accept that mistakes and imperfections are part of the journey towards success.

Conclusion

To beat procrastination, you must define your goals and objectives and identify how procrastination hampers them. Try to remember that procrastination does not change overnight. We all have habits that make up our comfort zone. Procrastination can be broken, just like our worst habits. If you put in some effort and plan carefully, you can efficiently manage your time and reduce stress over completing tasks. Procrastination can restrict your potential and undermine your career. It can also disrupt teamwork, reduce morale, and even lead to depression and job loss. So, it is crucial to take proactive steps to prevent it. The longer you wait, the less likely you are to act on what you have learned, so start now, instead of telling yourself you will do it later.

“Indecisiveness and procrastination are the chosen ways of life for most people. They follow the course of least resistance, which is to do nothing. This provides a security blanket of never being wrong, never making mistakes, never being disappointed, and never failing. But they will also never succeed.”