5 steps to overcome procrastination

We are constantly connected and, unintentionally, we accumulate tasks. In this scenario, procrastination becomes a major villain.

What is procrastination?

Procrastination is the act of postponing a certain action, when you leave that important task to deal with later. It's a normal behavior, in the sense of prioritizing activities, but in certain cases, it becomes worrying, especially if the situation is routine.

It can be something done consciously or unconsciously. In both cases, an activity is pushed to later. You know that thing about dedicating yourself first to the smaller, less important task, the one that demands less of you and is very enjoyable, and leaving the important activities for the last minute?

The human brain procrastinates because it prefers immediate rewards. That's why it's so bad to deal with tasks that bring advantages in the future, but which are not tangible at this moment. Conversely, it's very good to do something that brings a reward now, in the present.

The problem is that, after this postponement, feelings of regret or guilt may arise for not having done what should have been done. Having this feeling repeatedly can trigger high levels of stress, anxiety, or depression.

Why does procrastination happen?

There's a myth that procrastination is pure laziness. In some cases, it might be, but there are many reasons that encourage procrastination.

Procrastination can have psychological or physiological origins.

The psychological aspect is usually linked to issues related to anxiety and self-esteem. The individual often postpones completing tasks for fear of disapproval. To avoid hearing that the activity was poorly done or could be better, they prefer not to even try.

Another reason could be a lack of discipline. In general, we learn to do our tasks out of obligation and necessarily need someone constantly reminding us. Therefore, we don't train ourselves to fulfill our responsibilities simply because they need to be fulfilled.

How to overcome procrastination in 5 tips

To help you overcome procrastination and produce more and better results, we've put together 5 quick and practical tips. Check them out:

Understand the root of the problem.

What's stopping you from starting your task right now? What's distracting you? Try to answer these questions honestly by analyzing your behavior.

By doing some self-analysis, you can identify small situations that are hindering you right now.

The most common reasons are the fear of failure, the fear of not succeeding, or the fear of not knowing how to do it correctly. When we finish a project and achieve success, it's common to be afraid to start something new that might not be as good as the previous one. Accept that this situation can occur and devise a plan to overcome it.

Imagine the ultimate goal.

To reach your goal, you need to see it clearly. This focus exercise will help you begin to confront procrastination.

You can write down the goals you want to achieve to keep a record of what needs to be done. This will provide motivation, making it easier to start working on them.

Think about how the outcome will positively affect you, how it will affect the people around you who will have access to the work or the result. Remember how satisfied you felt when you finished an old task. Or even imagine the profits that this work will bring.

Break down large tasks into smaller ones.

This is an action that, in practice, can help make the work easier. Take a large task and try dividing it into smaller parts. This way, you can approach challenges in a more direct way, and they will seem more achievable. In addition to making it easier to manage priorities and quantify work.

Let's give an example to make it clearer: your goal is to read a book, and there are several ways to make that a reality. You can create reading goals, such as how many pages you want to read per day, how many chapters you want to read per week, or how many minutes of reading you need to have daily.

The most important thing is that this goal is achievable and consistent with your reality.

Reward yourself.

To get even more motivated, Rewarding yourself when you achieve your goals is a great alternative. To accomplish a certain task, you probably had to give up another, such as accessing your social media. So, when you finish what you need to do, reward yourself by looking at social media, talking to a loved one, or reading a book.

Not sure how to reward yourself? Think of something you love that you have to put aside to focus on your goals. This will increase your motivation, making your mind understand that, above all, it's necessary to do what needs to be done.

Get organized

There are many ways to get organized, the most common being through checklists. To-do lists are simple and useful, as well as preventing errors and saving time.

Create a simple list and cross off the tasks as you complete them. It seems simple, but it works very well to see that you are making progress.

Finally…

There is no doubt that procrastination greatly hinders the performance of anyone who needs to focus on something, whether it's studying or working.

However, all is not lost. By following the tips we've outlined, it will be much easier to produce more and better work. Days of procrastination will decrease. The secret is understanding how your mind works and understanding its triggers and reactions.

There are good days and bad days, and mistakes are part of the learning process. Don't let self-criticism interfere with your activities.

The beginning of the process can be challenging, but with time, everything will fall into place and the results will appear.

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Nathalia Silva

Journalist, writer, and lover of words.

September 15, 2021

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