Browsing for a way to stop your bad habit of procrastination? Here are easy tips to stop procrastinating so much and be more productive.
The deadline is fast approaching, but there’s still so much to do. However, instead of concentrating on your work, you’re just bumming around and fiddling with your cell phone. Does this feel too familiar?
Procrastination is a universal problem, or should we say a phenomenon, that’s plaguing or has plagued everyone. It’s a trap that most of us fall into and oftentimes, consciously too, like a bad habit that won’t go away. Well, you aren’t alone, folks.
The thing is, just because procrastination has become a global problem doesn’t mean you should just let it be. It would be best if you didn’t let it take over your life. Otherwise, you won’t be able to achieve greater things and soar higher in life.
In this article, we will be discussing the ways you can overcome procrastination. But before that, allow us to talk more about procrastination and the possible reasons why it’s hard to stop it.
Easy Tips To Stop Procrastinating And Be More Productive
How do I stop being lazy and procrastinating?
Procrastination is the habit of delaying any important activity or task to focus instead on more enjoyable activities that are less urgent. Laziness, on the other hand, happens when you’re unwilling to act or do something. Procrastination can impede your potential and hinder your career from flourishing. What’s more, it can reduce morale, disrupt teamwork, and, worse, result in depression and unemployment.
The first step to stop procrastinating and being lazy is to recognize that you’re doing it. Briefly, putting off an important task for a good reason isn’t necessarily procrastinating. That said, if you delay indefinitely or because you want to avoid doing something, that’s when procrastination kicks in.
Next, you have to determine the reason why you’re procrastinating. Do you find a certain task tedious or unpleasant? Is it because you tend to be disorganized? Perhaps, you’re doubting yourself and are worried that you’ll fail? There are so many reasons that are triggering your procrastination. The key is to determine them so you can think of ways to overcome procrastination.
Is procrastination a mental illness?
Short answer: no. Still, procrastination itself, especially when it’s chronic, can have an enormous impact, whether it’ll be affecting academics, work performance, or even personal relationships. Put simply, and it can be a serious problem when it negatively affects all aspects of an individual’s life.
Nonetheless, while procrastination to some extent can be a consuming problem, strictly and technically speaking, it isn’t recognized as a mental health disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. You won’t need treatment, as it’s all up to you to stop this bad habit.
Why is it so hard to stop procrastinating?
The human brain works mysteriously. Did you know that the brain releases a certain chemical for every feeling there is? Interestingly, the procrastination cycle can introduce you to various feelings, and such feelings aren’t always necessarily bad. For instance, procrastinating creates a sense of instant gratification. Imagine the feeling you get when you say, “I’ll do that later or tomorrow.” Don’t you feel that immediate rush of relief now that you’re off the hook? The gratifying feeling you get for it can override the need and urgency to finish a task. That’s exactly one of the major reasons why some people seem to be drawn to procrastination.
It’s only later that those negative feelings like embarrassment, dread, guilt, and fear start to creep in as the exhilaration and relief of procrastinating wear off. But apart from this, other reasons why it’s hard to stop procrastinating could be because:
- You lack the motivation to take action.
- Procrastination is now driven mostly by habit instead of the situation or circumstance.
- You justify yourself, either through a logical or emotional justification to validate your procrastination.
- Timing is the issue as some people work better in the mornings, while others are more productive in the evenings.
- You’re too anxious about the result of the task.
- You feel that a project or task is only rewarding or gratifying if you do it just before the deadline.
- You’re easily distracted even by the smallest things.
Tips to Stop procrastinating
Procrastination is a habit. However, a habit can stop being one when you avoid practicing it. Here are some tips to help you stop procrastinating. We hope they’ll be of help.
1. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Forgive yourself for any previous procrastinations and try to be positive about changing for the better. Taking a breather when things get hard is also important. Take time to move your body and do some stretching before getting back on the table again.
2. Use a To-do List.
Doing so helps to lose the grip of procrastination while also ensuring that you’re staying on track for the whole day. Checking off a task can also incite the feeling of accomplishment and excitement, boosting your motivation to complete more tasks.
3. Start immediately.
Once you have a task at hand, start quickly. Avoid checking your social media. Even if you say you’ll see who liked your recent post briefly, you won’t know how much time has passed once you’re deep on the internet.
4. Break your tasks into smaller ones.
Regardless of what’s on your to-do list, break it down into small parts so you can manage them more effectively.
5. Start with the hardest tasks first.
Usually, it’s the hardest task on any given day that you’re most likely to get lazy or procrastinate about. Thus, do it first and foremost, so once you’ve completed, you’ll be feeling good, which in turn improves your productivity.
6. Stay away from distractions.
Put your phone on silent, turn off social media notifications, or avoid going anywhere near your TV while working. Anything that can potentially distract you shouldn’t be in your line of sight.
7. Avoid multitasking.
Multi-tasking often gives you a fake sense of getting many things done at an earlier time. Rather, it only results in juggling 2-3 tasks simultaneously, only never to finish anything. So, wrap up one task each before proceeding to the other.
8. Reward yourself.
Treat yourself generously after finishing a difficult task on time. You can buy a new pair of shoes, or as simple as having a cake and coffee at your favorite cafe.
Conclusion
If you feel stuck, try any of these and other tips to stop yourself from going through that same loop of procrastination. Besides, no one has ever procrastinated their way to success, so if you want to lead a great life, then resist that urge. It’s time to live responsibly and diligently.
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