Procrastination is a challenge that we all face at one point or another. But while delaying tasks from time to time is unlikely to have any significant consequences, if left unchecked, chronic procrastination can begin to affect daily life.
Luckily, from understanding the cause to tweaking the way you set goals, there are things you can do to stop procrastinating and reach your full potential.
With that said, we’ll take a closer look at procrastination and explore ways to overcome it.
What is procrastination?
Procrastination is defined as the act of delaying or putting off tasks until the last minute or past their deadline. While we all procrastinate from time to time, some people consistently postpone or avoid difficult tasks – even deliberately looking for distractions that prevent them from following through on what they set out to do.
Interestingly, the problem of procrastination isn’t new. In fact, ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates even developed a word to describe the behaviour: Akrasia.
Akrasia means to act against your better judgement – to do one thing even though you know you should be doing something else.
Why do we procrastinate?
Procrastination can have various causes. However, behavioural psychology has identified a phenomenon called ‘present bias’ or ‘time inconsistency’, which helps to explain why procrastination so often seems to pull us from what we know is best.
Present bias is based on the idea that, as humans, we tend to be more motivated by immediate rewards and gratification than we are by long-term rewards. This is why it often feels good to procrastinate in the moment.
For example, we all know we should eat a balanced diet to stay healthy and avoid health issues in the future. But because the consequences seem far away, you may find yourself consistently putting the diet off.
Other research has linked procrastination with perfectionist tendencies, a fear of failure, and low self-confidence. For example, people who doubt their capabilities may find it easier to avoid starting a task to begin with.
What impact can procrastination have?
Delaying tasks from time to time is unlikely to have any large consequences on your daily life. However, if procrastination becomes chronic, it can begin to affect your wellbeing – including at home, work, and in your relationships.
For example, paying bills late, avoiding big work projects until the night before, delaying gift shopping, or even filing your tax returns late can all have an impact. And research has found that this type of behaviour can significantly affect mental health – as well as social, financial, and professional wellbeing. Specifically, the study noted the potential for higher levels of stress and illness, increased burden placed on relationships, and resentment from friends, family, or co-workers among procrastinators.
Over time, procrastination can also have an impact on confidence and self-esteem as they may begin to doubt their abilities to get things done.
In these cases, procrastination often becomes more of a lifestyle than a matter of poor time management skills.
5 ways to overcome procrastination
If you’ve been struggling with procrastination for a while, you might be wondering how you can stop.
However, the good news is that there are several things you can do to overcome procrastination and start getting things done on time. We’ll cover some of these below.
1. Make a to-do list and set clear goals
It can be easy to procrastinate if you feel overwhelmed or don’t know where to start with a task. For this reason, you might like to make to-do lists – setting clear goals on what you want to achieve. Many people find that this helps to provide clarity and maintain greater focus and perspective.
To learn more, check out our article: The benefits of deadlines and how to set them effectively.
2. Reduce distractions and plan ahead
Many of us turn to distractions or alternative tasks when procrastinating. So, taking steps to reduce or eliminate distractions and plan ahead for success can make all the difference.
For example, to avoid wasting time on your phone or computer, you could delete games or social media apps. Or, you might find it helpful to buy food in individual packets rather than bulk buying to support your future eating habits.
3. Break tasks down
Because procrastination is usually centred around delaying starting a task or behaviour, it can be helpful to break things down. If tasks are small, easier to start, and not as intimidating, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate.
Plus, breaking tasks down allows you to enjoy feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment more often – providing you with the motivation to carry on.
Another popular approach is to follow the two-minute rule, which involves telling yourself that you only have to work on something for two minutes. The rule is based on the idea that once you begin a task, it’s easier to continue doing it than to stop.
4. Try different strategies
Taking into account the idea of a ‘present bias’ phenomenon, research suggests that finding ways to make the benefits of long-term choices more immediate can be helpful for overcoming procrastination.
One way to do this is by using a strategy called ‘temptation bundling’. Temptation building works by pairing behaviours that are good for you in the long-term with behaviours that feel good in the short-term. For example, only listening to music or podcasts you love while exercising, or only watching your favourite television show when ironing or doing household chores.
To learn more, check out this guide to stopping procrastinating and boosting willpower using temptation bundling from James Clear.
5. Celebrate along the way
Among other things, research has found that celebrating your achievements, even small ones, can help to increase positivity, reduce stress, and motivate you to achieve more – all of which can be useful for overcoming procrastination.
To learn more, check out our article: Why is it important to celebrate your achievements?
Final thoughts...
If left unchecked, procrastination can begin to have a negative impact on life and wellbeing. However, the good news is that although it can feel tricky, there are plenty of ways to overcome procrastination and reach your full potential.
For further reading, head over to the healthy mind section of our website. Here, you’ll find information on everything from personal development to brain science and work-life balance.
Do you have any other tips for overcoming procrastination that you’d like to share? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.
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