8 Effective Ways to Overcome Procrastination?

Procrastination is the fear of success. People procrastinate because they are afraid of the success that they know will result if they move ahead now. Because success is heavy and carries a responsibility with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and live on the “someday I’ll philosophy. – Denis Waitley

The word “procrastination” has gone from being a fun way to make the time pass, to something that can pause important projects. If you find yourself constantly pulling your hair out because you’re too busy popping molly or playing Candy Crush Saga instead of working on your goals, it’s the time to take a step back and figure out what the heck is going on.

Procrastination is the act of putting off work or other tasks you should be doing, and usually a matter of avoiding commitment. It is the key barrier between you and your dream life. It is often said that postponing actual work will end up making things worse in the long run, but it will be an effective strategy to use when it’s necessary (e.g., if you have a deadline to meet). There are different types of procrastination and it occurs due to many reasons. In this post, let’s discover the ways to stop procrastination.

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Why do people procrastinate?

Understanding why people procrastinate can help you get a handle on your own tendencies, and hopefully set things right once you find yourself too busy watching Netflix to create compelling content for your blog.

Some of the main reasons behind procrastination are laziness, lack of discipline, and motivation towards a certain thing or task. On the other hand, fear of failure can play a part in this kind of behaviour. Another main reason behind procrastination is the inability to stand out. This can be a result of being insecure and not knowing what you’re capable of, which results in holding back on performing tasks that require hard work.

5 Most Common Signs of Procrastination

We’ve all been procrastinators at some point in our lives, but the difference between being a would-be slacker and a serial procrastinator is recognizing the following five signs:

#1 – You have trouble getting started on what you need to do because you are looking for distractions. While an occasional diversion isn’t going to hurt, constantly seeking out distractions might be a sign that you’re not confident in your abilities or want to avoid something.

#2 – You find yourself spending a lot of time planning or researching things like going to the movies, but never actually taking action. If you find yourself engaging in these kinds of behaviors, perhaps active planning might not be the best course of action for you.

#3 – You feel as if you lack direction or motivation. Sometimes procrastinators are looking for external causes for their problems, but often it’s a tough internal battle that you’re going up against.

#4 – You feel guilty about not doing things on your to-do list, even if you’ve completed those items. It’s easy to imagine the whole world is watching now and how disheartening it would be to watch you fail, especially if the consequences are severe.

#5 – You find yourself running out of time to finish things and make it look good. Eventually, there comes a point when you run out of time because you’ve been putting things off or not doing them at all. Even if you do miraculously complete your task on time, the end result still might not be very good.

The trick to overcoming procrastination is to recognize what’s holding you back and then take action toward correcting those behaviors.

The many signs associated with procrastination are easy to spot and they all involve doing things that should be done but aren’t. This means, for example, that people who procrastinate on their homework will start doing something else instead, like watching TV or surfing the Internet. People who do this usually have a hard time relaxing, especially if they’re dissatisfied with the work done. They become so easily distracted and annoyed by everything.

You may also like to read 6 Effective Ways to Stop Overthinking.

8 Effective Ways to Overcome Procrastination?

There’s an old saying that it takes a lot of effort to make something easy. You might say that this could be applied to most things in life. Sometimes, we find ourselves procrastinating and even avoiding things just because they’re hard.

But what if you don’t have to put so much time and effort into making tasks easier? If you know some tricks, you can avoid wasting time on unnecessary tasks that only produce stress and frustration in the long term.

So, here are some practical ways to stop procrastinating:

1. Go for a walk

Going for a walk outside is not only good for your body, but it’s also good for your mental health. Walking outside in nature has been shown to improve mood and creativity. As a bonus, you might end up getting some great ideas or solutions to your problem while you’re out there.

2. Try working in a coffee Shop

Strange… isn’t it? Whenever you get the urge to procrastinate, work at a coffee shop rather than working from home. This is especially a good idea if your job requires you to be on top of things or if you are working for a company that requires you to be available when others need you.

Sitting in a public place that is constantly busy, keeps your mind alert and more focused. Many Coffee shops allow you to sit for a long and use their wifi connection with a purchase of a coffee ( you need not spend big bucks to use their space). Moreover, if just a cup of coffee can help you stay productive and focused then I think it’s a fair deal.

3. Do it now!

Doing things immediately will almost always be more productive than delaying them off. For example, if you want to read your work emails, don’t open your email program and let yourself get distracted by other things. Just go ahead and read the thing that’s in front of you. If it’s something important, then it deserves all of your attention right now.

4. Pen it down

Journaling is one of those most effective habits that not only make you sorted but also help you stay focused and productive. If the first task on your plate is an intimidating one, try writing it down on a piece of paper or digitally. This will make sure that you don’t forget it, and it will motivate you to take action once you see that the task is still there.

5. Write your task on the back of your hand

If writing it down on a piece of paper isn’t very practical, try writing it on the back of your hand. This is a great way to remind yourself throughout the day and keep yourself from putting off the task any longer.

6. Set a Deadline

Try giving yourself a deadline. Whether it’s tomorrow, the next day, or the day after next, set yourself a schedule to make sure you’re constantly reminded about this step.

7. Reward Yourself

This can do two things for you: 

1) It will redirect your attention from procrastinating on other tasks to finishing one. 

2) It will motivate you to take action and finish this first task so that you can enjoy your reward!

8. Use a Time-management Tool

It could be a planner, a time-tracker, a printable note or anything like that. Just find something that will help you better organize your time and tasks to avoid procrastination.

Wrapping Up on Overcoming Procrastination

When you procrastinate, you are simply wasting your time that you could invest in something meaningful. Procrastination is a fierce habit that will inevitably lead to you not reaching your goals. If you can overcome this habit, you can achieve much more and utilize your potential with a greater sense of accomplishment.

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