When it comes to procrastination, we all have our own personal demons. Whether you’re the type of person who puts off chores because you don’t feel like doing them or the type of person who leaves tasks until the last moment because you just don’t get around to them—we all have a vice when it comes to procrastinating.
And while procrastinating might not seem like such a bad thing, it never ends well. Putting things off doesn’t mean they go away; they just come back when you least expect them with a vengeance. But why exactly do we procrastinate?
There are numerous reasons why this can happen and some of them are triggered by external factors. So now that you know why you procrastinate, let’s take a look at how you can stop procrastinating and start getting stuff done.
Table of Contents
Know why you procrastinate
Before you can tackle your procrastination, you have to understand what’s behind it. Some people procrastinate because they’re perfectionists and want everything to be just right before they start.
Other people do it because they’re afraid of failure, while others do it because they don’t know how to manage their time wisely. If you’re not sure why you procrastinate, take some time to reflect.
Write down what you think might be the underlying cause and try to come up with a way to tackle it. You might also want to try some online procrastination surveys that can help you find out what’s driving your procrastination.
Set real deadlines
If you’re a procrastination perfectionist, setting deadlines can help you prioritize what you need to get done. This can be especially helpful if you’re in a work or study-related position where you have to meet certain due dates.
Once you have a clear sense of what you need to accomplish, break down these goals into smaller tasks so you can stay on track. If you’re a deadline-driven procrastinator, try to start setting smaller deadlines for everyday tasks to help you stay on track.
You can also try to use your natural urgency to your advantage by working on smaller tasks first (the ones with shorter deadlines). This way you can avoid the all-or-nothing mentality that can come with tackling larger tasks.
Create a To-Do list
If you’re an all-or-nothing procrastinator, creating a to-do list for your daily tasks can help you stay on track. You might also want to try breaking up larger tasks into smaller steps so you can tackle them one at a time and avoid becoming overwhelmed.
This is also a good way to track your progress as you move through your list. This can also be helpful for people who have a fear of failure. Seeing that you’ve completed tasks on your list can help you build confidence and feel better about your progress.
You can also try to use different strategies to make your to-do list as motivating as possible. Some people find that writing their to-do list in bullet point form can make them feel more energized and less daunting.
Use a timer
If you’re an all-or-nothing procrastinator, setting a timer can help you stay on track. This is especially helpful if you tend to get distracted easily.
If you have a tendency to get bored with a task and start looking for something else to do, setting a timer can keep you focused and on track. When you’re working on a time-sensitive task, setting a timer can help you avoid procrastinating.
This is especially helpful if you have a looming deadline for a project or if you need to get something done for work. If you’re a deadline-driven procrastinator, you can use timers to help you create milestones for larger tasks.
For instance, if you have a paper that needs to be 6 pages long, set a timer for 30 minutes and write for that amount of time. This will help you stay on track with your paper and avoid procrastinating.
Stop the Internet
If you’re a distraction-driven procrastinator, try to stay away from the Internet while you’re working on tasks. The Internet is full of distractions such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and these can keep you from getting anything done.
When you’re trying to get work done, it’s best to stay offline, or at least focus on one website that you need to get done at a time. This way you can avoid getting side-tracked by other websites and stay on task.
If you’re a deadline-driven procrastinator, try to stay away from the Internet when you’re working on larger projects. This will help you stay focused on what needs to be done and not get side-tracked by a website.
Don’t multitask
If you’re an all-or-nothing procrastinator, you might have a tendency to jump from one task to another without completing anything. While multitasking might be a good thing in certain circumstances, it’s not always the most efficient way to get things done.
You might find that you get more done when you focus on one task at a time and set smaller deadlines for each one. This way you can tackle each task with focus and without distraction.
If you’re a deadline-driven procrastinator, you might want to avoid multitasking when you’re working on tight deadlines. This can help you stay focused on what needs to be done without getting side-tracked and wasting time.
Set small goals
If you’re a perfectionist who always wants to get things done right, setting smaller goals can help you stay on track. This can be especially helpful if you have a larger task on your plate that seems overwhelming.
Breaking down these larger tasks into smaller, more manageable goals can help you stay on track and avoid procrastinating. This is also helpful for deadline-driven procrastinators who want to stay on track and avoid putting things off until the last minute.
You can try to break down larger tasks into smaller goals to stay on track and without putting them off until the last minute.
Commit to an activity that you enjoy
If you’re a perfectionist who likes to get things done right, commitment can help you feel less pressured to get everything finished perfectly. This will help you avoid beating yourself up if you don’t get everything done perfectly and will also help you stay on track.
This can be helpful if you have a larger task that you’re procrastinating about. If you commit to a smaller task and finish it, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate on the larger task.
If you’re an all-or-nothing procrastinator, commitment can help you stay on track and avoid putting things off until the last minute. This can be helpful if you have an upcoming project or exam that you need to get done.
Conclusion
Procrastination is a very real problem that affects almost everyone at some point in their lives. Fortunately, there are ways to combat procrastination and get things done on time. To do this, start by finding out why you procrastinate.
Once you’ve found the root of your procrastination problem, you’ll be better prepared to tackle it.
There are many reasons why we procrastinate, and all of them are different. No matter what your reason is, there are ways to tackle it and get things done. With these tips, you can get rid of your procrastination problem and finally get stuff done.