Overcoming procrastination in just two steps
Around 20% of adults struggle with chronic procrastination, so don't beat yourself up too much about it.
Have you ever been so hooked on a show on Netflix that you can't stop watching? You know you should stop and do something more productive, but that "just one more episode" feeling is just too strong.
Well, you're not alone in this.
Around 20% of adults struggle with chronic procrastination, so don't beat yourself up too much about it.
Here's some good news — you don't have to be productive all the time! You might think you do, and you might even want to, but it’s just not sustainable.
Have you heard of "The Procrastination Cure" book?1 Even better, have you read it?
It teaches that taking breaks and resting is important. I know this is nothing you’ve heard before, but often, what’s common sense isn’t common practice.2
We are supposed to be productive only some of the time.
No one ever said we’re supposed to be consistently productive. It's totally normal to have days when you feel like you're not being very productive. Sometimes, we just need a break, you know? And that's totally fine! If you've had a tough week, there's no shame in taking a day off to chill out and recharge your batteries. So don't be too hard on yourself—everyone needs to take it easy now and then!
Let’s look at why you might be procrastinating in the first place.
Here are some common reasons why people procrastinate:
Fear of failure: Many people delay starting a task because they are afraid they will not be able to complete it successfully or meet their own or others' expectations.
Lack of motivation: Sometimes, people lack the motivation to start or complete a task, especially if it seems boring or uninteresting to them.
Poor time management skills: People may procrastinate because they are not good at managing their time effectively and tend to waste time on unimportant tasks.
Overwhelm: People may procrastinate when they feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks they have to complete or by the complexity of a task.
Perfectionism: Some individuals may delay starting a task because they want it to be perfect, or they fear they will not be able to produce the best possible result.
Lack of clarity: People may procrastinate if they are not clear about what is expected of them or if they do not know how to approach a task.
Distractions: People may procrastinate when they allow themselves to be distracted by social media, emails, or other non-essential tasks.
Low self-esteem: Some people may procrastinate because they have low self-esteem and doubt their ability to complete a task.
Procrastinators are often too hard on themselves.
As procrastinators, we often beat ourselves up for no good reason. But hey, that doesn't mean we can just slack off all the time, right? There's a limit to how much fun we can have!
However, sometimes it's important to give ourselves a break. Instead of freaking out about all the stuff we still need to do, let's take a step back and ask ourselves:
Why are we procrastinating on certain tasks and not others?
What's causing us to be super productive one day and totally unproductive the next?
By understanding these things, we can overcome our procrastination habits and get more done.
Too often, we need to pay more attention to how much time tasks take to complete.
It's happened to all of us - we start a task thinking it won't take too long, but before we know it, hours have passed! This is what psychologists call the PLANNING FALLACY.
Basically, we're not great at estimating how long it takes to complete things.
On the other hand, if we give ourselves too much time, we might end up experiencing PARKINSON’S LAW. That's just a fancy way of saying that work tends to expand to fill the time we give it.
You’re not a chronic procrastinator, nor you’re lazy.
If you find yourself putting off things, it's not necessarily because you're lazy. Chances are, it's because you're just not that into the task. But let's face it: We can't always avoid doing things we don't like. Life's a bit more complicated than that!
So, what do you do when you're stuck in procrastination mode?
2 Simple Steps to Overcoming Procrastination.
As crazy as it sounds, stopping procrastination does not require reinventing the wheel, and you can do it by following these two simple steps.
Step 1 |
Face up the real reason why you’re procrastinating. Your answer will be - I don’t like to …. Clean…… work on this project…… learn about finances….. Whatever it is for you, there's an underlying reason why you procrastinate on this specific task.
We often procrastinate if the to-do list is too daunting and overwhelming or the task at hand seems enormous.
Here’s a simple solution for procrastination in the case of daunting or overwhelming tasks:
Review your to-do or task list and set subtasks or small goals for each task.
You want to break each task into small, manageable pieces.
Each subtask or small goal needs to be specific, almost to the point that you’ll think - ‘is that all I need to do? That’s easy’.
Then proceed, taking small steps, taking on each subtask individually.
Step 2 |
Once you reflect on why you’re procrastinating, the next step is to consider the consequences of not completing the task. Untidy flat? Lost chance of potential progression? Failing the course? Or the consequence is not severe at all. If the latter is what you came up with, then why are you so worried about procrastinating and postponing the task?
If any of the previous is your potential consequences, you’re left with two options. Will you risk it, or will you get on with the task?
Understanding the Psychology of Procrastination: The Gratification Factor
According to Damon Zahariades, author of The Procrastination Cure, there's more to procrastination than just being lazy.3
Sometimes, we want INSTANT GRATIFICATION without considering the long-term benefits or costs. It’s like when you’d rather binge-watch TV instead of working on a project that could lead to your own personal satisfaction and professional success.
Zahariades explains that both our present and future selves want gratification, but they don't always agree with each other. So, before you try to beat procrastination with productivity hacks, it's important to understand why you procrastinate in the first place.4
These statistics might make you feel better.
Here are some statistics on procrastination:
According to a study published in the Journal of Social Psychology, about 80-95% of college students procrastinate on their academic work.5
A survey conducted by Salary.com found that 89% of employees admitted to wasting time at work every day, with procrastination being one of the main causes.6
In a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 46% of respondents said they regularly procrastinate on tasks that are important to them.7
A survey conducted by YouGov found that 53% of Americans admitted to procrastinating on their taxes.8
According to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, people who procrastinate have higher levels of stress and lower well-being.9
According to a study published in Psychological Science, people who procrastinate tend to have a more positive attitude towards their future selves. This means that even though they may put off tasks in the present, they still have a hopeful outlook on the future and believe that their future selves will be able to handle the consequences of their procrastination.
So, how do you deal with procrastination? Do you binge-watch Netflix or push it off and get to work? Share your thoughts in the poll and comments below.
This phrase is often credited to Stephen Covey, but you can also frequently hear it from online teacher Brendon Burchard.
https://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?q=the+Journal+of+Social+Psychology,+about+80-95%25+of+college+students+procrastinate+on+their+academic+work.&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart
https://www.salary.com/chronicles/2014-wasting-time-at-work/
https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2010/01/procrastination
https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/10908-unlike-brits-americans-dont-think-tax-morally-righ
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0148054