How to Conquer Your Procrastination
Have you told yourself, “I will do it tomorrow,” which you intended to finish long ago? Instead of working on an assignment right now, are you waiting for the right mood to feel motivated? And every day, you have the same excuse to postpone your task? If this sounds like your problems, then read this blog post, which explains well about procrastination and also gives some actionable tips to overcome.
Sometimes we struggle with delaying or avoiding a few tasks that matter to us. Don’t confuse this with laziness. Procrastination is much more than just laziness or negligence.
What is Procrastination?
Procrastination is nothing but trouble persuading yourself to do things you are supposed to do. When you procrastinate, instead of working on relevant, essential tasks, you spend time performing trivial activities. Procrastination prevents you from accomplishing your goals.
Procrastination might result in a range of adverse effects. As mentioned in peer-review articles published in 2013, procrastination is the self-regulatory failure of not exerting the self-control necessary for task engagement. By procrastinating, we focus on temporary mood repair, but it brings adverse effects on your future goals.
When you fail to bridge the gap between the present and future self, it may contribute to the mood and behavior regulation failure, which are the precursors and products of procrastination.
Why Fight Procrastination?
‘Waiting is a trap. There will always be reasons to wait… The truth is, there are only two things in life, reasons, and results, and reasons simply don’t count.’
– Robert Anthony
There is only one barrier blocking you from getting up, making the right decision, and living the dream of your life, that is procrastination. When you procrastinate, you waste time that could have been invested in something essential. If you can win this fierce enemy, you will be able to achieve more and, in doing so, fully utilize the potential that life has to offer.
Sometimes opportunities are on your fingertips, but you fail to reach them. You know exactly what you need to do, but procrastination is taking over your mind. Feelings of regret and guilt emerging from missed opportunities might result in depression. Some research studies have also linked procrastination to poor emotional and physical well-being.
Procrastination can lead to self -blaming thoughts that may result in stress and anxiety. For all the above reasons, overcoming procrastination is one of the essential skills you need to lead a fruitful life.
Why do we Procrastinate?
Now that you know what procrastination is, let’s understand the reasons behind it. What makes our mind procrastinate something?
Psychologists say that time inconsistency is one of the reasons for our procrastination. Your brain wants immediate rewards rather than future rewards. To understand better, separate yourself into the present self and future self. When you are planning to achieve something like writing a book or losing weight, you are setting plans for the future. Your future self sees values in those long-term results, whereas your present self only sees it as a task that needs a lot of effort. There are no immediate rewards for the present self to get motivated to take action.
However, procrastination is not laziness. During laziness, you don’t do anything but, in procrastination, you are avoiding specific tasks. Instead of hiding it under the name of laziness, find the real reasons behind your procrastination.
How to conquer your Procrastination?
Our brain is a fantastic machine that can be trained. You cannot achieve what you need to accomplish by just learning about self-discipline, motivation, or time management.
To overcome procrastination, you need to take control of your mind and your life. To achieve success, you are longing for; you need to push yourself to take action. Most importantly, to accomplish anything you wish for, you need to begin…
Tips to overcome Procrastination;
The first step to overcome your procrastination is to acknowledge it and accept it. Stop blaming yourself or others for this weakness, and take responsibility and also, take action. Recognizing the root of your problem can only take you to the solution.
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Understand your reasons –
When you understand the route cause of your procrastination you can enforce a practical solution. Different people have different reasons, and you need to find yours. For example, you want to go to the gym every morning, but in the morning maybe you forget or lack motivation. Keeping your gym clothes hanging in front before sleeping or writing a motivational note to yourself that will be visible when you get up, can help you get started. Such simple steps can make a big difference.
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Organizing your tasks –
When you have a big task to complete, you may find it hard to start. The thought of a long journey to complete might make you procrastinate. In such cases, you can divide the task into small goals. Do one task at a time, in some days you will pick up the speed. Later you will be amazed to accomplish that job that will make you wonder all you needed was just a start.
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Learn to focus-
Multitasking can be one of the culprits making you less productive. When you have many things in your head, it becomes difficult to focus, and you end up procrastinating your work. List out all your tasks and organize them priority wise. When you pen down all the tasks, your mind feels light, and you will be able to focus better.
Also, organizing helps you to be aware of thoughts that make you procrastinate. When you want to avoid procrastination, you should also keep all the distractions away. Learn to focus on one thing at a time. Create a needed environment that can help you concentrate better.
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Reward yourself-
Keep some short term goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. Give yourself some fun-filled moments like watching your favorite show on TV or ordering your favorite meal. Rewards make you feel tempted to complete those goals. Celebrating your accomplishments help you to push yourself through any painful task.
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Know your progress-
Keep a record of your weekly progress to stay on track. When you discover how productive the week was, you feel inspired to do better. Also, check which task is becoming harder for you and why. Try to overcome those difficulties and take some steps to make it easier. Keeping a record can greatly benefit to overcome procrastination.
Benefits of Overcoming Procrastination
The benefits of getting things done are huge, and we can only receive these privileges if we stop procrastinating and get things accomplished right away. Overcoming procrastination allows you to take charge of your life, builds self-confidence, and brings happiness in your life.
Conquering procrastination can reduce your stress. If you have a habit of avoiding tasks you fear, or circumstances and events that terrify you, the good news is there is a way out.
If you are feeling paralyzed or stuck in life and looking for a change, then it’s time you learn how to overcome your fear, which is procrastination. When you are feeling overwhelmed with many tasks in hand, the tips mentioned above can help you to stay productive.
Some great benefits of overcoming procrastination:
- You will be able to achieve more than you aim for
- You tap into your most productive potential
- You don’t miss opportunities in life
- You build self-confidence
- You overcome your problems
- You will have fewer regrets
- You will have time for everything
Finally, I can say when you stop procrastinating you will find your happiness. Procrastination creates long-term negative emotions. But, with procrastination-free life, you have positive expectations towards the future, it creates joy and peace in your mind.
So, stop procrastinating, to stay happy, and to stay focused.
If this article have inspired you and motivated you to overcome procrastination, it is time to take ACTION.
Don’t wait for the right moment, take action now.
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Don’t let your procrastination steal your time, intentions, opportunities, your potential, and eventually, your life. Our course will make your journey towards overcoming procrastination a worthy one.
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