Procrastination. We have all done it at one point or another. Perhaps you are procrastinating right now. Putting off your math homework or important assignment in favour of reading this article. No judgement here. However, procrastinating can be a very bothersome issue, as it hinders our productivity and chips away at our free time. Read on to find out more about procrastination and ways you can overcome it.
What is procrastination?
Put simply, procrastination describes the action of delaying something in favour of doing something else. Instead of doing your most important tasks first, you put them off by doing something else. It is an avoidance strategy heavily linked to our self control. Procrastinating can also cause issues like increased stress and lowered self esteem from constantly not getting work done. Procrastination can be a nuisance and it’s important to learn more about it so that you can take steps to stop procrastinating for good.
Why do we procrastinate?
There is a common misconception that people who procrastinate are simply lazy. However, this is not the case. There are many reasons someone may delay doing a specific task. Knowing why we procrastinate can help us find ways to overcome it.
That being said, here are just a few reasons for procrastination…
1. Fear of failure
Are you afraid of failing or doing poorly? This is a very common cause for procrastination as a fear of failure makes us want to put off doing the task due to a fear of not doing it right. When you want your work to be perfect, you may end up not doing anything at all.
2. Being a perfectionist
This is very similar to the reason above. If you are a perfectionist, you don’t want to do something unless you know it will be your best possible work. Thus, you procrastinate until you feel “ready” to take on the task at hand. Which, depending on your mood, may take a very long time…
3. Not understanding the given task
Yet another common cause for procrastination, most often with schoolwork. Not understanding the task at hand makes you not even want to attempt it. Thus, you push it off until the last minute, hoping you’ll understand it by then. Without asking for help, sudden clarification is very unlikely.
4. Too many distractions
Are you trying to do your homework with the T.V on and your phone right beside you? This is a recipe for procrastination. After all, why would you ever write that essay when you could be texting friends or watching a movie instead?
5. Too much planning but not enough action
Do you write elaborate to-do lists but find that you’re not ticking off any of those tasks? It may be because you mistake planning for actual progress. This is an easy hole to fall into as the two often feel the same.
6. Not planning out your time efficiently
Perhaps that history project you thought you could do in 2 hours actually took the whole day and now you don’t have time for anything else. Sometimes, we underestimate the amount of time it will take us to do a given task, which can throw off our entire day’s routine.
7. Feeling overwhelmed/stressed
This is another really common reason that we procrastinate. Feeling overwhelmed and stressed out is enough to make anyone put off work, homework, or other tasks. However, while procrastinating may make you feel less anxious at the moment, it is bound to make you feel even more stressed when you realize just how much work you still have to do.
8. Prioritizing the wrong tasks
Maybe you had a project due in a week and a test the next day to study for. You may have stayed up all night to finish that project. Well, that’s great but now you have no idea what to do on the test. Getting stuff done is a great accomplishment but sometimes we have to make sure that we are focusing on the right tasks.
9. Working better under stress
This may not seem like such a bad thing. However, by believing that you are only able to work well under stress, you aren’t giving yourself the chance to prove yourself otherwise. This will lead to constant procrastination and the stress of doing everything last minute.
How to overcome it
Luckily, there are many ways to overcome procrastination. Here are just a few!
Avoiding distractions
Distractions are the easiest way to procrastinate. Simply turning on your phone means that your math homework doesn’t get done. Therefore, keeping distractions out of your work area is essential for overcoming procrastination. Having a room in your house just for studying can help with this. Another thing to try is deleting apps from your phone that take up too much of your time. Apps like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok can be really entertaining but overuse becomes a serious concern when we aren’t getting things done. By removing those apps from your life—even just for a bit—can do wonders for your productivity.
Planning your time better
Planning out your time better can do wonders when it comes to beating procrastination. Here are some ways you can learn to better organize your time.
Form a daily routine. Make this something you follow nearly every day. This way, you have a set time for working on tasks and when that time hits, you’ll instantly be in the mood to work.
Use a planner. Planners are great tools for better managing your tasks. They allow you to see everything you have to get done and ensure nothing slips your mind. There are many options to choose from—you can even use a digital planner! As long as you have a place to write down all your tasks, you’re already one step closer to being a more productive you!
Break down your tasks to make them seem more manageable. Writing a 5 page essay may seem like a daunting task, but working on just the introduction probably doesn’t seem so bad. By breaking your big tasks down into smaller ones, you’ll be able to get your work done without as much procrastinating.
Know your commitments. Having too many things to do sometimes means that nothing gets done. If you’re dealing with five hours of homework every night, three club meetings, and an after school job, there’s a serious problem. But cutting down on commitments, you can focus on what really matters. Sometimes, it’s helpful to say no.
Doing the work and staying on task
Now it’s time to actually start working. Here are some tips!
Just start. It may sound simple but oftentimes, when you start working, you’re able to continue without a hitch. It’s usually just the starting part that so many people find difficult.
Avoid multitasking. I know what you’re thinking: but multitasking is productive! And that’s true—sometimes. When you multitask, you’re forcing your brain to switch between tasks which hinders your work efficiency since the brain can really only do one major thing at a time. Instead of multitasking, try completing a portion of one assignment before turning to the next, not working on them both simultaneously.
Use a productivity tool like Pomofocus. Sites like these will give you the breaks you need while also ensuring that you don’t get sidetracked. With 25 minute work sessions and 5 minute breaks in between, you’ll be able to get your work done quickly and efficiently.
Ask for help. If you’re stuck on something, don’t be afraid to ask for help. People would love to help you and you never know—a friend might know the answer to that question you’re struggling with for an hour.
Conclusion
Procrastination is not always a problem. However, excess procrastination can cause us to fall behind on schoolwork or goals we have for ourselves.
For more information, check out this neat guide that tells you all you need to know about procrastination. They even have a mini quiz that determines what kind of procrastinator you are—and gives you custom tips to beat procrastination once and for all.
Written by: Nevadha M
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