How to Overcome Procrastination
Procrastination is not an issue with time management but rather it is the inability to manage negative emotions such as anxiety or boredom. Even though procrastination can seem harmless, it can actually have long-term negative impacts such as regret and stress. However, the good news is you can always overcome procrastination by putting certain steps into effect in your life. So here are some methods on how you can overcome procrastination.
1. Avoid Catastrophizing
One of the main reasons why people procrastinate is because they catastrophize. This means they view a task from a negative perspective. This is linked to how boring, tough, or time-consuming it will be to complete the task. And on the other hand, procrastination is rooted in stress. So make sure to keep this in mind and replace it with positive thoughts such as “this is not my favorite task, but I can surely complete it”
2. Focus on the outcome
Most people who procrastinate tend to only focus on the process of completing a task. This can be demotivating, so instead focus on the benefits of completing the task and the outcome of it. For example, if you’ve been procrastinating cleaning your closet, start focusing on what it will feel like to walk into a clean and organized closet. This will immediately motivate you to increase your efficiency.
3. Use a calendar
If you keep things for later, there’s a high chance that you’re never going to end up doing it. So use a calendar and make sure to schedule the work that you have to finish for the day. And then make sure to block out that time just as you would an important meeting. And when the time arrives for you to do the work, set a timer so that you can stay focused.
4. Be realistic
As you plan the things you need to do, keep in mind that some tasks take longer than you expect, so set aside some extra time for them. And find methods to make the tasks much easier to do. For example, if you have a hard time waking up early in the morning to go to the gym, just simply schedule that task for the evening. This will make tasks much easier to do and less challenging.
5. Break down tasks into smaller goals
When you feel like a task is overbearing, you tend to procrastinate. To overcome this, you can simply break large tasks into small goals. For example, if you have to study a particular subject, set a number of pages to complete for each hour, and take small breaks in between. This will help you feel more empowered and less overwhelmed.
6. Avoid making excuses
If you keep making excuses like “I’ll wait till I’m in the mood to finish that task” or “I’m a bit tired today I’ll just finish it tomorrow” you will never get your work done. So put aside all the excuses and don’t compromise it for anything unless it’s something important.
7. Change your environment
Your environment will either motivate you or hinder your progress. If you’re someone who always tends to get distracted by technology such as your smartphone make sure to keep it somewhere you can’t easily reach like in another room. Remove anything from your workspace that easily distracts you, it can be anything from games, and smart devices, to even books. And make sure not to leave your workspace until you finish your work.
8. Reward yourself
Rewarding yourself for achieving small tasks can actually motivate you to work better and faster. For example at the completion of each task, reward yourself with 10 minutes of screen time or your favorite snack. This way, you are using your distractions to motivate you to finish your work.
9. Don’t be hard on yourself
Make sure to forgive yourself for procrastinating in the past in order to avoid any feelings of regret. If you don’t it will only make things worse and take you back to square one. Instead, keep on performing better to make yourself feel proud about what you have achieved.
10. Stop being a perfectionist
When you’re a perfectionist, you tend to always think “all or nothing”. Due to this, there’s a high chance you will wait until things are perfect to proceed with the next task. So instead start focusing on becoming better instead of perfect.
Overall, procrastination is something many people struggle with nowadays. The long-term effects it has can cause stress and even regret. This can have a negative impact on your mental health and even affect your self-esteem. So make sure to follow the above steps and make way for efficiency.
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