How to quit procrastinating and get things done?
Unfortunately, most advice on how to avoid procrastinating comes from those who don’t procrastinate in the first place. “Look for motivation,” “manage your time,” and “turn off notifications on your phone” are among the tired recommendations. Unfortunately, our experience has shown that such procrastination instruction is utterly unhelpful.
What does it mean to “procrastinate”?
Simply explained, procrastination is the act of deferring tasks. It can manifest itself in daily life (delaying dishwashing until all the plates are dirty), at work (turning in a project in the final days before a vacation), and, of course, in studying. Who hasn’t crammed for a test the night before, or rushed to turn in all assignments from September before the exams? That’s it.
Professional writers who provide the “pay to write my essay” service can tell many such stories when students turn to them for help at the very last moment before the deadline, as they cannot do their homework quickly and efficiently.
Quitting your study and then recalling it the night before an exam, on the other hand, is laziness and slacking off. The procrastinator is aware of coming deadlines, considers them, laments their failure to meet them, and is almost ready to work, but something constantly gets in the way.
Furthermore, when Day X approaches, he begins to hate himself for the wasted time, and this state frequently prevents him from doing the work at all.
Reasons and tips
To learn how to stop procrastinating, you must first comprehend why you are procrastinating at all. There are many, but here are a handful of the more well-known reasons.
Undetermined importance and urgency
Many things can wait till “someday”; they don’t have to be resolved right now. At home, it could involve sorting through the stuff of your children’s stuff or organizing the pantry.
When studying, join a library (apparently essential, despite the availability of the Internet), rewrite an old assignment (the end score will be better, but the teacher may change his mind), and switch supervisors ( this one is not bad, but I like the other one). Putting it another way:
- There is no clear deadline for the work.
- The reward of completing it is not instantly obvious.
How to handle this?
Only a thorough examination of the whole picture will be beneficial. If you’re dealing with an undefined issue, take a seat and think about why you’re dealing with it. What would happen if you do it? What would be the point?
By asking the right questions, you can change the goal to something more specific. “I need to enroll in an additional course in a foreign language to go to Europe on my next holiday,” rather than “I’m planning to take up foreign languages someday.” As you can see, the action’s goal, duration, and reasoning are all clearly established.
Perfectionism
It looks like if you want to do everything perfectly, you’ll have to work nonstop. However, if a person recognizes that he or she will not be able to do the task as well as they would like, he or she is more likely to quit halfway through. And it’s not just a case of “either perfect or nothing at all”; in many cases, a person just internalizes the bad emotions connected with a poorly done action.
How to handle this?
To minimize delays, you must learn not to take negative personally. Low achievement, a lack of experience in specific areas, and performance flaws have no bearing on the type of person you are. It is quite natural for everyone to make mistakes, to accomplish something improperly or of bad quality.
If you accept that for yourself, the impulse to leave in the middle will vanish. After all, certain things are worth doing simply to be happy and have a good time, not to gain an advantage over the competitors.
The desire to risk
That does occur. They are the ones who study for exams in a matter of days and pass them. This sort of procrastination, on the other hand, ties the entire will and forces it to postpone all except the most critical tasks – but only until the deadline comes.
How to handle this?
Pay attention to yourself. Why bother attempting to get things done ahead of time if you can work harder on the last night and bring fantastic results? Students have proved for years that procrastination has no negative effect on grades. If that’s the case, start studying whenever you have time.
Unwillingness to start working
Low motivation, boredom, a complete loss of interest in the process, and the existence of more enjoyable and productive activities are all examples of this.
Everything that people normally use to criticize procrastinators in general. People who belong to this type of procrastinator are confident in their abilities to start working and even make time for it.
Just a moment longer. There was also that. Furthermore, it is now evening! So, tomorrow is the day. Probably around 1 p.m. No, before supper…
How to handle this?
To begin with, it’s worth reassuring yourself a little. Those who merely postpone tasks are, after all, more effective than those who are frightened to get started and ignore deadlines. At the very least, they schedule work time so that they can get something done.
Return to the first piece of advice to deal with this. Remember to look at the whole picture to make sure there’s still time and opportunity. Find alternative, more motivating reasons to do the essential tasks.
Read Also: Recognizing Depression: 11 Key Symptoms to Watch For
What can be the consequences?
Apart from the obvious (not finishing a task on time or with poor quality), procrastination has many secondary consequences:
- The stronger the sense of guilt becomes as the deadline approaches.
- Shame comes from lost time, teacher and supervisor reproaches, and a bad grade.
- Reduced productivity – as a result of the previous two factors, as well as the continual distraction from more interesting activities.
- Stress – you’ll have to deal with things from time to time, and they’ll have accumulated quite a bit by then.
- The loop of procrastination. You’ll face guilt, worry, and feelings of helplessness if you put off a few important activities. Even if you manage to flee the situation, these emotions will remain with you until the next cycle begins. Getting things done on time becomes much more difficult with such a weight, and the negative situation will only increase.
Remember that procrastination, when paired with a lack of drive and interest in the world, can indicate depression or anxiety problems. If you feel that regular human guidance is ineffective, seek the assistance of a professional.
It is possible to overcome procrastination (or at least decrease its impact) in some circumstances, especially if you are committed to better yourself. Some people demand a rigorous schedule to feel energized, while others merely need a change of scenery. You’ll discover how to stop procrastinating if you listen to yourself and try to implement the suggestions that sound most suited to you.
