It is very easy to put off tasks, especially if you don’t want to do them. You know you should get them out of the way, but the desire to do the opposite of that takes over. Perhaps this stems from your younger years, when you would put off school assignments to hang with friends or play video games. It’s possible that you still hang with friends and play video games to avoid certain tasks!
By definition, procrastination is choosing to delay something you need to do, even though waiting to do it negatively affects you in the long run. Mental health experts note that disengaging from the task boosts your morale immediately. You can think of procrastination like a Band-Aid because it is a temporary solution to a bigger problem. It removes any stress, fear, or anxiety, but just know that it is an emotional quick-fix that does not help you achieve your goals.
If you want to reduce procrastination, you have to dial up helpful feelings and silence the challenging ones. Not only will this help increase your productivity, but it may also help improve self-esteem and feelings of accomplishment.
Be Mindful Of Warning Signs
Becoming more mindfully aware can help you identify your procrastination tendencies or habits. For example, if you are doom-scrolling or impulse shopping instead of cleaning your kitchen, take note of what you are doing. Do you feel guilty for not focusing on your task? If yes, then you are procrastinating. Once you have the ability to recognize and name what is happening, you can respond and act without judgment. Researchers note that mindfulness tactics, such as acting with awareness and non-judgmentally, can help reduce anxiety and procrastination.
Address It Head On
More often than not, stress and anxiety are to blame if you have difficulty starting a task. Stress can make it very difficult to prioritize and organize. That is why you may find it hard to make a decision on how to begin an email to a coworker or client some days. Your brain is jammed and it seems that there is no way out. According to one study that examined academic procrastination, students who struggled with regulating emotions were more likely to procrastinate, which only worsened their emotional state. If you can find ways to reduce stress, you will notice that your desire to procrastinate decreases and you experience emotional relief as a result.
Set Yourself Up For Success
It is difficult to do this if you procrastinate, since procrastination sets you up for a mild degree of failure. Just be sure that you avoid negative self-talk from the get go. If you approach a task and say things like, “This is the worst,” or, “I hate this,” then you will only increase stress. Be careful how you talk to yourself if you want to have a positive outcome. Instead, tell yourself that you are interested in the task at hand and that you have what it takes to get it done. If you approach your tasks in this way, you will be less likely to procrastinate, according to psychologists.
Get Clarity
Did you know that ambiguity is the downfall of productivity? If you cannot break something down into smaller, more manageable tasks, consider getting more clarity on what steps you have to take to complete the project. One study found that those who did not know what to do were more likely to put off tasks. Mental health experts note that it is always beneficial to get clarity if you feel uncertain about something. Ask questions and do research, which can help you a great deal in a professional environment. If you and your colleagues understand what to do, you will reduce workplace procrastination.
Find The Bigger Meaning
Putting off going to the gym? You’re less likely to do that if you believe that being more active will help benefit you later in life. Want to be able to play with your future grandkids? Want to stand from a seated position without assistance? Answering these questions can help you see beyond the immediate and connect you to the big picture. Find your purpose and direction in order to form a larger sense of meaning. One study looked at revenge sleep procrastination, which is when people put off going to sleep in order to enjoy extra downtime. They know that they won’t get enough sleep for the next day, but they stay up anyway. After four sessions of motivational interviewing, which is a form of short-term therapy to link behaviors and values, bedtime procrastination reduced significantly.
Don’t Forget About Self-Compassion
By definition, self-compassion is the act of shifting your thinking about yourself negatively to a way that is more balanced. Remind yourself that you are just human, which means that you, like everyone else, make mistakes and you are somewhat flawed. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Acknowledging this can help you manage your emotions in a healthier way, which can help you deal with your responsibilities, instead of avoiding them. Just remember that you should not be hard on yourself because that will only increase your desire to procrastinate.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
