Procrastination: How to Crush This Time-Sucking Enemy
It’s procrastination season, and it feels like a million little time-sucking enemies are swarming in from all directions. You know what I’m talking about: the deadline for your taxes is looming over you, but instead of doing any work on them, you’re reading this article. We, procrastinators, have a lot of excuses to offer when we don’t get things done–too busy, too tired, no motivation–but here’s the thing: at some point, procrastination becomes self-defeating because not only does it prevent us from completing tasks that need to be completed, but it also makes us feel bad about ourselves. So, I’m here to help you kill procrastination and get things done.
I know that procrastinators are good at coming up with excuses for not getting work done. I know procrastination so well because I’ve battled with it for years. You can read more about my personal experience here:
Let’s look at some of the most common forms of procrastination and how you can overcome them.
What procrastinators say: I’m too busy with school/work to do this task.
How to get rid of it: Look at your schedule for the next few days and find some time that will be conducive for completing the task, then pencil in that block of time on your calendar. Sticking to your calendar is KEY. If you don’t have time for procrastination, procrastination won’t happen!
What procrastinators say: I’m not motivated to do this task.
How to get rid of it: First, write down the benefits of completing the task – maybe even imagine yourself crossing it off your list or checking in on Facebook that you finished something tough and are feeling great about it. Second, set mini-milestones along the way to see progress being made toward a final goal instead of just looking at an end product that could be daunting.
When procrastinating, it’s normal to exaggerate the size of tasks and assume they are much larger than they actually are. Don’t procrastinate! It’s all about taking the next baby step towards completing the task.
What procrastinators say: I’m just not good at this task.
How to get rid of it: Find a tutorial or guide on doing what needs to get done and follow along. You’ll get your tasks done and at the same time learn something new! This way, when you finally complete this project, you’ll feel like a total boss.
What procrastinators say: It’s too difficult/overwhelming/time-consuming.
How to get rid of it: Just do the task for five minutes. The key is to start, and once you’re done with that one tiny step, it will be easier to keep going and finish the whole thing! Momentum is amazing. Use it to your advantage.
What procrastinators say: I don’t have enough time/energy.
How to get rid of it: Schedule a slot in your calendar to do the task and stick to that schedule. If you’re finding yourself always saying this same sentence, then, unfortunately, you’ll need to make some sacrifices elsewhere to prioritize productivity over procrastination. You can limit social media or NetFlix consumption, hit snooze only once instead of twice (or better yet – stop hitting snooze altogether), and try waking up earlier, so you’ve got more hours in a day before work starts. Even if all these changes are temporary until your procrastinating gets under control, they will help alleviate stress while giving lasting results on how much free time is left at the end of the day.
What procrastinators say: It’s not my priority right now.
How to get rid of it: List three things each day for which procrastination is affecting negatively, whether it’s eating healthy, getting more work done, exercising regularly, making money, etc. Then list them according to their urgency (from least urgent) and put the most urgent one in your calendar for that day—Block time for it. Timeboxing is an amazing technique and works wonders. Read more about timeboxing.
What procrastinators say: There’s just so much I have to do, I don’t even know where to start!
How to get rid of it: Break down your task into manageable steps. Research has shown that putting things in order from the easiest first step to the hardest can help you overcome procrastination by slowly moving towards completion rather than aiming for a finish line in one go. Then start executing on this list – but with purposeful breaks between each task. When your focus is interrupted anyway, use those moments as productivity power-ups instead of wallowing in distraction overload and getting nothing done all day long (which puts us right back at square one).
It’s time to stop feeling guilty and start getting things done. The only way you’re going to be able to do that is by finding a system or process that works for your personality type, so you can feel confident about the work you put in. In the end, procrastination is only a problem when it’s not being managed. Managing procrastination means you’ll get things done on time, and that feels good – but even more importantly, getting work done will become a habit rather than something forced or rushed to meet deadlines.