How To Put Off Procrastination
I’d just like to mention that I procrastinated A LOT while writing this post as I ended up looking at crime stories – I blame Bailey Sarian as I was watching her at the same time (see previous blog post). Plus, I definitely procrastinated doing it for reasons that will be mentioned in this post.
Let’s just start by saying that I know a lot of people procrastinate. It’s just something that we as people do. So, I thought I would do some research into the subject so we can delve into why we procrastinate. I definitely learnt a lot about myself writing this post.
I’ve always been a procrastinator. I procrastinate doing pretty much everything.
I know that the main reason that I procrastinate is because I doubt myself and my own abilities. I’ve never been confident in myself – I’m not really sure why.
I’m getting a bit ahead of myself. Let me first talk a bit about what procrastination is.
What Is Procrastination?
The general definition of procrastination is to intentionally put off doing something that should be done (source). I think that’s definitely something that most of us can say that we’ve done – at least once in our lives (or if you’re like me, do it all of the time).
Why Do We Procrastinate?
I discovered a lot of different reasons for why we procrastinate and learnt that generally people who procrastinate can be split into two groups – passive procrastinators and active procrastinators. Passive procrastinators are those that “delay tasks because they have trouble making decisions and acting on them”. Active procrastinators “delay tasks purposefully because working under pressure allows them to feel challenged and motivated” (source). These analogies definitely sum up the below examples.
While researching for this blog post I also came across the term “time inconsistency”. According to one of the articles that I found; time inconsistency refers to “the tendency of the human brain to value immediate rewards more highly than future rewards” (source). This article had loads of information about procrastination and used some great analogies – so I’d recommend checking it out after you’ve finished reading this.
I also read that another reason that we put things off is because we think that we need to feel inspired or motivated in order to do anything (I am definitely guilty of this). However, in reality if we always wait until we “feel ready”, that time will probably never come, and we won’t end up getting things done (source).
“If you wait until you’re ready, you will be waiting for the rest of your life. Stop waiting and start today.”
– Brad Turnbull.
As mentioned above, a factor that I can definitely relate to when it comes to procrastinating is “when you can’t figure out how to tackle a project or feel insecure in your abilities, you might find it easier to put it off and work on other tasks” (source). I kept putting off completing this blog post because I wasn’t sure that I could write it to the standard that I would like it to be. But if I leave it until last minute it definitely won’t be up to that standard. I’m still working on changing this mindset.
There are so many more reasons that we procrastinate, but these are just a few examples that resonate with me and I know will for others too.
Tips For Procrastinators
So, what can we do to help limit how much we procrastinate? I’ve compiled a list from things that I try to do and from tips that I’ve found through my research. I now just need to start taking my own advice.
Recognise warning signs/triggers – Learn to take note of what causes you to procrastinate (see above for some examples). When you learn to recognise the signs, you’ll be more equipped to find methods to deal with it.
Make a to-do list – I have mixed feeling about this – and that’s purely because my perfectionist comes out when it comes to list making. I find writing lists helpful as I quite often need to just dump everything in my head out onto paper. So, writing lists means that I can order what’s going on in my brain. However, I have been known to take more time writing a to-do list and making it look visually appealing than it actually takes me to do the tasks. But I guess that’s okay😂
Eliminate distractions – Now, if I’m completely honest this is probably the hardest one for me as I will find things to distract me, even when there’s nothing there. I’m constantly daydreaming about anything and everything. But some of these other tips help to stop me from daydreaming. But whatever your distraction is – whether that’s your phone, other people or even the music that you’re listening to. Try and remove them or yourself from the situation and hopefully this will help. And remind yourself that those things will still be there once you’ve finished your task.
Take baby steps/make easy to achieve goals – If you have a lot to do and are feeling overwhelmed, see if you can break those tasks into smaller, more manageable, tasks. This will help them feel less daunting. For example, when I have a blog post to write, rather than just sitting in one spot and doing all of the research, doing all of the writing, taking/organising the photos etc. I do one bit at a time and try to spread it over a few days. This typically encourages me to feel more creative and not constantly worn out. On the topic of writing blog posts, if you’re curious as to how I write them – click here.
Give yourself rewards/incentives – As mentioned above, it’s a natural human instinct to want immediate rewards. An example could be watching one of your favourite movies while writing that annoying report that you’ve been putting off. By having your favourite film in the background you’re rewarding yourself by allowing yourself to consume something happy, while doing a more boring task. And, because you already know what happens in the film, you’ll be less likely to get distracted as you don’t need to pay much attention to it. However, if that is one of your distractions, maybe train your brain to focus on shorter tasks and give yourself a small reward after each. A simple reward could even just be allowing yourself to feel proud for completing a task. Work in whatever way is best for you.
Work on self-confidence – This is definitely something that I need to make more time for. My lack of belief in myself and my abilities is definitely the biggest cause of my procrastination. Part of the aim of this blog is to help other people. Therefore, when I don’t get much engagement it upsets me. However, I need to learn to focus on those that do engage with my content because those are my people and who I should be engaging with (I’ve been learning a lot about this recently). Once I get more of a hang of dealing with engagement and how that impacts me, I may do a blog post on it? Let me know in the comments if that’s something that you’d be interested in. But if self-doubt is what is holding you back, take some time to think of all of the things that you’re amazing at. If you struggle thinking positively of yourself, find a family member or friend to do it for you! Heck, message me and I’ll do it!! We could all do with a bit more positivity in our lives. Whenever I’m feeling a low, I always tell me boyfriend and he will cheer me up in his weird and wonderful ways😂
Time block – Time blocking is where you set yourself a timer and only focus on one task during that time. Personally, I find this really helpful! I will be talking a bit more in-depth about this in an organisational post coming soon – so keep your eyes peeled.
Be consistent – Attempting the above tips every now and again is one thing. But to really reduce your procrastination habit you have to be consistent in trying to manage it. But I truly believe that we can all do it. We’re all strong and powerful individuals – we just need to believe in ourselves a bit more often.
I think it’s important to remember that a lot of people procrastinate – so you’re not alone. And you definitely shouldn’t feel guilty about it, because it happens. Just take some time to learn about your procrastination and discover ways that could help you reduce it. But also, if you just want to have a day of doing nothing and put off everything – that’s fine too!! I’ve even written a post about my lazy days – click here to read it.
Do you struggle with procrastination? What do you do to try and keep yourself on track? Let me know in the comments.
I hope that this post helps you understand procrastination a bit better. And hopefully we can learn to combat that negative habit and become our best productive selves.
Let’s continue to lift each other up and support each other always🧡
Cerys x
