Procrastination: How to Stop Procrastinating

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Sit and read this article, and in the kitchen a pile of unwashed dishes is waiting for you? Or, while at work, instead of performing duties, you “walk” through the sites in search of something interesting? No, of course, we are very pleased that you have devoted your time to your visit to Cleo. Do this as often as possible! But remember that by regularly postponing things from the "must" category for later, you run the risk of not only failing to complete what was planned for the day, week or month, but also experiencing an oppressive sense of guilt due to inability to pull yourself together.

Photo: 123RF / milkos

In psychology, this phenomenon is called procrastination … And we are talking about the tendency to postpone not only unpleasant things, but also thoughts. Do you know the state that can be conventionally called "I'll think about it tomorrow"? When even the very idea of a momentary solution to a complex issue causes almost physical discomfort? Because of such feelings, many people ignore profitable opportunities, let things go by themselves when they cannot be done.

This state is familiar to almost every one of us and can even be considered the norm to a certain extent. However, only as long as the person does not begin to be distracted by important matters from procrastination, and not vice versa. Psychologists say that the average procrastinator spends twice as much time on work as on “rocking” in front of her. And, as a rule, if you don't do anything about it, things only get worse over the years.

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4 Reasons for procrastination

1. The main reason for postponing things until later, experts say, is the fight against anxiety. If a person does not want to complete a task, believing that it is difficult and he will not succeed, or that no one needs it, then he involuntarily tries to avoid the stress caused by the fear of failure. As a rule, in this case, procrastination is caused by a person's lack of confidence in their abilities, negative experience, and low self-esteem.

2. Some people deliberately (albeit not quite consciously) "pull the cat by the tail", because they simply cannot work effectively in conditions when everything is calm. But the deadlines give them a huge burst of energy - the adrenaline arising from the understanding that the deadline was yesterday is off scale and works wonders: sometimes the procrastinator performs his duties better than anyone else. However, this approach cannot be considered successful, and it is not suitable for building a career.

3. There is a theory that people who regularly put off difficult things for later are simply afraid of becoming successful. They do not want to declare themselves as capable employees, do not want to stand out from the crowd. It is more convenient for them to take the position of the "average". Hence the desire not to "run ahead of the locomotive," but to trail somewhere in its tail.

4. There is another biological explanation for procrastination: it occurs either as a result of frustration, or during a contradiction between two mutually exclusive tasks. This is described in great detail in one of the episodes of the program "Everything is like animals."

What procrastination is fraught with

The main threat to procrastinators is the feeling of guilt, which inevitably appears when people realize that once again they cannot control their own attention. Against this background, a stressful state can develop, leading not only to psychological, but also to physical illness. The latter appear due to the desire of a person to do everything at an extreme moment (often at night), while ignoring the need to regularly eat healthy food and get enough sleep.

In addition, a person who regularly postpones duties for later, quite rightly causes dissatisfaction on the part of loved ones and colleagues. Others believe that the procrastinator cannot be trusted with important matters and the solution of key issues. As a result, conflicts and misunderstandings appear.

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Methods to combat procrastination

1. Understand the reasons. Try to figure out why you postpone the same tasks with enviable consistency. Perhaps you just do not like your job and everything that is connected with it puts you into a state of despondency. You may have a rebellious spirit that comes from adolescence and opposition to your parents. There may be a lot of reasons, your task is to understand what is stopping you. This will really be a step towards solving the problem.

2. Make a plan of action. This method will require concentration on your part. Consider carefully what you need to do today and what can be postponed until tomorrow. And proceed with the implementation of the points of the plan almost automatically: we coped with one thing, crossed it out, rested for ten minutes, proceeded to the next one. It will not be easy at first, you will want to be distracted by social networks, conversations with colleagues and friends, and other "procrastinator's temptations." But for motivation, imagine how many pleasant things you can do when you cross out all the points of the plan for today. And without the oppressive sense of guilt.

Many people are dragged out of certain responsibilities for fear of making a mistake.

3. Don't be afraid to be wrong. Many people drag out certain responsibilities for fear of making a mistake. But it is not for nothing that they say that only those who do nothing are not mistaken. Having stuffed himself a bump a couple of times, a person will know which way to go, and which one to bypass. Trying is the surest way to success. Therefore, if now it seems to you that your idea is doomed to failure, do not give up, do not delay its implementation - try it, and next time you will know what to fear and what not.

4. Find motivation. You do every task for something. In order not to anger the boss, in order to establish yourself, so that you have money to pay off a loan, to help a friend, or to keep your home cozy and clean. There are reasons for everything. You just need to turn them into motivation.

For example, the oppressive “if I don’t, the boss will kill me”, formulate as “I will look like an executive employee in the boss's eyes, whom you can rely on”. Instead of "we need to wash the dishes, otherwise there will soon be nothing to eat" say to yourself "the kitchen will become clean and comfortable, and after cleaning I can drink delicious tea." Positive attitudes are always stronger than negative ones.

123RF / Dean Drobot

Allow yourself to rest, but distinguish rest from the banal unwillingness to do something important. It is quite simple to do this - in the first case you will enjoy the process, and in the second you will not be able to relax for a second. Do you want to live in constant tension?