How to Overcome Procrastination

Why we procrastinate? This question now has some answers on my yesterday article. And as I have said on the last part of my article, I will now write down today how to overcome procrastination.

Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination is something that can be conquered. You can start working on projects today, no matter how long you've put them off. Here are some effective methods for dealing with the beast of procrastination.

Taking Care of the Emotional Issue

First and foremost, procrastination must be recognized as essentially an emotional issue. Yes, time management and prioritization are important, but procrastination is mostly motivated by emotions.

As previously said, procrastination sets in motion a cycle of anxiety, avoidance, and shame, which leads to increasing stress and deterioration of mental and physical function.

So, how do you deal with procrastination's emotional side?

To begin, think about both your current and future emotions.

When you delay, the majority of your current emotions about a set of activities are negative. You're nervous about starting them and ashamed because you haven't finished them yet.

Consider the pleasant emotions you'll have when you start working on one of your most important chores to help you overcome these bad emotions. You'll feel productive, cheerful, and like you're working on something worthwhile. You won't be bothered by the fear, embarrassment, or tension you're experiencing right now.

You may even attain a flow state, in which you lose track of time and get completely absorbed in the task at hand.

Self-forgiveness and self-compassion are the next steps in overcoming procrastination.

Beating yourself up about the tasks you've put off will not help you get ahead on the important stuff. The more you punish yourself for procrastinating, the more anxiety, humiliation, avoidance, and tension you will feel.

On the other hand, the more you forgive yourself for procrastinating, the simpler it will be to complete the duties at hand. When it comes to conquering procrastination, research has shown that self-forgiveness and compassion are crucial.

Implementing mindfulness is the third step in overcoming procrastination.

Mindfulness is the practice of focusing solely on the present moment and refraining from thinking about the future or the past. When you consider the future and all that needs to be accomplished, you may feel overwhelmed and want to give up.

If you go back to all the times you've procrastinated, you'll find yourself trapped in the shame loop that has paralyzed you on several occasions.

The goal is to concentrate solely on the present moment. What is the one most critical thing you can do right now to make progress on your most important task? Concentrate entirely on that one action. Don't worry about all the things you need to get done or all the things you haven't gotten done. Concentrate entirely on what is right in front of you.

Overcoming Procrastination: Tactical Strategies

Along with addressing the emotional aspect of procrastination, it's equally critical to address the strategic and tactical aspects. You'll need to come up with practical techniques to make the work ahead of you seem less intimidating and overwhelming.

Here are some suggestions for making your job easier.

Break Down Large Projects Into Smaller Pieces

Breaking down large projects into smaller, more manageable jobs is one of the most efficient methods to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Let's imagine you're required to write a ten-page paper. Break the paper down into smaller, one-page chunks and just work on one page at a time, rather than attempting to write the full paper in one session.

This makes writing the paper seem much easier.

Make a list of your top priorities.

After you've broken down your major project into smaller steps, rank them in order of significance. Concentrate solely on your most critical action. Don't change your attention until you've completed the task at hand.

Then go to the next most critical step.

Time Blocking

Time blocking is the process of reserving a block of time in your calendar for the sole purpose of completing a specific task. Time blocking gives actions a deadline, pushing you to complete them (and do so fast) even if you don't feel like it.

You can generate substantial momentum on the tasks ahead of you by blocking off time in your calendar and completing focused work on your most critical activity during that period.

Final words

You don't have to let procrastination run your life. Yes, it can be tough to break the behavior, especially if it is deeply ingrained. However, by deliberately targeting the emotional, tactical, and practical aspects of it, you may gradually but steadily increase your productivity, self-confidence, and satisfaction with the progress you're making on your most essential projects.

In your fight against procrastination, don't procrastinate. Begin taking serious action right now.