How to (Finally!) Stop Procrastinating

I am a reformed world-class procrastinator. If there was something I dreaded doing, I would procrastinate. Until. The. Very. Last. Second. I'm talking I would procrastinate my procrastination!

Procrastination is the practice of putting off important tasks by doing less difficult or more pleasurable activities instead. If we're honest, all of us do this at one time or another.

To tackle the procrastination problem, experts suggest it's helpful to understand exactly WHY we do it. Once we get at the root of why we procrastinate, we can then employ the appropriate strategies to address it.

In this section of the post, I'll review several reasons why we tend to procrastinate (undoubtedly, there are others). Think of a task you need to complete that you have been putting off. Consider if one or more of these factors is at play. Often, they can be interrelated.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

Reason/Explanation	Example
Fear of failure: worrying about not doing a task well enough and you just avoid doing it	Feeling a lack of confidence about doing a task, so you just don't do it
Fear of success: worrying that if you are successful at the task, you will always be expected to perform at that level	Feeling pressure to hit a "home run" every at bat
Feeling overwhelmed: having so many things to do that it’s unclear where to start	Cleaning and organizing an area in your home that has been neglected
Lack of motivation: not feeling inspired or interested in the task	Delaying doing something that is necessary but tedious, such as administrative tasks, to focus on work you find more stimulating
Perfectionism: setting unrealistically high standards	Delaying a task until it can be perfect or putting off finishing the task because it's never "good enough" to call it done
Anxiety: feeling anxious about something	Delaying checking your bills because you feel anxious about seeing how much you need to pay
Distractions: getting sidetracked by the bright, shiny objects	Getting sidetracked by email/IM alerts, interruptions, checking social media, or negative peer influence
Task aversion: avoiding the task because it is difficult, boring, or unpleasant	Delaying having a difficult conversation with someone, even though you know the angst you feel now will be outweighed by the relief you would feel afterward
Fear of criticism: avoiding starting the task because you anticipate negative feedback on your work	Delaying work on a project because you believe your manager will negatively scrutinize your work
Low self-esteem: lacking confidence in your skills; doubting your capability to complete the task successfully	Putting off beginning work on a project because you lack confidence in your ability to perform the required technical aspects of the task
Lack of or low energy: insufficient energy to do the task	Getting insufficient rest
Avoidance coping: avoiding stressors rather than dealing with them; avoiding thinking about, feeling, or doing difficult things	Engaging in distractions such as watching TV, scrolling on social media, or playing video games
Reliance on pressure: doing the task at the last minute, thinking you work better “under the gun”	Cramming for an important exam or preparing a critical presentation the day before
Ambiguous/abstract goals: being unclear about the goals or the why of the ask	Defining a goal of getting fit versus a goal of walking on the treadmill everyday for 30 minutes
Lack of self-control: Acting impulsively or being easily distracted	Starting a task and becoming distracted by your text messages
Unclear expectations: Operating under vague priorities or direction	Not knowing how to start, what the outcome should be, or the steps to complete the task
Poor time management: Failing to prioritize properly or mistakenly thinking how long it will take to complete a task	Miscalculating how long a task will take to complete when you've never done it before

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12 Science-Backed Ways to Stop Procrastinating

Once you've identified the reason(s) behind your procrastination, here are several science-backed ways to overcome it.

• To overcome lack of motivation, lack of or low energy, reliance on pressure, ambiguous/abstract goals, and unclear expectations:

Focus on the why. Focus on why you are doing the task and the benefits you will receive when you are done. Think about how good you will feel once it is completed.

• To overcome distractions, poor time management, feeling overwhelmed, and reliance on pressure:

Schedule the task on your calendar, including any deadlines for completion and milestones. Designated time will help you focus and avoid putting the task off.

• To overcome fear of success, ambiguous or abstract goals, and unclear expectations:

Set realistic and achievable goals. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to move forward. Setting too lofty a goal will lead to overwhelm and procrastination.

• To overcome fear of failure and feeling overwhelmed:

Break tasks into manageable chunks. Break larger tasks into smaller ones; schedule time to complete each task and get a confidence lift as you complete each one.

• To overcome anxiety, task aversion, and avoidance coping:

Do the task for just a few minutes. Starting is the most difficult part. Doing the task for a few minutes will help you overcome your initial fear.

• To overcome lack of motivation and poor time management:

Set a short deadline. It’s easy to put off something that seems far off. By setting shorter deadlines, you can avoid waiting until the last minute.

• To overcome task aversion:

Do the hard and important tasks first. Author Brian Tracy would say eat the frog! Conquer the more difficult tasks while you have the energy and before you experience willpower slump. Doing this will give you a self-esteem boost and set a positive tone for the rest of the day.

• To overcome fear of failure, fear of criticism, and low self-esteem:

Boost your confidence. Create list of past achievements for inspiration or look to how others have completed a similar task to learn from their methods and success.

• To overcome distractions and lack of self-control:

Remove distractions and temptations. Before you begin work, remove these to keep your environment distraction-free. Be mindful that distractions can be things and people. You know what they are for you.

• To overcome fear of failure, anxiety, low self-esteem, and lack of self-control:

Get an accountability partner. Share your goal to stop procrastinating and speak with your partner regularly to discuss your progress and get support.

• To overcome feeling overwhelmed and task aversion:

Reward yourself after task completion. Plan a reward after you have completed a set amount of work, e.g., coffee, snack, or 10-minute social media break.

• To overcome perfectionism and fear of criticism:

Drop the perfectionism. As a perfectionist, I realize this is easier said than done. Starting or finishing a project can be difficult for perfectionists. Remember that you can can always edit the work later. However, once it’s finished, let it go.

We'd love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments how you are procrastinating and why. Which strategy or strategies will you use to overcome your procrastination?

Sources

• Pursey, K. (2017, November 24). How to Stop Procrastinating with These 12 Science-Backed Hacks - Learning Mind. Learning Mind. https://www.learning-mind.com/how-to-stop-procrastinating/

• Rosemont, D., Rosemont, D., & Rosemont, D. (2018, January 9). What are You Waiting For? Top 10 Reasons People Procrastinate. Simply Placed - Professional Life Organizer. https://www.itssimplyplaced.com/10-reasons-people-procrastinate/

• Why people procrastinate: The psychology and Causes of Procrastination. (n.d.). https://solvingprocrastination.com/why-people-procrastinate/

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