What is “Procrastination” and How Can I Avoid It?

18.03.2022

In basic terms, “procrastination” is the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished by a certain deadline. In other words, you’re intentionlly and habitually putting stuff off.

It’s a universal problem, everyone knows what it’s like. We know that we should be doing that task or studying for those important exams. But more often than not, we somehow find ourselves procrastinating by doing the most pointless activities; scrolling through Facebook, standing in front of the fridge, watching car cleaning videos on Youtube when we don’t even have a car. This habitual avoidance doesn’t only affect our work; it also affects other important aspects of our lives. According to many psychological studies, the tendency to procrastinate runs in families, and the genes which control this are linked to impulsivity. If you have a more impulsive personality you are more likely to procrastinate, creating a catch-all of difficulties in regulating your behavior.

So, how can we avoid tha habit procrastination? Or better yet, get rid of it?

Get organized

Track your individual assignments and important due dates at work or in education by investing in a planner, or using calendar apps. Clear visuals of everything you have completed so far will spur you on to achieve more.

Create more deadlines

One deadline is not enough for a master procrastinator. Break down your tasks into smaller ones, and then create a timeline with specific deadlines for each small task. This can help keep you on track.

Change your environment

Different environments have different impacts on your productivity. Look around you. Does it help you work, or is it a hive of distractions? If so, you should convert your workplace into somewhere calmer and more focused

Hang out with people who inspire you to go further

I call these types of friends “trigger people” – the type of person who will influence you to work that bit harder and achieve that much more. Hang out them more often.

Take a break

It’s important to take a mental and physical break every now and then. Ideally you should have a break between every 60-90 minutes of work. But be careful about the length of these breaks. Listen to music, take a walk, drink a tea or a coffee, scream into a pillow—whatever it takes to get your mind off work and rejuvenate yourself.

Talk about your goals

Tell your friends, colleagues and family about your projects, tasks and goals. Now whenever you see them, they are bound to ask you about the status of each one. But be careful with whom you talk. Sometimes people might let you down and give away your private work information, whether intentionally and unintentionally.

If you want to stop procrastinating, take a look at the big picture and know it’s okay to be dazed and confused at the beginning. I hope these tips help you to change those habits ad stop avoiding things. Share this with your friends and don’t forget to follow us on social media.