Procrastination has been said to be a thief of time, however, everyone at some point or the other have had reasons to procrastinate and put things on hold. According to recent research, it has been suggested that procrastination is linked to difficulty in managing distress.
It is important to note that procrastination can lead to increased stress, health problems, and poorer performance. Procrastinators tend to have more sleep issues and experience greater stressful regret than non-procrastinators.
Below are some steps to help overcome procrastination:
1. Know why you should do a task
Procrastinators focus more on short-term gains, avoiding the distress associated with the task, as opposed to long-term results, the stress of not doing it, as well as the consequences of avoiding this task. Instead, try focusing on why you are doing this task: What are the benefits of completing it?
Know why it is important you do an activity earlier than you plan, the benefits that will come from it and how you will be gaining from doing such activity on time. This helps to channel your energy the right way.
2. Be realistic
When setting your goals, be realistic. Do not schedule things that you know will not be possible, rather, plan things that you know you will be able to do at the time you have set for yourself. Also, you can look for ways to make things easier for you so you can perform better and do things more efficiently and in a timely manner.
3. Get an accountability partner
If you are the type that procrastinates a lot, you can get an accountability partner that will help you through your tasks. This individual will be ready to give you a push when the need arises. You have to admit to yourself you might not be able to do some things by yourself, hence, the need for a partner. Two heads are better than one, they say. Having someone to motivate you to doing your tasks is not only rewarding but would also instill a sense of discipline and responsibility into you.
4. Reward yourself
When you do things at the right time without procrastinating, you can choose to reward yourself for a job well-done, this can serve as a source of motivation to help you perform better. Also, those things such as social media, netflix and so on that causes you to procrastinate can become contingent on you actually finishing what you schedule yourself to do.
You can treat yourself to a private movie night when you finish certain seemingly difficult tasks for the day on time.
5. Work when you are most alert and efficient
Most of us hate waking up early but society have tricked us into thinking that this is the only way you can be effective. Well, what if you stay up late I’m the night to do some of the things on your list for the next day during your most active time and avoid the morning rush the next day with more energy to face your day?
Listen to your body clock and notice when you yawn less. Don’t torture yourself with caffeine products. Understand your body and create a workable plan around it.
Instead of procrastinating, go through the steps above and help yourself overcome procrastination.
How have you been handling procrastion in the past? What do you intend to start doing different now?