Procrastination Assassination
All of us at one time or another have procrastinated, whether it be for work, school, or household chores. I am famous for doing it until I find myself so completely stressed out about the deadline racing towards me. Each and every time I beat myself up and make a promise to myself that next time I will start earlier, only to find myself in the same situation once again.
Why do we procrastinate? According to Psychology Today, “putting things off can temporarily reduce our anxiety about a task.” Whether it be a fear of failure over the project at hand, or anxiety about getting the project done, procrastination can be a real problem for some.
I definitely fear failure and have anxiety about completing a project properly, but a lot of the time I think I find something more “important” to do. The laundry needs to be done or the house needs to be cleaned. Maybe its because I want to play with my granddaughter, or become obsessed with the series I am watching on Netflix. Whatever the reason, I cause myself so much unneeded stress by procrastinating.
I have been making a lot of changes within myself for the new year, and procrastination is the one thing I have begun working on. Here are some things I have been doing that seem to be helping a lot:
1. Make a timeline or outline of the project you need to complete.
I tend to get scattered. It must be the writer in me, but I have found by making a timeline of what I need to get done has already helped me. I am less stressed, and things are getting done quicker.
2. Mix it up a little.
Try completing your tasks somewhere else, especially if where you are currently trying to get them done is a distraction. My computer is in the living room, and there are way too many distractions to keep my mind focused on what I need to do. I have found that if I go into another room or outside and write by hand, the process of actually typing up what I have written takes a lot less concentration, and I get things done much faster.
3. Eliminate things that enable your procrastination.
Now granted, I can’t get rid of my eighteen-month-old granddaughter while I am babysitting, but I can set her up with her toys so she is occupied. Closing Netflix on my browser is also a way that I have found to help me complete projects.
4. Just do it.
We can find a million and one things we can do to occupy ourselves rather than doing what we need to. The fact is just sitting down and doing it will help to form habits, and hopefully will kick your procrastination habit.
5. Reward yourself.
When you complete your project or goal, reward yourself for a job well done. It doesn’t matter if it was a small project, or a huge goal you have been working on for forever. Do something nice for yourself. Positive reinforcement works every time!
This may not happen over night, and you may still find yourself struggling with your procrastination, but if you keep at it, you will find that you are getting things done faster and with much less anxiety and stress. Now stop reading this and get to work!
