Ending Procrastination’s Reign of Terror
“It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.” ― Leonardo da Vinci
It can wait another day.
I’ll deal with it later.
I need a break.
If you’re a chronic procrastinator like me, these thoughts are all too familiar and often lead to hours on social media or Netflix.
Procrastination — the act of delaying or postponing — is a seemingly unavoidable plague that so many of us fall victim to, even the most self-disciplined.
Why is procrastination so pervasive? Well, putting off that important task can momentarily feel liberating — like ditching school to go to the beach with your friends.
BUT the further you run from your responsibilities, the guiltier you feel in the end. Making matters worse, procrastinators often sell themselves short by rushing to meet a deadline, building up even more guilt.
Procrastination is a deeply ingrained habit that is extremely challenging to break — but it’s not impossible. Let’s go over some proven tips that can put an end to procrastination for good.
What’s the cause of procrastination? It isn’t laziness.
Do you ever stare at a blank document or an unsolved puzzle and think: Am I even capable of doing this? What if it doesn’t turn out how I want it? Where do I even start? What if my peers dislike it?
These thoughts don’t come from being lazy. They come from a fear of failure and a lack of direction. Procrastinators are especially gifted in running far away from these negative emotions — stress, anxiety, dread — that are associated with the task at hand.
Sometimes, we even like to convince ourselves that we’re being productive when we aren’t. When I’m procrastinating, for instance, I watch “educational” videos like how to turn $1 into $1 million or even how to not procrastinate. But the fact of the matter is: I’m avoiding the main task against my better judgement.
It’s necessary to be aware of when and why you’re procrastinating before you even think about taking steps to manage it.
Who can we blame? Our ancestors.
In theory, the remedy to procrastination should be simple: “just do it” right? Surely enough, chronic procrastinators have faced disappointing results with this technique. Why? It turns out that our genetics may leave us predisposed to procrastination.
According to research published in Psychological Science (2014), “from an evolutionary standpoint, impulsivity makes sense: Our ancestors should have been inclined to seek immediate rewards when the next day was uncertain.”
Our futures aren’t so uncertain these days. We have tasks with clear deadlines that require extensive preparation and discipline to complete. However, our self-control can easily be trampled on by impulsive genetic instincts.
Procrastination was once a useful tool for survival, but it now serves as a detriment to our productivity and mental wellness.
Let’s face it: COVID-19 is taking a toll on our mental health
There’s no doubt that COVID-19 is damaging our emotional well-being. In a study conducted to evaluate the psychological effects of quarantine, it was found that 28.9% of participants had symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 31.2% had symptoms of depression. And procrastination is only worsening the effects of quarantine.
We’re living in uncertain times and our mental health is muddled with worry and unease. To make matters worse, if you’ve transitioned to work from home, you’d know that it’s more difficult than ever to resist the temptation of climbing into bed for a “quick” nap or TV break.
It’s easy to use quarantine as an excuse to justify avoiding important tasks.
Despite the perplexing times we’re living in, one could argue that it is more important now than ever to tackle procrastination head-on.
To put effort into self-improvement during the most challenging times requires great discipline, discipline that serves as a rigid foundation for productivity and well-being even after the tough times pass.
How can we stop procrastinating for good?
Let me start by addressing the irony of the situation: I’m nowhere near perfect and I’m definitely no stranger to procrastination. I’ve had my fair share of all-nighters and essay-writing cram sessions. Nonetheless, I’ve recently begun making an effort toward productivity and self-improvement and would like to share some tips that have helped me personally.
Overcoming procrastination requires performing the task at hand despite the negative emotions that are associated with it. The best way that I’ve found to regulate these negative emotions is by starting very small and creating manageable habits:
Want to learn how to speak Spanish? Learn 5 words a day.
Want to lose weight? Start walking for 5 minutes a day.
By reducing your task into bite-sized pieces, you are essentially eliminating any fear of failure and lack of direction that is associated with it.
So now it all boils down to initiating the habit. Sounds easy enough right? Well unfortunately, this is the most difficult part. Chronic procrastinators who envision themselves being productive fail to anticipate the distractions that can easily subvert their attention.
This is where Ladder comes in. With Ladder, initiating and building upon habits becomes straightforward and seamless. It’s a great way to finally start that task you’ve been meaning to get to for an eternity. Ladder personally helped me grow stronger by giving me the motivational nudge to start doing pull-ups — starting with 5 and gradually building up to now 15 and counting.
Procrastinators act upon what feels good in the moment. In a 2013 study, Dr. Pychyl and Dr. Sirois described procrastination as “the primacy of short-term mood repair…over the longer-term pursuit of intended actions”. At the end of the day, our mental health in the long run matters most.
It can sometimes be difficult to prioritize our long-term happiness. Fortunately, Ladder encourages you to log your daily mood, allowing you to hone in on which habits affect your mental health so that you can take appropriate actions for self-improvement.
Conquering procrastination takes a whole lot of willpower, but I hope that the tips I’ve provided can guide you along the way. If you’re reading this to better yourself and regain control of your life, I urge you not to delay any longer. There’s no better time to start than now.
