Many people would describe themselves as procrastinators. We all know what we should and need to do, but many of us still go the “lazy route” to avoid doing work as much as possible. There is nothing wrong with having time set aside for yourself every once in a while, but procrastinating too much will prevent you to from getting important things done, leading to possible failure. Procrastinators tend to put obstacles in their own path which ultimately ends up hurting their overall performance. These are a few reasons why someone would choose to procrastinate.
- Lack of motivation
- Lack of skill
- Fear of the consequences failure
- Fear of the consequences of success
- Lack of interest
- Rebellion and resistance
It is important that everyone stops procrastinating in order to their lives more fully. Here are a few tips to become more productive and focused in order to reduce procrastination.
- Stop thinking, stop avoiding, start doing – Planning can definitely help you achieve what you want to achieve, but too much planning can have a negative outcome. Nobody is perfect. You are bound to make mistakes along the way and that’s okay.
- Do not exaggerate/Blow tasks out of proportion – By over thinking and making tasks seem so much then they really are, the harder it will be to accomplish them. It may seem that you are protecting yourself from pain or fear, but putting things off makes it much worse and even creates more and more self-doubt. Blowing things our of proportion causes you to dwell on it for much longer than necessary and think about it in a more negative sense, so it’s best to just take action right away.
- Take the first step and the rest will come easier – It is easy to get overwhelmed when looking too far in the future. By taking the first step, it can instantly make you more positive and enthusiastic about the situation. It is important to focus on your plan in terms of creating multiple short term goals rather than just constantly looking at the big picture. After taking the first step, then you can take the next step, and the one after that. This process becomes easier and easier as you move along.
- Start with the hardest task – Getting the most challenging and stressful task out of the way can be very relieving. This will allow you to be more positive and proud of yourself afterwards and will continue as the day goes on. Also, this makes your to-do-list feel much easier as you move along.
- Face your fears – It is much easier to live in the “someday” thought process rather than make these thoughts a reality. Taking action can be difficult due to the risk of making mistakes, having to deal with failure, and having to take responsibility. This easier choice comes from a sense of comfort, however it typically leaves people feeling regretful and unfulfilled.