We all procrastinate.
Maybe we’re overwhelmed by the sheer size of the task and our brains just shut down. We might have a few odds and ends to wrap up that don’t seem very important after all. Or there might be an issue that we’ve ignored for so long that we don’t even really think about it until it’s almost too late!
Most of us know that procrastination usually doesn’t produce a good result. Here’s a quick look at how procrastination works and how you can beat it!
Why do we procrastinate?
There are a few reasons why we procrastinate. In general, your brain is much better at understanding the here and now than something that has yet to happen. The hassle of completing a task can seem more real to us than the future feeling of accomplishment we’ll have once everything is said and done.(1)
But it goes deeper than that. Oftentimes, we procrastinate when we associate negative emotions with a task.(2) That’s why we often put off boring or physically demanding tasks as long as possible. We might also be afraid of facing the consequences of failing at the task or being judged poorly by our peers. Putting off the task is an easy, though often costly, way of regulating those doubts and fears. But avoiding the task doesn’t normally make us feel better. Procrastination often leads to a spiral; we put off a task out of fear, feel bad about ourselves, grow more fearful, and on and on.
How to avoid procrastination
There are a few strategies you can use to combat procrastination. Try breaking your tasks down into the smallest, least intimidating pieces possible and start knocking them out, one by one. That can make a big problem seem much more manageable in the short term. You might also want to reward yourself when you overcome each milestone to help you associate productivity with something positive.
But overcoming procrastination isn’t always about strategy. Sometimes we have to overcome deep feelings of fear and anxiety. Studies have shown that practices like self-compassion and re-framing an issue can go a long way to defeating procrastination. Ask yourself why you’re avoiding a task. Is it fear of your work not being recognized? Fear of being ignored? Try to work through what’s causing the slow down and recognize what’s going on!
Don’t forget to cut yourself some slack next time you hit a roadblock. It happens to everyone! Take a breath, try to understand what precisely it is you’re avoiding, and then look on the bright side of how much better you’ll feel once your work is complete!