Procrastination is something that each and every one of us has faced at some point in time in our life. Be it procrastination to get going and study for a test, or completing a project, or for that matter even some choices that could give your career a huge leap. It is the lack of motivation or the willingness to get going and complete the task at hand which causes that huge mental block and is essentially the exact opposite of procrastination. In such cases, expecting success and then working towards that goal can help overcome procrastination as well as serve as a source of motivation when you achieve the goal. Delays in achieving success can be attributed to distractions such as, scrolling aimlessly on Instagram or Facebook, or binge-watching several Netflix series when you know you have an important task at hand. These delays can not only impede your success but when you realize that you are not able to achieve your set target you are more likely to probably just not complete the task at all or do it in a manner less acceptable than what would be expected.

According to Steven Pressfield’s book ‘The Art of War’ the resistance that we notice while trying to be productive is more so related to fear and the more scared or anxious we feel about a task or project, the more important that project is. He says that it is important to have a growth mindset and banish our ego if we happen to fail or receive negative feedback for a task we completed. This might impede our success and make us upset, but it is important to bounce back and make a stronger effort to ensure success at your next attempt. One must take pride in the work they do and have a professional approach towards tasks as this would help you tie over in times of adversity.

It definitely feels like it is easier said than done when trying to overcome procrastination, but it is definitely achievable. Firstly setting small and achievable tasks would be a good place to start off with. Just the fact that you started off something in that task would grab your attention to go ahead and try and complete it once you develop an interest in it. Secondly, you could try and just structure everything you need to complete for that task in order of priority and create a daily planner so you can gradually complete it instead of having a truckload to complete at one go because you were procrastinating watching a new Netflix release. Sometimes it really is difficult to get that task going when it’s something you absolutely don’t like, like a subject you don’t like studying for. This technique of working in small bursts would definitely help in this case. Studying or completing the task in short bursts would not only enable you to give your 100% concentration but also make the task a little less daunting. Another very important way of decreasing procrastination would be to have an ideal work environment with minimal to no digital distractions. Setting personal goals and deadlines can help you make way for other important tasks which also end up bearing the brunt of your procrastination towards one particular task. It’s like a vicious cycle that does not end until you make it stop by making a conscious effort to do so.

The thing is that procrastination is a habit that can be easily broken like all habits. 80% of the time once you start a task you will end up finishing it. But what needs to be realized is that when you find yourself procrastinating, there is definitely some stress factor that is hindering your ability to get to that task. It could be the level of difficulty of the task, or some personal or professional issues you are dealing with that reduces your ability to give your maximum output and you end up putting off that task for a later time. If you learn to break the habit of procrastination, one thing I can tell you for sure is that you will not have to deal with the stress of that task at least. Also, not many people are able to deliver their best under extreme time constraints caused due to procrastination, and you would have to deal with the pressures of not only deadlines to complete that particular task but at trying to figure out excuses if you don’t end up finishing….. ouch! Not cool!!

If you were ever in doubt as to when to start that YouTube channel, when to start on that project due 2 weeks from now, when to make that huge career-defining move, or any challenging tasks that manifests into fear in your mind?…. NOW….NOW IS THE TIME! Your future you is going to thank you for making all those efforts!

References:

My references are several TedX talks and my personal experiences at trying to overcome procrastination through my dental and Masters studies.

‘The War of Art’ by Steven Pressfield