5 Easy Ways to Stop Procrastinating

Avoidance

I may be dating myself here but to quote Jack Nicholson, “you can’t handle the truth!” Well, you can, but that’s what you’re likely telling yourself when you procrastinate. This is because procrastination stems from the avoidance of negative thoughts and feelings. You don’t want to write that report because maybe you feel like it won’t be good enough or that you don’t have what it takes to pull it off successfully. 

You don’t want to talk to your friend about what’s bothering you, because you don’t have enough confidence to stand up for yourself or don’t feel worthy of being heard and validated, and so on. You get it. The point is that avoidance is besties with procrastination, and their cousins are difficult emotions.

Boredom

When we’re bored, it becomes incredibly difficult to motivate ourselves to get anything done. This is when we surf the internet or pull out our phones the moment we start a task. The more time we spend bored, the more difficult it becomes to engage with and take on a task. Hiding out in boredom and procrastination can actually zap our energy and productivity more than doing whatever task it is we’re actively avoiding. 

How to stop procrastinating

It’s good to dig deep into what causes procrastination and why you’re feeling it. Aside from boredom and avoiding negative emotions, procrastination can also stem from a deeper fear: a fear of failure. If you never start the task, you can’t finish it, and if you can’t finish it, no one can judge how you did. Easy, right? Just don’t do it! Wrong. This will backfire on you faster than you can imagine and cost you career advancements, creative opportunities, and even relationships. Here are a few ways to stop stopping yourself from being awesome and get sh*t done.

1. Start with a Smaller Task

When there are far too many items on your to-do list or one big thing you’ve been avoiding that feels daunting to begin, stop. Give yourself a moment to see if there are any smaller items on your list that you can do first. This will take off some pressure of a larger task, and it can be accomplished in less time. By the time you complete it you will feel productive and in a better headspace to begin the big task 

Tip: I always try to break the bigger tasks into smaller tasks, and schedule time to do this series of smaller tasks. It feels much less overwhelming than having to sit and do a big long task

2. Breathe

If you are feeling stressed, or anxious about the task(s) at hand, take a moment before you begin to take seven long deep breaths. This will steady your body and your mind, bring you back to baseline and allow you to think more clearly.

3. Minimize Distractions

With all of our social media apps, email, texts, and other notifications seamlessly linked to virtually every device, it can feel impossible to stop distractions. When taking on an important task, close and unnecessary web pages, place your phone on “do not disturb”, and if you are around others let them know you need some time without interruption to complete a task. If you have the option, close a door to the room you are in and put on some music to drown out and distracting sounds and help you get in the flow.

4. Remove Self Worth from Achievement

If your procrastination stems from a fear of failure and/or perfectionism, your self-worth is tied into the task at hand. This can grind you to a halt. Remind yourself that there is a visceral difference between the task you are working on and who you are as a person. What you are worth as a person does not change regardless of how the task turns out.

5. Self Awareness and Self Acceptance

 When you are ready to stop procrastinating, as with many things the most important step is self-awarenss and acceptance that this is becoming a problem. Remind yourself to look at the bigger picture and how the task does (or does not) play into it. This will help you realize the truth that your worth and happiness go beyond a task. Accept that you have a tendency to procrastinate and utilize the above tips. 

Remember, change does not happen over night. Stay vigilant and you will get out of the quicksand.

You’ve got this xx

If you struggle with anxious, self-critical, racing thoughts and consider yourself an overthinker then don’t worry..I’ve got you…Check out The Overthinking Toolkit.