Why do we procrastinate and how do we stop

[OlgaC]

For many people, procrastination is a strong and mysterious force that keeps them from completing the most urgent and important tasks in their lives with the same strength as when you try to bring like poles of a magnet together. It's also a potentially dangerous force, causing victims to fail out of school, perform poorly at work, put off medical treatment or delay saving for retirement.

Do you suffer from this problem too? Do you have some lifehacks to share how to stop procrastinating?

I like to procrastinate myself but at some point I start feeling anxious about this thing that I don't do. Sometimes I leave things undone if imagining doing them makes me feel uncomfortable. It's a vicious circle but I'm working on it.

 

[LaVagabonde]

Procrastination can be so debilitating! I also feel anxious if I keep putting something off, but still find myself wasting my time on less urgent issues (or scrolling through Facebook) to avoid taking on certain things. For me, it helps to break up a large task into small tasks and put each one on my to-do list. That makes it feel much more manageable and not so overwhelming. But it's a constant battle. You can also think of a reward to give yourself once you complete the task.

 

[DanRoz]

I was once a serial procrastinator and have put a lot of effort into curbing the habit. I'm far from an expert, but here are a few strategies and mentalities that have helped me:

For starters, I split my approach into two: limiting/preventing myself from engaging in distractions and encouraging myself to tackle tasks head on.

For the prevention aspect, I've...
- Minimized my social media use. I got rid of instagram, and use a "newsfeed blocker" on facebook so that it's only really good for chat (instead of incessant mindless scrolling)
- Implemented a website blocker chrome plugin ("Block Site") that blocks certain sources of distractions (i.e. reddit, youtube, etc...) during my set hours
- Put my phone on silent or airplane mode more often

For the encouragement aspect, I've...
- Started using a notebook where I keep track of all daily & weekly tasks. Committing myself to it has added a level of accountability to myself; I want to mark off my tasks as completed asap.
- Begun pushing myself to get up early and go to the gym in the morning. I find this just injects a sense of discipline and a "get it done" attitude into my day.
- Curated personalized work playlists on Spotify - once they're on, I'm like Pavlov's dogs getting to work.

It's tough, but dealing with tasks that incite anxiety and even fear is a legitimate skill. And as with all skills, it requires plenty of practice.

 

[AllisonE]

One way I get myself to stop procrastinating is giving myself something to look forward to and tell myself I can't do it unless I finish the task first. For example, if I have to write a paper I tell my friend I can't hang out tonight unless I finish the paper I have to do. It usually works!

 

[Termar30]

Procrastination has always been a battle for me. I have many reason for it but one thing I can identify is that when I'm worried I won't do something well or won't be able to finish something then I begin to procrastinate. I think, "just one more load of dishes before I start the paper", or "I have time before that is due so I'll just find something more fun to do for now and worry about it later. I ever beat myself up over procrastinating. Once i discover that's what I've done then I just try and go back to what I was doing and try to finish it. Keep on, moving on.

 

[AllisonST32]

I saw a self-help tip a few years ago. If it takes less than five minutes to complete a task, do it right away. Once you get started it is harder to just stop. This is great for the days that I don't want to do a chore around the house, usually laundry. Even though laundry can take a few hours, it only takes 5 minutes to load the washer, so once you commit you cant quit. So when I have a day where its just too hard to get started, I just pick the quickest task and by the time I finish I have a bit more momentum to get through the day.

 

[Nicole_D]

I also have trouble with procrastination. I go through cycles where I'm really good and able to keep myself on task and get a lot accomplished, and then I go through a period of time where nothing seems to get done. I find that breaking up the larger projects into smaller parts helps a lot. Also, keeping a list of things I want to get accomplished where I see it on a daily basis helps me too (I often make a work list and a home list). Lastly, I find that getting into a routine helps to keep me from procrastinating. If it's something I'm accustomed to doing every day or a few times a week (like going to the gym), then I'll do it without thinking about it. It's just something I do at that point.