3 Ways to Quit Procrastination by A Serial Procrastinator
I’ve quit procrastination. And so can you.
I know we’ve all been there, sitting in front of a deadline, staring at a blank screen with no clue of how you stand a chance at completing that. I’m going to talk about procrastination, the bane of our existence. The instant stress reliever. And trust me, I know all about it. I’ve been a serial procrastinator for as long as I can remember. I’d seriously be raking in cash if I got paid just a dollar for every single time I put things off. But you know what? I’ve collected some things along this complex relationship of mine that have helped me quit this dopamine flood and get some real work done. So let’s start off by talking about why we procrastinate.
Why Do We Procrastinate?
So let’s talk about the elephant in the room: fear. You read it right. The nagging fear of failure, success, or even just the fear of the unknown is what ropes us into this vicious cycle. It’s all a part of the procrastination package. We humans, with our extraordinarily enlarged brains, have a tendency to get that soothing rush of dopamine that comes from procrastinating. Tricking ourselves into believing we’ll get the job done, but not now, later. Just taking my own self into consideration, if I had to take guess, no less than 80% of my procrastination stems from the idea that I am overwhelmed. I feel like the task at hand is just too daunting and often that may even be true. But that, is what leads us to procrastination after all — the fear of doing a bad job, or heck even succeeding. This feeling of not being up to the mark for the job causes our fickle mind to believe that this, is beyond our hands and so we go down. Down the rabbit hole of distraction and buckling under the pump with a big bowl of popcorn and a thriller binge-watch. But I might have the guide, to drag you out of this tear-down quicksand and so here it goes...
1. Break down the tasks
First and foremost, you really (and I mean really) need to prioritize breaking down the tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks. Important as it is, it is the key to achieving both an easier and exponentially more efficient workflow because it reduces much of the fear that precedes working. It presents us with quick, doable milestones that drastically reduce the anxiety and ragbag of chaos that swamp our minds when we look at those far-flung deadlines. For instance, let’s say you have an English Essay assignment that’s due in a week and you haven’t put in the tiniest of efforts. Instead of thinking about the entire essay as one big task, think of it as 5 smaller segments. You first start by creating an outline, which will give you a clear structure to follow. Then, you move on to researching part and gathering information, breaking it down into specific topics that you need to cover. After that, you write a rough draft, focusing on getting your ideas down on paper without worrying too much about grammar or sentence structure. After that, you take a break, clear your head and then come back to revise and edit your essay. You pay attention to grammar, sentence structure, and sentence flow. Finally, you proofread and make final adjustments before submitting it. This breakdown of tasks saves you a tonne of unwelcome slack fear that ensues any assignment, and this is essential to overcoming procrastination.
2. Set a timer
In my opinion, this is quintessential to effectively overcome procrastination and one of the best strategies to get your work done on time. Give yourself a set amount of time to work on a task, no more and no less, only the time set. Forcing your deadbeat brain to finally get cracking on those discomfiting assignments. This is because of a psychological phenomenon that pressures your brain into working because of the constantly ticking clock. And the human brain is infamous for accomplishing stellar feats under the pressure of time. Take the development of the first nuclear bomb for example. Racing against time and competing against the Soviets, the development of the nuclear bomb is a great example of how time plays a crucial role in getting the most out of the human brain. Setting a strict timer, is I believe, the only way to get the utmost done from yourself along the journey, also overcoming procrastination. When you set a timer for a task, it creates a sense of urgency, which can help to motivate you to get started. It also helps to focus the mind, allowing you to work on the task at hand without getting distracted by other things. The timer serves as a reminder that you have a limited amount of time to complete the task, and it can help you to stay focused and on track.
3. Hold Yourself Accountable
Well, you’ve probably held yourself accountable at some point in life or the other. But for the most part, we tend to hold ourselves accountable only for the bad deeds, which further compounds self-victimization and more importantly, marring you of any actual work. But what I implore you to do, is hold yourself accountable to get work done. Accountable for finishing any of the tasks on your hands. Let’s be real, no one else is going to do the work for you. You need to take responsibility for your own actions and decisions, it is up to you to stay on track and complete your tasks and so start practicing self-accountability. Practicing this, very frankly, will help a shedload in fighting the urge to put off your tasks, it is in a more figurative sense, taking the steering wheel of your own life. Let’s be real, who doesn’t want to get control of their life? When you hold yourself accountable you’re far more likely to set goals, make progress and actually go through and stick to them. And let’s not forget, it makes you feel pretty good when you take responsibility for your work and get it done. So why not give it a try, and see where it takes you?
So, there you have it folks, a quick guide to quitting procrastination. We’ve talked about setting clear goals, tracking progress, holding yourself accountable, creating a schedule, and making adjustments. But let’s be real, quitting procrastination isn’t going to happen overnight. It’s a process and it takes time, but the key is to start small and take it one step at a time. Remember, progress is progress, no matter how small. And most importantly, don’t be too hard on yourself. We all have moments of procrastination, it’s normal. Just keep in mind why you want to quit procrastination and keep pushing forward. And if all else fails, remind yourself of the satisfaction of crossing that task off your to-do list. So, don’t procrastinate on quitting procrastination, take the first step today!
