Procrastination involves putting off a task or goal and doing something that’s less important instead. It’s important to know that procrastination is a normal part of human behaviour. Although it’s a very common challenge that people face and everyone procrastinates at some point or another in their lifetime.

Procrastination is not just a time management problem. Researchers suggest that it’s a failure in self-regulation that leads us to act irrationally. We put things off, even though we know this delay will lead to negative consequences.

No matter how well-organized and committed you are, chances are you have found yourself wasting away hours on watching TV, scrolling through your Facebook feed, shopping online, etc when you should have been spending that time on work or school-related projects.

For example, some people procrastinate to avoid thinking about a task that makes them feel anxious, while others procrastinate because they get distracted by social media.

One thing you should also know is that Procrastinators often put off doing things, leave them to the very last moment or sometimes even spend their time staring at the wall. However be careful, procrastination is not a synonymous to laziness.

Lazy people, simply don’t do anything and are just fine with it. Procrastinators, on the other hand, have the desire to actually do something but can’t bring themselves to start.

Agents of procrastinate :

Browsing social media

Watching videos or playing games

Cleaning when you should be doing more important things, like finishing a school assignment.

Fantasizing about your future success in writing a book, starting a business etc without acting on it.

Planning to start a new habit (like dieting, exercising, or saving money), but making excuses to wait with it for months, even though you know that it would be better to just start.

Intending to solve an issue but postponing doing so because it’s unpleasant, even though the issue becomes worse the longer you delay solving it, and won’t go away on its own.

Wanting to ask someone for something (like a romantic date), but postponing it every time you have an opportunity, even though you wish you could just ask and get it over with.

Postponing choosing between two opportunities, until both opportunities are unavailable.

Excuses that people give whenever they are found procrastinating;

Not knowing what needs to be done.

Not knowing how to go about do it.

Not wanting to do something.

Not caring if it gets done or not.

Not feeling in the mood to do it.

Being in the habit of waiting until the last minute.

Believing that you work better under pressure.

Thinking that you can finish it at the last minute.

Lacking the initiative to get started.

Forgetting.

Blaming sickness or poor health.

Waiting for the right moment.

Needing time to think about the needful.

Types of Procrastination

Some researchers classify two types of procrastinators: passive and active procrastinators;

Passive procrastinators: Delay the task because they have trouble making decisions and acting on them.

Active procrastinators: Delay the task purposefully because working under pressure allows them to “feel challenged and motivated.”

Others define the types of procrastinators based on different behavioral styles of procrastination, including:

Perfectionist: Puts off tasks out of the fear of not being able to complete a task perfectly

Dreamer: Puts off tasks because they are not good at paying attention to detail

Defier: Doesn’t believe someone should dictate their time schedule

Worrier: Puts off tasks out of fear of change or leaving the comfort of “the known”

Crisis-maker: Puts off tasks because they like working under pressure

Overdoer: Takes on too much and struggles with finding time to start and complete task

The Negative Impact of Procrastination

Unfortunately, procrastination can have a serious impact on many life areas, including a person’s mental health and social, professional, and financial well-being:

Higher levels of stress and illness

Increased burden placed on one’s  relationships

Resentment from friends, family, co-workers, and fellow students

To overcome procrastination in the long term, do the following:

1.Set specific and realistic goals. For example, if you want to start exercising, a good goal might be “be able to run a full mile by the end of the month”, while bad goals might be “do some running” (unspecific) and “run a marathon by the end of the month” (unrealistic).

2.Assess your procrastination. First, identify cases in which you delay unnecessarily, to figure out what exactly you procrastinate on (e.g., studying).

3.Create an action plan. It should involve using relevant anti-procrastination techniques, which account for the goals that you set and the nature of your procrastination problem.

4.Implement your plan. Make sure to reflect on your progress and refine your approach, primarily by figuring out which techniques work for you and how you can implement them most effectively.

How to Overcome Procrastination

Break tasks into manageable steps(e.g. into sub-tasks that you can easily complete).

Commit to a tiny first step (e.g. to working for just 2 minutes).

Give yourself permission to make mistakes (e.g., by accepting that your work won’t be perfect).

Make it easier to do things (e.g. by preparing everything you need in advance).

Make tasks more enjoyable (e.g., by listening to music while you do them).

Make it harder to procrastinate (e.g. by removing potential distractions).

Set deadlines

Plan how you’ll handle obstacles (e.g. by deciding that if X happens, then you’ll do Y).

Identify and address your fears (e.g. by considering what advice you’d give to a friend).

Increase your motivation (e.g. by rewarding yourself in days on which you achieve your goals).

Increase your energy (e.g. by taking necessary breaks).

Use social techniques (e.g. by emulating a role model).

Start with your best or worst task(e.g. with your easiest or hardest one).

Develop self-efficacy (e.g. by reflecting on your successes).

Treat underlying conditions (e.g. ADHD).

Make a to-do list: To help keep you on track, consider placing a due date next to each item.

Finally, if you put things off sometimes, don’t worry; it happens to all of us. It’s often the tasks we dislike the most that get pushed off until the last minute. While this is common, it is important to remember that this behavior can have serious consequences, including hurting your relationships, your personal achievements, and your ability to succeed at work and school.

Understanding why you’re struggling to get started can help. Remember to create a to-do list of things that need to be done and start small. When you feel the urge to procrastinate, force yourself to do just one small thing. Sometimes, just getting started is half the battle.

I hope this helps and encourage someone.

Thank you for reading