Procrastination is the constant postponement of important things, tasks, assignments, which leads to negative consequences. For example, it causes mental suffering.
Many people consider procrastination to be synonymous with laziness. But these are two different states. Procrastinator puts things off until the last moment. The procrastinator does not take on the work and does not set a goal to accomplish something.
The procrastinator commits. He is sure he will fulfill them. But he cannot bring himself to start. And the further the case is delayed, the more he agonizes. Time is less, and more work and he is just afraid to take on the case. The guilt of inadequacy is increasing day by day. The slacker, on the other hand, does not feel any guilt. He is comfortable in his condition.
Consequences of procrastination:
Apart from the obvious (not completing a task on time, or doing it to a very poor quality), procrastination has many other consequences:
- Feelings of guilt - the closer to the deadline, the stronger.
- Feeling of shame - from the wasted time, from reproaches from teachers and management, from a bad result.
- Decrease of efficiency - as a consequence of the previous two points, and simply because of the constant distraction to more interesting things,
- Stress - at some point I will have to deal with things, and by that time there may be quite a lot of them accumulated,
- The vicious circle of procrastination. It is worth it to postpone a few important things, and then a period of reproach, stress, and a feeling of helplessness begin. Even if you manage to get out of the situation, these emotions will not disappear, and in the next cycle, they will be with you from the beginning. And with such a burden, it is even more difficult to get things done in time, and the negative state will only worsen.
What you can do to solve this problem:
Even if your problem is procrastination, the excitement to fail, or perfectionism, try listening to time management tips. Sometimes they help stop procrastinating for people who like to try new things. At least for a couple of weeks, you'll have more time. Here's what I advise:
- Move deadlines to earlier days - even if your brain remembers that the date is wrong, you'll still feel uneasy at the approach of a deadline. For example, if you think: ‘I need to edit my essay during 2 weeks’. Well, you could move it for 1 week earlier.
- Don't get distracted at the beginning of work. The first ten minutes are the hardest. If you managed not to be distracted by entertainment, the brain will tune in and fully engage in the process.
- If you finally get down to business, stick to the schedule. It can be just a fixed break in the middle or cycles of half an hour of work and ten minutes of rest. The first week it will be hard to force yourself through, but then it will gradually become a habit.
- Cleaning the workplace can help. Take apart the desk, remove all electronics, wires, unnecessary books, coffee cups. If you have only a notebook and a textbook in front of you, you will do much more because of the working atmosphere.
- Praise yourself for the work you do. And for her count not only prepared homework or successfully passed the exam, but also simple actions - for example, to pack a bag for tomorrow.
By the way, do not forget that procrastination, combined with low motivation and lack of interest in other things, maybe indicative of depression or anxiety disorder. I do not want to scare you in vain, but if you feel that the usual human advice does not help, try to consult a specialist.
In other cases, however, getting rid of procrastination (or at least weaken its impact) is quite possible, especially if you are determined to work on yourself. Some people need to make a strict schedule to feel the excitement, and some - just a little change of atmosphere. Listen to yourself and try to put into practice the advice that seemed closest to you, and then you'll understand how to stop procrastinating.