The following article shall help you understand procrastination, why it occurs, and how to overcome it with simple methods; it can help people facing this problem. Procrastination is when you are continuously delaying some important work or project.

In your mind, you are aware that you have to do it and also it is crucial for you. But still, you are getting reluctant to start.

Keep a note that it has nothing to do with Self-Control; you need to follow some steps and find out the reasons yourself.

Procrastination Reasons

There could be various reasons, e.g.:-

1. You are not interested in the work which you have to do
2. The work involves a lot of focus and concentration
3. You are interested but not getting the motivation to start
4. You are engaged in some other work, and you have decided to start once you get free.
5. The work you have to do is critical and requires lots of working hours, and for that, you are trying to boost yourself.

Now, we understand the roadblocks that limit you from starting your work. The above mentioned are some general reasons; yours don’t need to match with the above, but it could be closer to some of them. And due to this, you begin continuously thinking in the back of your mind about the pending work.

This leads to stress, and suddenly you feel that you have not yet started the job, but just the thought of not getting started has made your mind so tired that you think you need some more time to begin. And you suggest to yourself that today you are not in a reasonable frame of mind due to anxiety, so you will start tomorrow. Hence, this cycle goes on repeating.

The Procrastination Equation: How To Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done

Procrastination is a habit that can be hard to break. But it’s not impossible. You just need to understand the equation behind procrastination and how to solve for x. 

The equation is simple: Procrastination = ( Anxiety + boredom ) / time available . To stop procrastinating, you need to find ways to reduce your anxiety and boredom and increase your available time. 

One way to reduce anxiety is to set smaller goals instead of putting pressure on yourself to do everything at once. Breaking a large project into smaller tasks can make it feel less daunting and help you stay focused on what needs to be done.

Boredom can be reduced by taking breaks between work, listening to music or podcasts, or working in a different environment.

The procrastination cycle

Mentioned below are the steps which can help us to counter procrastination-

-Taking the first step

-Fragmentation of work

-Keep the first hurdle easy

– Introducing Time Factor

– Keep it simple

Let us understand each of them one by one:

Take the first step-

Whenever you have a project or work in your hand, and you cannot start, the most important thing you need to do is start from somewhere. So, first, just take a deep breath, try and relax your mind and body, and ask yourself that whatever secondary things I am doing right now will it help me in the long run?

Am I learning something or adding to my skills by doing this work? What if the same energy I put into my project/work is vital for me and will help me grow. Now, after asking questions to yourself, you start feeling that, Yes, your mind is taking you on the right path. Have a look at your project/work, and analyze it for a while. Find out how much approximate time you need to complete the job.

Tell your mind you don’t have to complete the work in one go; you can simplify it. You can break the job into small achievable parts.

Fragmentation of work-

To make the work look easy and less painful, start the fragmentation process, i.e., breaking it into tiny parts. When the job seems effortless, you get the feeling and encouragement that it’s time to begin. Also, when the job is broken into various phases, it becomes easy to track your progress and further design the working efforts.

Keep the First Hurdle accessible-

It is essential to keep the first hurdle a bit easy; this can benefit in 2 ways-

1. Finally, you will start your work.

2. An easy task can help you get into the groove and start taking an interest in work.

Introducing time factor-

Breaking the work down further based on time can be extremely helpful, especially if you find it challenging to complete the task in one sitting. 

For example, if phase 1 of the project requires approximately 60 minutes to complete and you struggle, break it down into two 30-minute sessions with a five-minute break in between. This will help reduce fatigue and allow you to stay focused. Additionally, chunking the task into smaller parts becomes less daunting and easier to manage.

Keep it simple-

Don’t push yourself into too many processes or deadlines as it will make things complex; keeping it simple will make you move forward with ease.

There is a lot of truth to the saying, “keep it simple.” When life gets complicated, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and stressed. 

This is especially true when it comes to our jobs. The best way to avoid stress at work is to keep things as simple as possible.

A cluttered desk can lead to chaos and stress. One way to do this is by avoiding multitasking. When we try to do too many things at once, we often do none of them well. Another way to keep things simple is by supporting our work organized.

Finally, it’s essential to take breaks throughout the day. These breaks can be used for relaxation or getting ahead on some work tasks. Keeping things simple at work can avoid unnecessary stress and be more productive overall.

Conclusion-

It’s ok if things are not going perfect; perfection can be achieved by progress. Just try to look at things with a simple mindset; if work is complex, break it into simple pieces and take the first step. Always remind yourself that waiting for the right time shall keep you waiting.

You can defeat procrastination only by taking action from your end; the will to act is necessary.