Here’s a Quick Way to Stop Procrastinating
We are all familiar with procrastination: it’s the beast we can’t seem to face.
There are so many productivity hacks out there: timers, fun tree-planting apps, you can even blacklist certain websites on your laptop, all in the name of getting things done!
The point is that the road to overcoming procrastination is not a smooth one and if it were easy to stop procrastinating I’m sure we would have all done it by now.
So before listing off a bunch of helpful tips and systems to curb procrastination, let’s discuss the reasons why we do it.
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Why do we procrastinate?
Research shows that a lot of the time we procrastinate as a way of managing negative moods. We dread certain tasks or responsibilities so much that we find other things to do to push away this discomfort. These negative feelings don’t always have to be external. Sometimes we avoid tasks because of the way that we perceive ourselves!
Consider this: your manager has recently put you on a project that is out of your zone of expertise. You identify as a creative person but this project has Excel spreadsheets galore! The fact that you feel unqualified might lead you to push this assignment further down on your to-do list.
You might complete the tasks that play to your strengths first and push the Excel project off until you can’t anymore. Though this may provide you with comfort at the time, if you reflect on your actions, you’ll soon come to realize that all that you’re really doing is stalling.
Understanding your feelings
To get to the root of procrastination, it’s important to first analyze our behavior and the feelings that we have surrounding our habits.
You definitely want to do this inner work before jumping into any hot ticket productivity hacks that you may come across on Pinterest.
When assessing the behaviors that hold you back, ask yourself: what negative feelings do I hold surrounding this task? doubt? boredom? Why do I feel this way?
Write a running list of every thought or idea that comes to mind when you think of this task. Regardless of how uncomfortable you may feel at first, this will bring you some much-needed clarity.
Procrastination often has everything to do with our feelings and subconscious thoughts and almost nothing to do with productivity “hacks” as we often think.
Because of this, it’s also important that we rewire our brains to think kind, forgiving thoughts, rather than self-denigrating ones. There is so much power in self-compassion. A powerful first step is to acknowledge the fact that the simple act of seeking out the systems to create a change in your behavior speaks very highly of your character.
Next, you want to acknowledge your humanity! No one (not even Beyoncé) is on it 100% of the time, procrastination sneaks up on everyone. Rather than blaming yourself when you notice that you’re putting tasks off and feeling aimless, take a step back to reflect.
Think about the end result
Shift away from these negative feelings you feel in the present moment by considering the end result! Consider what will happen if you put your discomfort aside and take the risk required to complete this task.
For example, by working out consistently you might improve your energy levels and gain the ability to lift more weight than you normally could. By getting out of bed and cleaning your room, not only will your space feel lighter but you will also feel much more comfortable in it.
There usually is some form of silver lining that you can hold on to as a way of getting started!
These small attitude shifts might be the thing that pushes you over the tipping point. You are the one holding the power it takes to change your life’s outcome which is an empowering idea in itself!
Why not tap into it?
