Is procrastination preventing you from achieving the things you really want to accomplish in life? Is it sucking your energy, dampening your days, and holding you back from realizing your dreams?

The secret to beating procrastination is to understand why you procrastinate, create a concrete plan of action to complete tasks, and follow through with that plan.

However, the first step to overcoming procrastination is to realize you are procrastinating. Next, you need to dive into the root of your dilemma.

Understanding Procrastination

Why do people procrastinate? The answer is simple, in theory.

People procrastinate when their desire for instant gratification overcomes their desire to accomplish their long term goals.

In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman brings up two systems that govern human decision making- the fast, reactive, emotional system, and the slow, calculating, logical system. Both of these live inside you and ultimately decide your behaviors.

When you sit down at your desk after a long day in your cubicle, think about starting the 5 page paper due next week for your sociology class, or wake up on a cold morning to the sound of your alarm at 5:00am, your fast, pleasure-seeking system stops you from working on the side business you always dreamed of starting, the research paper you keep pushing aside, or the morning jog to help with your weight loss goals.

Deep down, your slow thinking self knows you really want to do these things, but it’s quickly overpowered by the side of you that wants to avoid discomfort and enjoy the moment.

The problem is, when you procrastinate you don’t get to fully enjoy what you are doing because you know you should be doing something else. To make matters worse, you are unable to get to things you really want to do (your wants in life), and only get the bare necessities done. These minimal musts are pushed aside till the last minute and hastily completed in panic as deadlines approach, leading to poor quality work and unnecessary stress that has lasting, negative effects on your body.

Ultimately, you are left with regret– unhappiness at the quality of your work in the short-term, and remorse that you did not achieve all that you could have in the long run.

So, Why Do You Procrastinate?

Why does that instant gratification desire win out over your desire for your long term goals, when you know that working on important tasks is more meaningful and will have a lasting impact compared to the momentary distractions that you allow to divert your attention?

The underlying reason people procrastinate varies from person to person, but the root of it lies in avoiding emotional discomfort.

The discomfort can be of various types, such as a fear of failing, a fear of wasting time/energy/resources, a fear of the unknown, or a fear of being uncomfortable.

Often, it is due to a fear of failure, especially in the eyes of others. What if you planned meticulously, worked consistently, and tried your best on a big project or goal you have, and failed? Everyone around you would think you are a failure. If you push off tasks till the last minute and you fail, you didn’t really try, right?

Surprisingly, a fear of failure may even be the source of your procrastination. If you do well, will you have extra responsibilities? Will you be critiqued? Will others hold you to a higher standard- making future failures that much more painful and humiliating?

Regardless of the reason, procrastination arises when the reasons you have for completing an important task lose out over the reasons you have for giving in to distractions and unimportant tasks.

The second step to stop procrastinating is to understand why you procrastinate, and figure out what specific fears are causing you to procrastinate.

After all, you cannot fight an enemy you do not know.

Effective Planning

The next step is to effectively plan tasks that will take you towards your goals.

You likely have an endless to-do list of tasks you “should” do. You need to pare this down to a few tasks that will get you to where you want to go, as efficiently as possible. After all, there is an infinite amount of things you “should” be doing, but only so much time in a day.

1. Think deeply about what you truly hope to accomplish, and who you want to become. What goals will actually move you towards that vision? Focus on a few goals you have for different areas of your life. Ideally, one major goal at a time.
2. Break each goal down into small, clear, specific tasks. This turns daunting projects like “start a business,” “clean the house,” or “get in shape” into simple steps such as “write an executive summary for a business plan,” “mop the bathroom floor,” or “lay out gym clothes for tomorrow morning.” These tasks should be challenging, but achievable.
3. Schedule the precise time block you will work on the task into your calendar or scheduling system, allowing for extra time due to unseen circumstances. BE SPECIFIC. “Do X on Wednesday” is far less likely to be done than “do X this Wednesday, 5/5 from 5:00-7:00pm.”
4. Create deadlines. Remember how much easier it is to work on a paper when it is due in a few hours? Panic is a prime motivator that can help you overcome that reactive, fast thinking self. Put this psychological response to good use by setting artificial deadlines for yourself, and treat them with importance.

Effective Execution

Now comes actually doing the tasks that you need to do to achieve your long-term goals.

When it comes time to do a task, make sure to stick to your schedule.

Drop what you are doing, go to your workplace, clear out any distractions, and start working.

You will likely be met with strong resistance, but dig deep, push aside your hesitations and the nagging, pleasure-seeking side of you that doesn’t want to do something uncomfortable, and just do.

While starting a task may seem difficult, there is some good news. Often, the hardest part of doing a task is simply starting. Once you begin, the momentum of your actions will help you stay on course. You may even reach a state of flow, where you are so engrossed in your work that you lose track of time, and produce amazingly high quality work.

Overcoming Pitfalls: Some Tips

In your endeavor to complete an activity, various challenges can occur. Here are a few problem areas, and tips on how to overcome them.

Resistance In Starting A Task

• Break down a task into smaller, less intimidating chunks if your task seems too challenging
• Think about your long term goals and how this specific task will move you towards the life you always dreamed of. Review the compelling reasons you have to make those desires a reality, and how the task at hand is a building block to your success and happiness.
• Commit to just 5-10 minutes of work. 5 minutes isn’t scary, and it gives you a chance to test how you feel. Any fears you feel beforehand will likely be quelled when you realize that things aren’t so bad. Furthermore, you will likely keep working on the task from your initial momentum

Falling Off During A Task (Taking too many breaks, or giving into distractions)

• Clear your work area, turn your phone on silent, and remove distractions. Some people benefit from apps or browser extensions like Self-Control, Think, StayFocused, and others that block certain websites. Others need more extreme measures, like isolating themselves in areas without WiFi or electronics, or having a designated, minimalist workplace without distractions.
• Try the Pomodoro technique, where you work for 25 minutes followed by 5 minute breaks. When you know you only have to work for 25 minutes before your next break, work doesn’t seem like a never-ending nuisance.
• There may be challenges in the way like a lack of response on an email, interruptions, or other setbacks. Don’t let this discourage you or distract you from your task. Stay on the task and try to tough it through. If the interruption is urgent and important, get back to the task as soon as possible. Rescheduling the activity is fine, as long as it doesn’t become a habit.
• Be aware of your triggers. If you have a sweet tooth and are on a strict diet, trying to do work in a bakery or coffee shop may be counterproductive to both your work, and your diet goals. You can try to avoid the trigger, or associate the cue with another routine.

Other Tips

Understanding procrastination, effective planning, proper execution, and common pitfalls can help you overcome poor habits. Below are a few other tips that may help you in your productivity pursuits:

• Be mindful of your feelings, and why you are feeling the way you do. Recognize where the competing urges the slow and fast thinking systems in your brain encourage you to fulfill are coming from, and acknowledge that, ultimately, you choose your actions, and how you live your life. You determine the person you hope to become, and the story you wish to write.
• Establish systems that help keep you on track. Keep productive periods in your week regular, and build upon existing habits and routines to increase the likelihood you get tasks done.
• Depending on the task, an accountability partner or system could help. Sometimes, letting others in your social circle (or even a stranger) know of your goals can push you to complete them (though this can backfire at times).
• Keeping track of your productivity can help give you an objective look at your procrastination and your procrastination-fighting ability. Apps and tools like Hourly, Tracktime, Excel sheets, or even pen and paper can be used to log how long you work on tasks.
• Use well-placed breaks to ensure high productivity output. Make sure you don’t go over time, though!
• Reward yourself after completing a task. Truly savor the experience. After all, you earned it. Caveat- make sure your rewards don’t move you too far from your goals. Eating a 5,000 calorie bowl of ice cream isn’t the most appropriate reward for a 20 minute jog.
• Lastly, realize that fighting procrastination is not a one-time feat. Rather, it is generally a long-term struggle for improvement. Your failures are not irreparable, and your situation is not hopeless. Forgive yourself, learn from your mistakes, and move on. Truly, you never fail if you learn and grow from an experience.

Beating procrastination and becoming more productive can be extremely challenging. However, this will get easier as you establish effective habits and exercise your willpower. There will be many hurdles and times where you fail in the moment, but focus on getting back on track, and you will find yourself progressing in the long run. While the task at hand may seem irrelevant and dull, and your day-to-day progress may at times feel excruciatingly slow, focus on the process, and the results will come.

Will Smith once said, “You say, ‘I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. You do that every single day. And soon you have a wall.” Focus on the bricks.

While you strive to gain control over the terrible creature of procrastination, you will realize that your endeavors have benefits besides the warm satisfaction of having completed important tasks. You will find that you have more time to devote to other areas of your life such as hobbies, health, and relationships. You will discover that you make dramatic progress in all these areas, and complete not just the mundane assignments you “have” to do, but also all those exciting projects you always wished you could take on. You will find yourself more resilient, more confident, and with enhanced self-esteem. You will experience pleasure of taking control of your emotions, and molding yourself into the person you desire to become. You will bask in the deep joy of moving closer to your goals and dreams.

Overcoming procrastination is about taking control of your life, and achieving what you want most, instead of what you want now. It is about achieving success and happiness, and making the most out of the time you have in this world.

Procrastination image via kss1001