Procrastination. We all struggle with it. A desire to put things off until “later.” This can be one of the biggest obstacles to your success. Phones, social media, television, and even other people, seek to draw your attention away from whatever you’re doing. What starts as a small break can turn into an hour of wasted time. But, there are strategies to overcome this tendency. In this article, we are going to outline how to stop procrastinating – and start making progress.
First, we’ll discuss some of the things you might be telling yourself to justify putting things off until later. Next, we’ll look at how you can adopt a new mindset – one that encourages you to get going. Finally, we’ll explore practical strategies you can use to overcome procrastination, take action now, and to finish the projects that matter most.
1. Recognize When You Are Procrastinating
The first step is awareness. How do you know when you’re procrastinating? Some delays are necessary. If you put off your daily writing session to take your sick child to the doctor, that is not procrastination. That’s prioritizing. But if every day, you find an excuse not to sit down and write – you’re procrastinating.
Procrastination is the unnecessary avoidance of doing a task despite knowing that it’s in your best interest to do it. This delay usually has negative consequences.
You know you should do it. You CAN do it. But then… you don’t. If you catch yourself using the following excuses, you’re probably procrastinating.
“I don’t have enough time to work on this right now.”
“I’ll feel more like doing this tomorrow.”
“I don’t need to do this right now. I’ve got plenty of time.“
“I’ll start after I do just one more thing.”
“First, I’ll check my email.”
“I should organize my desk drawer.”
“I’ll begin after I rewrite my to-do list.”
You get the idea. So what’s the solution to this problem? How do you make yourself take action?
2. Just Get Started
The answer starts with changing your thinking. The next time you’re tempted to delay starting a task, say this one simple phrase to yourself: “I will just get started.” And then take immediate action on the task.
That’s it. “Just get started.” When you contemplate the entire project, it can trigger feelings of overwhelm, stress, or even boredom. So, you put it off..again. Instead, if you say to yourself: “I’ll just get started, “ you take some of the pressure off. You’re no longer focused on the whole. You’re just going to start. It’s easy.
In his book, Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, Dr. Timothy A Pychyl explains why this works:
“Once we start a task, it’s rarely as bad as we think. Getting started changes our perception of a task. It can also change our perception of ourselves in important ways.”
Thinking about doing the entire project might be intimidating – which leads to procrastination. When you tell yourself, “I will just get started,” you lower the stress you associate with taking action. Once you begin working on a task, it won’t seem as difficult as it did when you were avoiding it. You’ll wonder why you were making such a big deal about it.
And even if you don’t finish the task that day. At least you’ve done something. You’ve made progress. This is satisfying, and it makes you feel good. You’re getting things done.
The most popular rationalization we use for procrastinating is that we’re not in the mood to work. But, when you just get started, you will discover that often an improved mood comes after you’ve taken action.
You’ve taken the first step, but often it’s not enough. You may still feel some resistance. Here are two more strategies to help you overcome that resistance, and get to work.
3. Break the Task Down into Smaller Pieces
A major challenge to overcoming procrastination can be the size of the project. It can seem like a daunting task. Focusing on the entire project can overwhelm you before you even start. The first step is to figure out how you can break this down into smaller pieces. Pick a job that you need to get done. Write down as many small actions you can think of that you need to complete the larger task.
Now, pick the one action that makes the most sense to complete first. Even if you’re not sure where to start, don’t waste time on this. Pick anything. Pick what you wrote down first, or pick what seems to be the easiest step. Start anywhere.
Breaking the project down into smaller tasks can change your perception of its difficulty. Now it doesn’t seem so hard.
4. Set a Timer
Once you’ve decided on this smaller goal, set a timer for 20 minutes, and try to get as much done as you can in that time. Setting a limit to the amount of time you’ll work takes even more pressure off. The task seems easier. After all, it’s only 20 minutes.
Now, get to work. Stay focused. Don’t let yourself become distracted. Focus on accomplishing this one small task. Once the timer stops, permit yourself to take a break. You’ve accomplished what you set out to do. Then, repeat the process.
The amount of minutes you set the timer for is up to you. Make it long enough to get absorbed in the task, but short enough that you don’t feel any resistance to starting.
Accomplishing these smaller tasks can boost your confidence. You’ve achieved something. The goal is now closer than it was. Your feeling of being in control of the situation increases. Sometimes, when you finish a small piece of the project, you become more enthusiastic about finishing the whole thing. You want to keep going.
These tiny wins build momentum. Accomplishing something simple can inspire you to do more. The pieces add up to make the whole. Getting started is such a crucial part of productivity. It can change the entire lens of a project. Once you have started a project, you feel as though you have accomplished something. This feeling of accomplishment can boost your productivity on any project.
Conclusion: How to Stop Procrastinating
So, what have we learned about how to stop procrastination? First, pay attention to the excuses you make for putting something off. Notice when you’re procrastinating.
Then, tell yourself “I will just get started.” Don’t focus on completing the entire project. Just get started.
Next, practice breaking large tasks down into smaller steps to make the work seem more manageable.
And finally, set a timer and get to work. Take breaks as you need them, then get back to it.
As you make progress, you’ll build momentum and boost your confidence.
For more help with how to stop procrastinating, check out our Productivity Recommendations on the Resources page. Be sure to subscribe to our Newsletter get notifications when we publish a new article or video.
