Today Is The Day To Stop Procrastinating
Some people claim they procrastinate because they are lazy, whereas others claim they do better under the pressure by waiting until the last minute. Still others say they enjoy the rush of getting things done at the last minute. Procrastination is rarely about laziness, while it may be true for a few when it comes to procrastinating for the majority of us it is about motivation and prioritization. You may be overworked, on the verge of burn out and put off starting something to give yourself a little breathing room. It may also be that you don’t have a clear priority in your schedule or tasks and everything seems to be top or bottom priority. In our episode on motivation we discussed why working under pressure of waiting until the last minute doesn’t improve performance but actually hinders it. If you haven’t already, you should check that episode out. Procrastination comes in two different types acute and chronic. Acute procrastination happens because of immediate circumstances around the task or the time you are attempting to accomplish it. These may change throughout the day or week and are situational depending on the task, time of day, etc. typically stemming from low energy levels or elevated emotional states. During these times your behavior changes from the normal. This type of procrastination isn’t always a bad thing because sometimes you put off starting a new tasks to give yourself a break between tasks throughout the day. Chronic procrastination, on the other hand, has a deeper, more lasting cause that can be tied to burn out or other psychological or mood issues. This tends to happen all the time or whenever you are faced with certain types of tasks or goals. It can stem from an excessively high expectation perfectionism, or a lack of assertiveness. Each of these have different ways of preventing us from getting work done. Overcoming procrastination comes down to three main areas: Awareness, Time Management, and Motivation. Like the first steps for a recovering addict, you must be aware that you have a problem before you can even begin to overcome it. This goes beyond just knowing that you procrastinate to understanding your reasons and process for procrastination. A big part of overcoming your tendencies to procrastinate will be how you manage your time. There are things you can start doing right now that will reduce the work you put off to the last minute. The final area is motivation, procrastination really boils down to a lack of motivation. When you are motivated to do something you are not going to wait to get it done. A recent meme states to start a project, when you start to procrastinate on that that project start another. Then when you procrastinate on the second project work on the first one. This might not be the best advice coming from a meme, but it’s an interesting way to think about the problem of procrastination and possibly a creative solution for some. The tips here are designed to help you better understand yourself and the reasons for your procrastination. Use them when you notice that you are putting off tasks until the last minute or waiting to do the things that you know you can and should be getting done. Don’t wait, today is the day to stop procrastinating. Links Join Us On Patreon Level Up Financial Planning