Procrastination (from Latin's "procrastinare", that translates in to: the prefix pro-, 'forward', and the suffix -crastinus, 'till next day' from cras, 'tomorrow') is the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished. Procrastination is a challenge we have all faced at one point or another. For as long as humans have been around, we have been struggling with delaying, avoiding, and procrastinating on issues that matter to us. We all procrastinate from time to time. Sometimes it’s those mundane things - like sorting through old files, reconciling accounts, or tidying the linen cupboard. But often it’s the bigger things that require more time, more commitment, and put us at more risk of failing, looking foolish or feeling emotionally bruised. Things like updating our resume to look for a new job, confronting a situation that weighs us down, or pursuing a long held aspiration.
Of course people come up with all sorts of creative reasons why now? Today just isn’t the right time. Too busy. Too broke. Too stressed. Too risky. Too uncertain. Too inexperienced. Too old. Too young. Too disruptive. Occasionally those reasons are valid. But more often they are simply excuses for doing the real work and experiencing the emotional discomfort inherent in making meaningful changes in our work and lives. So then, what are the major reasons why one tends to procrastinate and how can you tackle this deadly demon?
False Sense of Security
“I should join Steemit today but hey, why the rush? It’s not running away, is it?
“This assignment needs to be submitted tomorrow by 10am. Why rush? It can still be done tomorrow as early as 8am, right?
These are scenarios where one tends to procrastinate because he or she has this feeling that the task can still be completed no matter how close to the deadline it can be.
Those are symptoms you deep down the valley of Procastinih. You’re so convinced you’ll finish the project in time so you just do other (more fun) stuff.How can you break off such feeling; such false sense of security?”
The first thing you have to do is make an elaborate plan and swear on your laptop’s battery you’ll stick to it no matter what! Set a reminder on your phone with a to-do list of tasks that need to be completed. Not a great fan of gadgets; why not make a big poster and paste it to your wall so you can see it at any point. It will remind you of what you need to do and make you feel guilty for not doing it. It’s okay to be a little mean to yourself if you know the outcome will make your life so much better!
Feeling Less Motivated
Ever had a project that’s too boring you lose interest in completing them? Yeah! I know the feeling. At times, it feels like you just too lazy to complete it either. So what can you do if the project or task is less appealing and it needs to be done?
Think of a reason to do it early.
For example, imagine how great you’ll feel when you’re done. “I love the feeling I get when I’ve done something on time or when I’m ahead of schedule and I can finally relax,” says a girl named Amy.
Remind yourself of the consequences. When you delay, you add to your stress and take away your chances of success.
Move the due date closer in your mind.
“It helps me to pretend that an assignment is due one or two days before the actual deadline,” says a girl named Alicia. “Then I can recheck it and have a day or two to spare.”
Remember “It’s all about mind-set. Tell yourself that you will do what needs to be done and that nothing will get in your way. When I say that to myself, what needs to happen happens.”
Grand master of Excuses
“ I do have a project to complete in the 24 hours but right now this episode of Game of Thrones is too alluring. I can’t bear the suspense!”
You’re not busy; what you’re doing now is not more important than your exam or project. Leave that Ps4 or Game of Thrones marathon for another day. Right now you need to focus and be decisive. By the way, watching YouTube videos on how not to procrastinate is still procrastination 😂😂
As Busy as a Bee
You’re no procrastinator but you’re just too busy to complete old let alone new task at hand. Why not do the easier tasks first. “Someone once taught me that if a task takes less than five minutes to complete, you should do it right away,” says a girl named Amber. “That includes things like cleaning, hanging up your clothes, washing the dishes, and making a phone call.”
Set priorities. How can you apply that in your daily life? Writing down a list of to-do projects in a descending order of most important can help you complete urgent task at hand. Think about it? The fact is, when you make a schedule, you control your time rather than allowing your time to control you. And that reduces your stress.
Take away distractions. That involves switching that phone to flight mode so you can concentrate on the task at hand if need be. You wouldn’t want a minor notification taking your mind off the greater picture, will you?
Remember; “Whatever you’re supposed to do won’t go away until you do it. Rather than have it hanging over your head, just get it done. That way you can relax for the rest of the day.”
It’s true some things in life are better said than done. But think about the awesome benefits you will derive from being able to complete tasks without procrastinating. Think about the joys of free time just because you had completed all present tasks before the deadline without panicking. Clearly you wouldn’t mind finishing all tasks so you can watch Game of Thrones all day if need be with 4 packs of pizza, would you?
So wake up! Call yourself to action and stop procrastinating.
P.S
Experiences were gotten from real life interviews of people, most especially teenagers, by JW.Org
Other sources while composing this material of which I’m grateful to are Wikipedia and StudySearch