To procrastinate or procrastinate, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is to keep delaying something that must be done. Whether it is a small task or a big one, it is very common for all people to deliberately avoid doing work, knowing it won’t benefit them in any way. As a matter of fact, procrastination decreases the performance and quality of the product since it is delayed until the last second and probably rushed. It is practically a habit that self-sabotages, wastes one’s time, and causes physical and mental suffering.
A “procrastinator” looks for other distractions to keep them from finishing what they have at hand while consciously being guilty about uncompleted tasks. At the end of the day, this brings dissatisfaction because of low-quality results like low grades, underwhelming reception, etc., knowing that they had the potential and could do better. They tend to lack effort rather than skill.
Students are a majority among these people due to their heavy academic load on top of other responsibilities at school and at home. The pressure of peers and elders leads to a fear of failure. The fear of the consequences of not being enough to meet expectations or losing support (financial or emotional) also triggers low mental performance in students. Many reasons in their lives cause a lack of motivation, whether it be a bad education system, no hope in the future, a poor environment, or poor relationships.
Why do the thing that is actually supposed to be done when there are countless other activities you can do? Then ultimately not doing any other thing because of the guilt of avoiding responsibilities. Psychology relates procrastination to stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, distress, and guilt caused by having to do stressful work. The ineffective effort of coping by avoiding the task at hand further in order to deny the negative mindset, pushing closer into the deadline, and hoping to delay the anxiety, only for it to eventually bring more stress, is an endless cycle. With the feeling of missing out on other daily activities, failing to manage time effectively, and losing control over plans, these people naturally want to get out of the constant state of battling deadlines.
How do I reduce procrastination? Recognizing that procrastination can become chronic and lead to irrationalism, therefore limiting optimism in a person, and can stem from mental illnesses such as OCD, ADHD, and depression, there are several ways to keep it in control.
Usually, the reason for procrastinating is not having planned ahead. Not knowing the steps and ways to do things could make them seem overwhelming. Underestimating the time the job will take and trying to fit it into a very limited time makes room for delaying it too. Not being in the right emotional state is also a huge factor in performance because a negative state of mind means a negative outlook on the task. Then what should I do?
Be realistic with your plans. Go bit by bit. Attempting to do everything at once is tiring and will make you give up quicker.
Commit to the task and check on yourself. Avoid starting another business before completing one; leaving stuff unfinished will make it harder to go back and continue. Take small breaks that won’t distract you too much.
Try to have positive thoughts on the task; instead of “must,” use “want to”. Even the internal monologue can make you more confident. Starting positive will help you stay positive throughout it and improve results.
Keep distractions away. A crowded working place or your phone buzzing all the time will keep you from focusing.
There is nothing “wrong” with procrastinating; it is you and you alone who will benefit or not. It is all about taking action and trusting yourself. Getting things done on time and, most of all, being aware of your capabilities help you have more control over life.
