“My advice is to never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of tiTime managementme.” Charles Dickens.

So are you a procrastinator? If you are, there are a number of possible reasons. There are also some consequences when you procrastinate. Fortunately, there are some strategies you can use to overcome procrastination.

Why do people procrastinate?

There are various reasons why people procrastinate – Not having a plan, sometimes it is plain laziness, fear of failure, not having the right knowledge or skill, not prioritizing, focusing on unimportant tasks which gives a false sense of achievement.

Procrastination is common in those that are perfectionists. If a perfectionist is working on a task, they may believe that the task won’t be finished to their unrealistic standards. So, they put it off.

For other procrastinators, they’re too easily distracted. If they get thrown off track easily, they may have a difficult time staying on task.

For some, the task at hand may just seem too overwhelming. If there’s a really big job that just seems like it’s too much to handle, some people will put it off until later or find other things to do to keep them busy.

Almost everyone is guilty of procrastination at one time or another. It is easier to complete simpler and easier tasks instead of important and high-priority tasks which are time consuming or difficult.

So What are the consequences of procrastination?

It’s no surprise that there are significant consequences when people procrastinate. A student who procrastinates rather than working on a big project or studying for their examination may have difficulty passing their classes.

In the working world, procrastination may mean that you’re unable to meet your deadlines, which could result in career challenges or even possible termination. Procrastinating also means that you are trying to catch up with outstanding tasks and unable to focus on the current tasks.

Procrastination and the stress associated with it can lead to serious medical issues. If you ignore certain symptoms and put off going to the doctor, your health may suffer. Small issues have a way of becoming bigger ones if you avoid getting them checked out.

Try these strategies for overcoming procrastination:

Understand the reason for procrastination:

Ask yourself if you have been putting off any important projects for later day or constantly setting new  deadlines for a task or any task that you had to complete couple of months back and still has not been done. So what is your reason for putting off things? Understanding the triggers for procrastination should help you identify the reasons why you are avoiding certain type of tasks.

  • Do you feel the task is beneath your level of expertise?
  • Do you feel that you do not have the skill to complete that task?
  • Is that you don’t know how or where to start?
  • Are the instructions not clear and you are afraid to ask for further clarification?

It is very important to identify the reason first and then it becomes easy for you to act on the task that you are procrastinating.

Think about the consequences of procrastination

Ask yourself what will this procrastination cost me? Is it going to put my job at risk? Will I lose my clients if I don’t submit a project on time? Will it stop my promotion that I have been expecting? Will it impact my health and prove costly, both in terms of health and money.  If you stop and think about the consequences of procrastination, it may give you the motivation to work on ways to fix it.

Prioritize your tasks

Make a to-do list of tasks that you want to complete and put them in order of importance. This to-do list must be written somewhere and not stored in your head. That is also the reason for procrastination as we forget. Our brain can only store limited information. As you complete the tasks check each one off from the list. You can assign ABC tags to your tasks based on the priority where “A” tasks are the one with highest priority. Focus on doing one task at a time and get to the next task only when you complete one. Focusing on too many tasks at one time means a number of half done tasks. And reward yourself when you complete your important tasks.

Break the tasks down into smaller chunks

Many tasks seem overwhelming because they are big, daunting tasks. Break your to-do list into bite-sized chunks and each step will seem less intimidating. You will see the progress of your tasks which motivates you to move forward.

Eliminate distractions

Stay focused on the task without getting distracted. You are tempted to check your Facebook post, read whatsapp messages and reply, compelled to check your email or a colleague inviting you to the cafeteria for a cup of tea and so many other distractions.  If you can put all other things aside until you cross a few items off of your list, this will help tremendously in your effort to beat procrastination.

These tips can be very helpful, as long as you’re willing to try them. The key is to use a pen and a paper and write down your to-do list, put them in the order of importance  and then stay focused till that task is done. Come back to that task even if there are distractions. I have not put this important point above but please learn to say “NO” if you have to, particularly for those tasks that do not add value or are just a waste of time. Get started now!