5 Easy Steps to Overcome your Habitual Procrastination

Procrastination is derived from a Latin word “procrastinare” which means until the next day. Procrastination is the tendency of delaying a task until the last possible minute. We all know how badly human beings are affected by this phenomenon. Psychological studies suggest that people procrastinate when they have a flawed sense of time or use procrastination as a coping mechanism by averting tasks that they think are distasteful and boring.

Procrastinating is totally normal and acceptable since it can help you in continuing with your daily routine in a better way. However, compulsive procrastination can result in a drop in your productivity, increased levels of stress, and constant guilt and regret. The following are some tips that can help you in overcoming your habitual procrastination.

Do Not Over-Analyze The Situation

Many people have the habit of over-analyzing every situation. Over thinking can make any task look more difficult than it actually is. Many times, over-analyzing consists of some unrealistic outcomes and consequences that are irrational projections of our minds, and that can lead to the act of procrastination. Therefore, try to keep it simple and you will find yourself procrastinating less.

Break Down Your Tasks

People often procrastinate due to the humongous size of the task. When the mind perceives that it has to engage in something of a larger scale, it starts to make excuses to postpone it for a while. If you break down your complex and bigger tasks in simple portions, you can trick your mind to do it in the intended time period.

Make Yourself A Long-Term Person

People who believe in long-term planning tend to be more successful than the ones who go for short term solutions. Try to mold your personality with more long-term plans. You might get rid of procrastination as the bi-product of this change.  Procrastination is often a short-term plan to avert any inconvenience.  And people who are believer of long term planning will less susceptible to finding temporary comfort at the cost of long lasting peace of mind.

Reward Yourself

Rewarding yourself suitably for every tiny progress can help you in competing with procrastination.  Knowing that something good is coming at the end can help you get past that initial hurdle.

Don’t Dwell On The Unrealistic

Don’t exhaust your mind with the thoughts of ‘what will happen’. The unrealistic fear or uncertainty of the future can cause you to procrastinate more.