The Reasons Why Procrastination Occurs And How To Fight It

Each of us happened to postpone important things for later, dragging out their implementation as much as possible, doing anything instead of them. Unable to explain to ourselves why we are doing this, after that we are tormented by guilty feelings because of the deadlines, and the fact that we let someone down again.

By “procrastination” is meant a person’s constant desire to put off everything until later: things (both work and household), decision making, etc. Also, this term includes actually postponing what is supposed to be done right now. And the more unpleasant the thing that needs to be done, the longer it is postponed and instead new and new ways are invented to keep oneself busy, including inventing what to do.

I interviewed three people. These people are my friends, one of them works, and the other is a student. We managed to find the time and get together to discuss this topic. It was for purpose, that I chose these people because they share the love of procrastination with me, so we had something to discuss. Since we are all students, one of us was a student, we shared methods with each other how to improve our effectiveness.

We found out the common reasons why procrastination occurs:

• Bad experience.

This is the most common reason when in the past you had certain fails and now do not rush to repeat them. Even if the task is not associated with any fails, most likely there is some kind of association that prevents you from starting the task.

• Incomplete business.

Very often, we begin to do something and do not finish. Sometimes we think that someday we will finish, and sometimes we completely forget - we set the task, but we forgot to cancel. Unfinished business takes away our energy and puts pressure on us. People often do not start new business, because they are burdened by previous tasks. And if you can’t cope with them right away, they remain for a long time with a list of tasks that need to be completed and cannot start new ones. Why can't they start? Because there is not enough energy for new things, energy hung there, in unfinished business.

If you do nothing with this, then the consequences of procrastination will certainly not add energy to you. And this: a drop in self-esteem, undermining the image, destroying prospects, constant fatigue and congestion.

We discussed most effective ways how to fight with procrastination. These are ways, that me and my friends constantly using.

Work with your to-do list. Write down everything that you have already begun to do. Even those tasks that you thought should be done, it is also considered as an open cycle. Put down the dates when you plan to complete them or abandon the task if there is any doubt about it. Cross out or transfer to your scheduler for the necessary dates so that they can start when the time comes. Having written these tasks, everything will come down to one single task - to complete this entire list. In this way you will release part of the energy that you lack;

Find bad luck in the past. To do this, write down the task that you put off and think about what failures it may be associated with. Or with what kind of failure an association arises. When you are wrote down them, look at them and try to change attitude towards them. Any failure is your step towards success; it is an experience that simply does not need to be repeated. So think what you will do differently now, and do it.

We also discussed ideas on how not to fall into such situations when you have to deal with procrastination.

• Do not create “tails”. Try to avoid incomplete tasks; do not leave them “for later”. Accept for yourself the rule not to start the next task until the previous one is done;
• Plan 25% of your time for unforeseen situations. And if they do not happen, then you will always find something to do, right? And if something unforeseen happens, then at least you will be ready for this and you won’t have to endure something;
• Keep a time calculation. Summing up the time to complete tasks you clearly see how much time you need to complete them. And, accordingly, you are able to manage it.

If all the recommendations described do not work and you still force yourself to do something, then you are definitely doing something wrong. No need to force yourself! See what the task is and what your goal is leading to. If it does not, the answer is clear - refuse! If there are no goals, then create them!

Procrastination is a common occurrence, but it is fairly easy to handle. Procrastination only intensifies before starting a business, especially if we don’t know how and where to start. However, when the task is completed, our perception, attitude towards it changes, and towards the end we can even enjoy the work we were initially afraid of.