Have you ever had important tasks waiting for you but instead of doing those tasks you did other things that were not so important? If yes, you are procrastinating.
You should have opened piles of work emails but instead, you watched Netflix and felt that you could catch up on those emails later. Or you should go to the gym to exercise, but then you're just scrolling through your social media on the bed. It seems many of us have experienced those circumstances above.
We often feel like "ah I'll just do those tasks later, I will relax first" even though those tasks are important and waiting for you to complete. Procrastination is often a part of our daily life activities. But do you know what procrastination is, why we like to procrastinate, and how to stop it? Let's cover all those questions in the following.
What is Procrastination
Many of us have fallen into the trap of procrastination. But what exactly is procrastination? Procrastination comes from an ancient Greek word, akrasia. It is the state of behaving against our better judgment. It occurs when you do one thing while knowing that you should be doing something else. So, akrasia can be interpreted as procrastination or a lack of self-control.
In modern translation, procrastination, on the other hand, is the act of postponing a task or set of tasks. So whether you call it procrastination, akrasia, or else, it's the thing that keeps you from accomplishing what you set out to achieve.
It can be hard to understand why people procrastinate. They might not realize that they are procrastinating, or they might have a hard time changing their behavior. Some people are even addicted to it. Procrastination is a complex topic that some psychologists say has its roots in evolutionary psychology and self-regulation failure. Without further ado, let’s see why people like to procrastinate.
Why We Like to Procrastinate
This is an excellent opportunity to include some science in our conversation. There is a psychological phenomenon called "time inconsistency". Psychology researchers uncovered this phenomenon which explains why procrastination tends to lure us in despite our best intentions. Time inconsistency is the propensity of the human brain to value present benefits more highly than future ones.
In fact, we logically understand that deferring the work would cause us greater stress in the future. But instead of doing it, we're coping with less thoughtful things. As our brains are still built to prioritize removing the “threat” in the present. According to Dr. Hershfield's research, it is called “amygdala hijack.”
After knowing the cause of procrastination, it would be better if we set concrete and achievable steps to overcome it. Here are a few tips you can try to stop procrastinating. Let's check them out!
1. Be More Organized
The best way to be more organized is to have a plan. It doesn't have to be hard or complicated, but it does need to be measurable.
To start, set a goal for yourself. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish in the next 2 weeks and make a plan for it. Then, break down your goals into smaller tasks that are manageable and concrete. Finally, create deadlines for those tasks and stick with them!
If you don't have a specific strategy or idea for finishing your task, you're more prone to procrastinate. Subscribing to a planner can be a good decision. Begin keeping track of all of your assignments and the dates they are due. When you're organized, you'll be able to operate in a more methodical and measured manner.
2. Set Goals and Deadlines
Another strategy to minimize procrastination is to prioritize your work and projects. Make a list of what has to be done every week or so. Make sure you finish the most important or time-sensitive tasks first. Then on to the next item on the list. Get the difficult stuff out of the way first, and everything else will seem more doable.
One of the reasons you may delay is that the task at hand appears to be daunting. Setting modest, attainable goals rather than a large, hazy strategy makes it much simpler to get started on a job. Rather than telling yourself, "I'll study chemistry tonight," you may tell yourself, "I'll study chapter six tonight." This makes your objectives seem less daunting and more accessible.
Setting deadlines is another way to avoid procrastinating. Many people fall into the trap of saying, "I'll do it tomorrow or eventually," but in reality, tomorrow or eventually never arrives. It's critical to set a deadline for when you want a project or task done. Aim to finish your tasks and assignments one or two days ahead of time. That way, if anything unexpected occurs, you'll still have time to finish them.
3. Block Distractions
Another way to combat procrastination is to block distractions. It is a common problem for most people to have distractions that keep them from getting their work done. These distractions can come in the form of social media, emails, and many other things. In order to avoid this, it is important to set up a specific time during the day when you will focus on your work.
Besides, you'll be more likely to finish what you need to do if you reduce the number of distractions surrounding you. Going somewhere quiet, silencing your phone, and listening to peaceful music or white noise are things you can do.
4. Give Reward to Yourself
Rewarding yourself is a great way to help avoid procrastination and incentivize yourself when completing tasks. It will also make you feel better about the work you’ve done. Reward yourself by doing something that you enjoy, like going out to eat or watching your favorite TV show.
There are many benefits to rewarding yourself for completing tasks. You will feel more accomplished, more motivated, and more inclined to complete future tasks. It can also help with your willpower by providing an incentive for long-term choices.
This reward system should be tailored specifically for your effort. For example, if you want to build a habit of running 3 miles every day, you could make it part of your routine to reward yourself with a salty snack after each run. If you are trying to lose weight, you could reward yourself with a delicious meal for every 10-pound weight loss.
5. Set Up an Accountability Partner
An accountability partner is someone who helps you to stay on track and finish your tasks. This person needs to be someone who can provide constructive feedback, as well as encouragement.
In order to set up an accountability partner, it's important that you find the right person for the job. It's important that this person is trustworthy and reliable because they will need to know what your goals are in order to motivate you.
You should also have a discussion with this person about how often they would like to check in with you. Will it be once a week or once a day? It depends on how many tasks you need help completing and how much time each task will take.
Stop Procrastination and Get Things Done with VirtualSpace
Stopping procrastination might not be easy to do. It requires focus and effort. Maybe you need to go above and beyond to do it. Before starting anything every day, please make sure that you're in a relaxed state of mind. Then you can start planning to do every guidance above to stop procrastination.
You can stay more organized using VirtualSpace. This app gives you space to plan everything you need to get your tasks done. From managing your tasks to setting up your deadlines, you have all things at the top of your finger. VirtualSpace lets you be more productive each and every day. Learn more about how VirtualSpace helps you to stop procrastination!
