Article: I’ll Do It Later… (Part 1)

If you have ever tried procrastinating, or have become a chronic procrastinator that you can do it with both eyes closed and half a mind, you would probably know the ‘wonders’ it has done to productivity, and the ‘excellent’ results that show themselves either on a test paper, on an angry boss/teacher/parent screaming in your face, or simply more and more frustration all thanks to the best friend that you have found in procrastinating. So, you wonder, is there any way we can minimize this bad habit and start getting things one for once?

One of the first things that one can do to curb the procrastination habit is to just do it. Yes, the pun was intended when I’m referring to this popular and slightly overused Nike slogan. Often the decision to either continue on a given task or give up is determined by the willful decision on our part to listen to fact instead of feelings no matter what. Many times when faced with a difficult task ahead, the temptation to give up is so strong, and at times that temptation consumes us. However, when one makes the hard decision to go ahead and do it, the will has won over emotions, and with further determination our feelings will adjust itself to follow the ‘orders’ of the will.

Just deciding to do something, while being a vital first step in stopping procrastination in its tracks, won’t be too effective if we don’t also decide to do it now.  If we decide to do something in our mind yet don’t take any immediate action, it may just fade away in the back of our minds and stored in some place far away from our consciousness – procrastinating! Doing something that ought to be done now, or as soon as possible, helps one to set in motion our quest of getting things done in due time- and the deeper we delve into this process, the harder it is for us to turn back and give up. Once a foot is set on a journey, the next steps become easier and easier to achieve.

We can also overcome procrastination by breaking our to-dos into small – no, I meant very small – work chunks, depending on your personality that dictates how much work stress you can bear at any given time. People often procrastinate as either a means of avoiding the stress associated with work or by initially trying to do more work that they can handle, leading to frustration. By breaking up big projects into manageable sizes, we are then able to focus on smaller, more realistic and more achievable goals that naturally also give us less stress, too. Besides, when big goals are broken down into smaller ones, the joy that comes from achieving them will increase and will propel us to continue in the same manner towards finishing the whole task.

Yet another way to deal with procrastination is to identify the settings in which we tend to procrastinate the most easily and modify that setting so that the temptation to put off a task is lessened and the root cause nipped in the bud. For example *, you get back from school all tired and mentally worn out from the day’s activities. So, after your lunch, you linger around for a while and then gradually gravitate to the direction of your beloved bed and the next thing you know, it’s 6pm and your sister is screaming at the top of her lungs trying to wake you up after a few failed attempts. In your grouchiness, you just realized that you have many things you need to do! If afternoons are not your optimum time to work, for example, then opt for shorter naps that range from 20 minutes to an hour. They’ll keep you refreshed and yet still have hours to spare in the afternoons to get down to some work. Like this example, we can identify the times and activities that sap away our focus and modify them so that we can become more effective.

One long-term strategy we can utilize to overcome procrastination is start developing a routine schedule based on what our most important priorities and values are in our daily lives. Following a schedule allows us to be more disciplined and organized, which are two key qualities that are essential to minimizing procrastination in our lives. However, don’t immediately start planning a detailed schedule assigning times for every single one of your to-dos, as this may overwhelm you after a while. Start by drafting simple daily to-do list listing the most important tasks for the day. When following your to-do list becomes a constant habit — that is, when you have made following your to-do list a habit — then you can start making a more detailed schedule to follow through daily.

Procrastination in general happens when we feel the burden of the things we need to do are too great for us to bear, and is commonly used as a form alleviating the work stress temporarily. To become more effective stewards of our time and resources, we ought to take vital steps to reduce procrastination and increase productivity wisely while giving enough time for fun and siesta.

Admittedly a perfectionist and procrastinator herself, CelineD invites her readers to explore this phenomenon that’s currently making her head spin in endless circles, and find a creative solution together to nip them in the bud, towards the pursuit of effectiveness.