We have all succumbed to procrastination at least a few times. We do it when we delay a task for hours or days, although we know it would be better to do it sooner. Many students procrastinate, as do many adults, although to a lesser extent, according to research.
In fact, humans have procrastinated for centuries. And it goes beyond just being lazy. Do you want to know why procrastination occurs? What drives it? How does it affect us? Read on! We will tell you everything you need to know and how to quit this habit.
What is procrastination?
Procrastination is an act of unnecessary delay. It is about postponing tasks, duties and responsibilities for other activities that are more rewarding to us.
In most cases, people who procrastinate know they will not benefit from this delay or postponement, but they do it anyway. This habit is like a barrier to accomplishing important and meaningful tasks. Instead, it leads us to “waste time” on activities that are trivial or of little value.
How does procrastination affect us?
Procrastination can become chronic and have many consequences, related to physical and mental health, the ability to achieve academic and career goals, and financial well-being.
Chronic procrastinators have high levels of stress and often face health problems such as depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular disease.
Even though adults are aware of the negative consequences associated with constantly delaying tasks, they continue to do so because they use it as a way to regulate mood and mind-set.
Types of procrastinators
According to research published in the journal Integrative Psychological & Behavioural Science, procrastination takes many forms and has multiple determinants. The reasons for procrastination vary from person to person. Let’s look at the types of procrastinators according to the motives that drive them.
- Perfectionist: They are known for constantly criticizing their work. You have very high standards and fear failure. This causes a feeling of anxiety and stress around the task, causing the person to put it off.
- “I have time”: is the person who thinks they have a lot of time to complete a task. So they tend to put it off to the last minute.
- Boring: This person finds homework boring. They prefer to occupy their time with fun activities that give them immediate satisfaction.
- Anxious: This person uses procrastination as a mechanism to cope with anxiety-causing tasks. By putting off homework, your anxiety is momentarily relieved. But, it will get more intense over time, until the task is completed. Then, the cycle is repeated again.
It is important to note that these types of procrastinators are not scientifically categorized, but they highlight the most common varieties and motivations that are present when delaying important tasks.
How can procrastination be avoided?
Procrastination can have consequences in our lives. The good news is that procrastination can be overcome with some self-care and goal setting. Here are some tips to stop being procrastinators.
Imagine your future “me”
Planning ahead is easy, but achieving short-term goals can be more difficult. So visualizing what you want your future “self” to look like can help you establish a realistic plan.
Regardless of what your long-term goals are. Keep them very present in your mind every day to hold you accountable. Whether you want to get the promotion you have been waiting for, be healthier or live in an organized space. Always think about it and set it as your goal to achieve.
Imagining your future “self” also helps highlight your priorities, which should be taken into account when setting your daily schedule. Schedule your daily tasks and get them done without fail.
Keep deadlines tight
The more time you have to complete a task, the longer you can put it off. Research shows that having less time actually makes you more productive.
To avoid procrastinating, it can help to keep tight deadlines. Adjusting to a period of time in your calendar until everyday tasks, so that when they are not accomplished, there are immediate consequences.
When you do not meet daily personal deadlines, you experience feelings of guilt and failure. This is not good. But, you can work on using those negative feelings as motivation to get things done on time. The positivity that you will feel as you follow through is much more rewarding.
Take scheduled breaks
Research shows that we often delay working on stressful, difficult, or boring tasks because another activity seems more appealing. Taking a scheduled break from “unpleasant” tasks can relieve stress, improve mood, and help promote productivity.
The key is to stick to the schedule. Include breaks from work and personal time in your daily schedule and stick to it. Take time for yourself without feeling guilty about it.
Set limits
If you spend too much time on social media, surfing the internet, or sitting in front of the TV, try setting limits for yourself.
This only works if you hold yourself accountable and keep track of your activities. But, with a little motivation, it can certainly help you accomplish tasks and really enjoy your well-earned free time.
Separate the “me who wants” from the “me who should”
For procrastinators, there is a pretty clear difference between the two. The “me who wants” loves to scroll the internet and watch television. Whereas the “me who should” is constantly anxious about the tasks to be completed.
Although the former is often stronger, the latter is more intelligent and can be consistently strengthened. Just being clear on the difference between the two can help you see when you are procrastinating and anticipate the emotional consequences to come.
Be gentle with yourself.
Our emotions change the way we view a task, which often leads to procrastination. When a task seems too difficult, stressful, or boring, we let our emotions dictate whether or not we will do it.
Negative emotions contribute to procrastination, which leads to more negative emotions. It is a vicious cycle and it can affect your self-worth and sense of self-worth.
Help alleviate the guilt and hurt that keep delaying an assignment by showing compassion and forgiving yourself. Try to accept that some tasks will create stress. This will make you accept your behaviour, make you less likely to procrastinate next time, and is a step in the right direction.
ALFA