Procrastination
Procrastination is the action of unnecessarily and voluntarily delaying or postponing something despite knowing that there will be negative consequences for doing so.
Types –
• Passive procrastinators:Delay the task because they have trouble making decisions and acting on them
• Active procrastinators: Delay the task purposefully because working under pressure allows them to “feel challenged and motivated.
Causes –
One of the biggest factors contributing to procrastination is the notion that we have to feel inspired or motivated to work on a task at a particular moment.
Some other factors that cause procrastination are as follows –
• Present Bias
The present bias means that we tend to be motivated more by immediate gratification or rewards than we are by long-term rewards. This is why it feels good in the moment to procrastinate.
For example, the immediate reward of staying in bed and watching TV is more appealing than the long-term reward of publishing a blog post, which would take much longer to accomplish.
• Depression
Procrastination can also be a result of depression. Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and a lack of energy can make it difficult to start (and finish) the simplest task
• Academics
Procrastination can be particularly pronounced among students.Students tend to:
° Overestimate how much time they have left to perform tasks
° Overestimate how motivated they will be in the future
° Underestimate how long certain activities will take to complete
° Mistakenly assume that they need to be in the right frame of mind to work on a project
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
One reason is that OCD is often linked with maladaptive perfectionism, which causes fears about making new mistakes, doubts about whether you are doing something correctly, and worry over others’ expectations of you. People with OCD also often have a propensity toward indecision, causing them to procrastinate rather than make a decision.
Impact –
Unfortunately, this procrastination can have a serious impact on a number of life areas, including a person’s mental health and social, professional, and financial well-being –
• Higher levels of stress and illness
• Increased burden placed on social relationships
• Resentment from friends, family, co-workers, and fellow students
• Consequences of delinquent bills and income tax returns
How to overcome procrastination?
• Personal vision
The personal vision is one of the core tools, it helps you understand your skills and priorities, and by creating one, you will never feel lost in what is it that you want to do with your life. The personal vision as well helps you to focus your effort on the right activities and set priorities to avoid continually switching between actions. Understand what motivates you, and you will be able to maintain your discipline and make the most out of each day.
• To-Do today
Long to-do lists tend to pile on, and this leads to procrastination. Seeing the long list of tasks can frustrate us so much that we have tendencies to give up on them completely. The To-Do Today method is there to help you get the most important and urgent tasks done every day, while also helping you prioritize the work on your schedule and limit new tasks. With its help, you will be able to manage much more in a day, with less stress and tiredness.
• Habit list
Learning new habits is one of the basic elements of personal development. If we make a habit of doing something, its implementation requires less mental energy to do it. Learning new habits is, therefore, very important.
• Take baby steps
Break down the items on your list into small, manageable steps so that your tasks don’t seem so overwhelming.
• Eliminate distraction
Ask yourself what pulls your attention away the most—whether it’s Instagram, Facebook updates, or the local news—and turn off those sources of distraction.
• Pat yourself on the back
When you finish an item on your to-do list on time, congratulate yourself and reward yourself by indulging in something you find fun.
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