“I will do it tomorrow”, how many of you haven’t said their words at least once, if not frequently? I have been there and there used to be several instances when I have overcome the habit of putting off my work. Quite often I used to do it without realizing the repercussions of procrastination. The more you say tomorrow the more you pull yourself back from attaining your goal howsoever important it could be in your life. This is an invisible barrier in attaining your goal, that you have to overcome. Once I realized it, I decided to overcome it. The foray into the same led me to a whole new world of new vision and lifestyle. I am sharing with you some of the key tips to stop procrastination that I have tried in my life and came out successful.
“Procrastination is a vicious cycle,” says Nutritionist Divya Diwaker, founder of Healthstudio by Divya. So, what is the vicious cycle of procrastination? Before finding the tips to stop procrastination, we must know the disadvantages of procrastination.
Disadvantages of procrastination
- One major disadvantage of procrastination is that it affects your self worth. While you put off the work and end up with unfinished business. you will start feeling incomplete.
- Higher levels of stress is another disadvantages of procrastination. You will end up feeling stressed about themonting work and taaks to complete, which in turn piles up more as you haven’t done anything about it.
- Never ending work is another disadvantage of procrastination. The moment you put off something for tomorrow, you are adding it to tomorrow’s work and it goes on.
- Lack of priortisation is another disadvantage of putting off work. You fail to prioritise work that needs to be done.
- All these put together, adds on to weakening your mental health. You will eventually feel unhappy about yourself as you are unable to achieve your goals.
Some scientists believe that procrastination is a genetic trait, which has come true in my case. Despite being on a holistic wellness journey, I tend to procrastinate.
It is a sort of intoxication to be able to say “I will do it tomorrow”, even when I know that I will never do it tomorrow. This intoxication like any other would eventually cloud our reasoning and thus push us into an addictive cycle of never attaining goals.
What I stated above might come across as an exaggeration for at least some of you. But trust me, this habit will eventually weigh down on your self-esteem. Hence let us break the shackles and actually start working towards overcoming procrastination habit with these tips to stop procrastination.
Tips to stop procrastination
Here are a few tried and tested tips to stop procrastination.
1. Know that procrastination is not laziness
The first step to overcome procrastination is to understand that this is totally different from laziness. You procrastinate only the things that are in your to do list and that which you are wiling to do. If you were lazy, you wouldn’t even have a to-do list. Hence get the thought out of your mind that you are lazy. No, you are not…
2. Know when you are procrastinating
You need to realise that you are procrastinating. Here are a few indications to know that you are procrastonating.
- Substittue an important task with menial jobs or even nothing.
- Telling yourself that you are not in a mood today and will do it tomorrow.
- Keep an important task in your to do list for a long time.
- Start a task and drift off to something else repeatedly.
These a few common indications. There could be many as finding yourself incapable to do the task as an excuse and nothing else, using your health as an excuse, excuses, excuses and more excuses.
3. Specify a time
Write down the task that you need to complete and specify a time to do it. Keep a reminder and commit to not turning it off till you do it. The moment you touch the stop button that’s it. It would be extremely difficult. But as the saying goes, it takes only 21 days to form a habit. Make your habit the one that you would be proud of. If your count the tips to stop procrastination, this would be the most important one.
4. Journaling
In whatever goal you are trying to acheive, journaling is an ultimate solution. As a part of the Holisticwellnesswithrj initiatiave,you might have come across the word quite often. Visualisation and journaling are two terms that we would always cherish in our journey. Write down the task that you could not complete and write down the reason that you told yourself. You will see how hollow your excuse would be. Make this an inherent part of your morning routine.
5. Wake up early
If you ask me this is one of the toughest tips to stop procrastination. I am a born late riser who can be awake through the night but cant wake up early. Kids changed everything and I imbibed the art of waking up early and trust me it made me realise that waking up early indeed leaves you with ample time.
6. Do the least favorite task first
I have been asked many a time how I find time to read. My only reply would be that because I love it. Yes! human mind is conditioned in such a way that we find some way to do what we like, no matter what. Hence let us keep it for a later time and do the least favorite one first. While following the tips to stop procrastination, you can note down what you love the most and keep it aside atleast during the first half of the day.
7. Maintain a daily planner
Have a daily planner with the daily schedules, to do list, next day’s list and that of things that you missed that day. Find a sample planner from us.
8. Procratination affirmations
These are a few affirmations that you can say daily so as to train your mind to go with your body.
- First, I will become someone who takes action
- Second, I will take charge of my mind and achieve my goals
- Next, I will get started right away even if I don’t like it.
- I know I am naturally taking immediate action.
- I am truning into a proactive person
9. Avoid distractions
Have you ever noticed that your screentime is a major hindrance to attaining your goals? Practice digital detox daily and see how it changes your lives are you will be left with ample time to finish your tasks. Apart from your screentime, note down everything that distract you and deal with it first.
10. Set timer
If you ask me, this this one the most important tips to stop procrastination. Set timer to finish your tasks, your distractions and anything that your need to. With timer you will become a better planner yourself because it enables you to finish everything on time.
If your search around, you can find numerous procrastimation affirmations that could motivate you to become an assertive person. These are a few tips to stop procrastication but there are a lot of possibilities to overcome this visious cycle and become an active person who attain your goals. Best wishes from us and if you wish to join us in our wellness journey, contact us. You can also join our wellness community and contribute your writings.
Thank you for sharing this … At some point in our lives, we’ve all struggled with procrastination. I am probably familiar with this feeling .. Journalising and getting up early works for me.
Great tips Rakhi and if follow even few of these pointers our life can be greatly organized. personally for me, pre planning things help a lot is stay on track. also, i believe in avoiding distractions. if we focus on one task one time properly, then we can increase our productivity a lot.
Awesome tips!! Luckily I hardly experience procrastination. With work in front of me, only one thought is there in my mind- how early I can finish it. I do not compromise on the quality. And focus one one task at time, prioritize my work.
Pomodora technique worked for me and I strongly advocate this as it can help you overcome the initial hitch to begin anything. Journaling, waking up early helps a lot too. Great post.
I think we all go through this phase in our lives. Sometimes we don’t realise it. I really liked your helpful tips, they are easy to follow and doable.
So far you know me well and I am sure that know the word procrastination dont appear in my life dictionary. I will not do a work which I am not interested for but if I am responsible and love what I am doing I will ensure not to fail the TAT
Procrastination is something that most of us are guilty of. It is so important to win the battle against procrastination. Your tips are really helpful in this direction.
This is the need of the hour for me. I have so many ideas but I am procrastinating and all the goals of mine are far from achieved. I will follow your tips and hopefully I will be back on track soon.
I really liked the point of waking up early and also your to do list is beautiful.
The effort you are taking for each blog is observable and appreciable.
A much needed post that simpplifies how not to procrastinate. I’m not someone who procastinates but this was an insightful article thanks for sharing
How could this not be a must read for everyone! We all encounter situations in life that tests us. Keeping the points you’ve raised in this article would really be helpful. As the saying goes, it’s the attitude you have in every situation that matters, hiccups in life is normal.😊
All these tips are so good. Make a daily planner , setting timer , early wake-up and my fav things to follow.
These are very good tips for stopping procrastination. I won’t lie but I do suffer from this too. The thing that helps me is making a to do list which has correct due dates and I know I have to complete them whether I like it or not.
Procrastination is one of the major issues of this current generation. Thank you for this much-needed blog.
These are some great tips. I usually make a to do list and tackle things based on it. Crossing off completed task list gives me a high and motivated me to clear the list.
I am one of them , giving excuse to not do excercise. I am also going to follow your tips.
These are some great tips to stop procrastination. I too make a daily planner…not on paper but in mind:)…keeps me on track.
I had the habit of procrastinating work that I doesn’t like much but then I realized I am just adding work and stress in the end when I have to do the work any which ways. So I started doing my least fav work at the start.
At some point of time everybody do procrastination. Your tips ar helpful to stop this . Journaling and waking up early morning definitely gonna help.
You are bang on dear, I am a queen of procrastination and I feel so bad about it. Your tips undoubtedly help a lot.
Procrastination affects the best of us at times. You’ve shared some good tips to take care of it. Waking up early sure is a good way to begin.
I think i am going through this phase right now . Sometimes we don’t realise it. I really liked your helpful tips, they are easy to follow and doable.