You have a final exam in 3 days. It’s time to get serious and start studying. But first, let’s check your phone. A quick scroll through Instagram, maybe? You may want to catch up on the latest YouTube video. Or perhaps it’s time to start a new web series. Before you know it, the whole day is gone. “No worries,” you think. “I still have two more days.” The second day doesn’t go any better. You spend more time on your phone, watching YouTube, and undertaking other “non-essential” activities. Before you know it, it’s the night before the exam, and you haven’t studied anything. It is the cycle of procrastination.
What is Procrastination?
Delaying or postponing a task or group of duties is known as procrastination. It is a common habit that may harm our personal and professional lives. Stress, anxiety, missed deadlines, and even failure may arise with procrastination.
We procrastinate for a variety of reasons. Among the most common explanations are:
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Fear of Failure
Procrastination may occur because we are terrified of failing at a task. This fear can paralyze us and prevent us from commencing the job at all.
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Lack of Motivation
If we are not motivated to complete a task, we may procrastinate. This could be due to various circumstances, including boredom, apathy, or a lack of confidence in our abilities to complete the activity.
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Perfectionism
We may procrastinate because we want to complete a task flawlessly. It can result in us continuously planning and preparing but never starting the work.
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Boredom
If we perceive work to be boring or laborious, we may procrastinate. This can make concentrating and staying motivated difficult, causing us to put off the activity until later.
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Disorganization
If we are disorganized and have difficulty organizing our time, we may procrastinate. This might leave us feeling overwhelmed and stressed, making it even more difficult to get started on activities.
How to fight Procrastination?
Whatever the reason, procrastination can be a significant barrier to our accomplishments. Procrastination could negatively impact our self-esteem and confidence in the long run.
The good news is that procrastination is a habit that can be broken. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
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Convert huge tasks into smaller, simpler ones
This will make the task appear a little easier and more manageable.
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Set and stick to deadlines for yourself
This will keep you on track and prevent you from completing the assignment until the very last minute.
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Reward yourself for completing tasks
This will help you remain motivated and make procrastination easier to resist.
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Remove any distractions
Turning off your phone, closing your email, and finding a quiet area to work are all ways to do this.
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Take frequent breaks
Do not attempt to work on a task for long periods. Get up and move around every 20 to 30 minutes to avoid exhaustion.
It takes time and work to break the habit of procrastination, but it is achievable. The most difficult aspect of any task is getting started. Once you get started, you’ll generally discover that it’s not as awful as anticipated.
