A significant reason for delays in work and life in general, procrastination is a habit that can quickly develop into a problem. Remaining stagnant can feel comforting when you are expected to take on responsibilities. Sometimes, it is much easier to put off the task than to get it over with. This mindset of “doing it later” doesn’t normally lead you to a successful outcome. Instead of accomplishing the task so that you no longer have to worry about it, you will be holding onto this pressure the more you do not take action. People procrastinate for different reasons. Some simply feel too lazy to get the task done, while others feel pressured by the task. No matter what your reason is, you are going to learn how to lead a more productive life that will eliminate the need for procrastination and end the desire to be lazy.
How can you stop procrastinating and live a more productive life? Motivation is how you are going to overcome your procrastination and begin living a life of efficiency. As mentioned, procrastinating doesn’t only happen during work-related tasks. It can happen when you must schedule a doctor’s appointment or even when you need to go food shopping. The more that you act on this type of behavior, the more it becomes a pattern in your life. Motivation is going to keep you moving, always looking ahead. When you have something to look forward to, you are going to be less likely to remain stagnant for long periods of time.
By utilizing the 9 steps that we are going to cover, you will be prepared for anything that life throws your way. No task, big or small, should feel so overwhelming to the point where you feel that you cannot take action. This method is a proven way to ensure that you are living your life to the best of your ability, handling each task with a sense of purpose and organization. You will use the steps to motivate and guide you toward success, each day getting better at taking action in your own life. No matter how bad your procrastination is right now, there is always a chance for you to make this change. See how much more you are able to do when you learn about the things that motivate you.
What Causes Procrastination?
Over the last 30 years, studies have shown that procrastination has taken a turn for the worst. It is apparent that most procrastination stems from the areas of work and school. When faced with tasks related to one of these two things, people tend to put off their work by procrastinating with the false promise to get it done later. These numbers have risen in the last few decades because of the number of distractions that are readily available. From smartphones to social media, the technology that is used in today’s society plays a very large role in the average person’s life. It is likely that you have some type of portable technology readily available to you. There is also a chance that you own a TV, radio, or gaming system.
It takes a certain amount of willpower to be able to ignore these distractions and do what you are supposed to do. When you’re not busy utilizing technology, there is the aspect of social interaction that comes into play. You’ve probably encountered a situation where you put off responsibility because you would rather go out and have fun with your friends. This likely resulted in a scramble to make sure that you are able to complete everything in time. Actions like these are what can also contribute to procrastination. Any time that you make the choice between what you are responsible for and what you would rather do, you are fueling your laziness and embracing procrastination. This is something that you might not realize until it is too late, and you are struggling to meet deadlines. It is important that your procrastination is dealt with before it reaches this point.
9 Practical Steps to Take
In order to overcome your procrastination, you must be willing to make the commitment. Utilizing these steps, you are going to train yourself on how to be productive again while still maintaining a lifestyle where you feel that you have a choice. It can be tough when you must force yourself to get things done, but these steps will encourage you to do the opposite–when you utilize them, you will be doing it because you want to. The only person who can decide when it is time for you to stop procrastinating is you.
1. Prioritization
When you think about all that is pending in your life, it is important for you to prioritize. This is a great way for you to stay organized while tending to the tasks that require the most urgency. A mistake that many people make as they are trying to cut the habit of procrastination is the idea that everything must be done all at once. This is never the case! It helps to make a list of every single thing that you need to do. No matter how small, make sure that you write down all of your responsibilities. Once you have completed this, take some time to read over all of your tasks. Mark a symbol next to each task that you would consider a priority. For example, changing your car tires takes precedence over getting a haircut. Use your common sense to label each action accordingly.
Once you have everything labeled correctly, take a look at your list again. This time only look at the tasks that you have marked a priority. It is likely that your list got smaller, maybe even got cut in half. This will show you how simple it can be to take the pressure out of your life and focus on what truly matters–getting everything done. You can narrow down your list even further by ranking your priorities on a scale from 1-10. 1 being the least important and 10 being the most, rank each one differently until you have a clear starting point. From here, you will know exactly what you need to do first.
Each time that you accomplish something on your list, cross it out. This is a simple action that can make a significant difference. Not only does it narrow your list down to the pending items, but it also allows you to see the progress that you are making. As you work on prioritization, being able to see your progress is important. This is what drives you toward becoming a motivated person. When you are able to see real results, you will begin to believe that it is possible to tackle your entire list without a problem. The reason why the tasks probably seemed unrealistic before is that you were thinking about how to do them all at once. This change in perspective should help you realize that you do not need to rush if the task itself does not require urgency.
If you find that you have a list of tasks that all hold the same level of importance, create your own sense of prioritization. Thinking about the bigger picture, and consider which tasks are going to benefit you the most. Cleaning out your closet and buying a new sofa might hold equal weight in terms of importance, but they can easily be pushed to the bottom of your to-do list if you do not set a due date for yourself. This is how you are going to stay productive. The self-discipline involved in this is going to make you a better person. You will be able to accomplish each task while knowing that you have a plan.
2. Scheduling
Creating a timeline for yourself is going to be very helpful. By seeing something in writing that you can abide by, you will be less likely to feel lost and confused about what to do next. It is likely that a lot of your procrastination stems from the feeling of not knowing how to tackle your to-do list. Don’t give yourself this option any longer. Instead of feeling this way, know that there are things that you can do for yourself that will get you back on track and back to feeling that you are in control. A well thought out schedule is the answer to this problem.
The previous step is going to flow directly into this one. Once you have labeled each task by levels of importance, you will begin to realize how much time you are going to need to complete each one. Whether your schedule includes the whole month or goes for a week at a time, it is important that you have one. It is going to act as a reference for you to check-in with yourself and see if you are still on track. If you do not care to keep a physical schedule, there are plenty of apps and ways that you can utilize your phone to help you. This is one way that the use of technology can actually help diminish your procrastination.
One of the reasons that you procrastinate when you have no schedule is that you are simply trying to avoid negative emotions. Confusion can definitely be a negative emotion, especially when you prefer to be in control over the situations that happen to you. It puts you in a place where you feel that you cannot act, yet you feel terrible for doing nothing. The act of scheduling your tasks is going to help you by avoiding these negative feelings entirely. While it might feel inconvenient at the time when you must take care of your responsibilities, you will thank yourself that you got them over with rather than harboring the negative energy that they come with if left to be procrastinated on.
Know that you aren’t going to be great at scheduling when you first begin utilizing it; no one typically is. It is normal to still feel a bit confused or overwhelmed, but the feelings will subside as you settle into your schedule. No one is going to enforce this schedule except for you. This is a true test of motivation and will-power, one that can have the ability to change your procrastinating ways. As you create your schedule, keep your goal in mind of motivation. Think about how good it is going to feel as you check off the things that have been on your to-do list for months, maybe even years. There is a sense of accomplishment that just can’t be beat when you get the hang of productivity.
The activities that you schedule for yourself do not have to be to the point. For example, placing “Clean the Closet” on your to-do list as a high priority is only going to put more pressure on you and likely lead to even more procrastination. Instead, think about ways that you can break down this task in order to make it seem less overwhelming. You can gather clothing that you would like to donate, organize the remaining items by color, and then vacuum and dust the interior. While these are the things that you wanted to do originally, putting them down on your to-do list this way seems much more possible than simply imagining how you are going to clean your entire closet.
3. Fearlessness
A common fear that is felt among procrastinators is the idea of failure. By simply not acting at all, the person is led to believe that they will not be met with failure. If you break down this logic, you will come to realize that the only failure exists when you remain stagnant. Nothing changes, and it will not have the ability to change unless you take real action. Using the example above, you might not clean out your closet and organize it entirely how you imagined that you would, but anything is a great starting point for you to try again. Instead of seeing actions like these in terms of passing or failing, acknowledge that when you are trying, you are trying your best.
When you procrastinate, you are already letting yourself down. This feeling can build up subconsciously, impacting you on a daily basis. Instead of letting yourself succumb to this pattern, try your best to emerge with a change. Only change is going to make a real impact on your current level of procrastination. Whether you need to do more, gather more motivation, or keep a better schedule, trying one or all of these things is going to get you into the right mindset that is necessary. Overcoming a bad habit is hard, especially if it is one that you’ve had for a long time. Know that it is never too late to begin, though.
Approach every task that you do with the confidence that you can get it done. The first step always comes from believing in yourself. If you are having difficulty with this, remind yourself of all the amazing qualities that you possess. Play to your strengths! If you know that you have a keen attention to detail, then organizing your items by size or color can be a great way for you to successfully clean up while utilizing something that you are good at. There are always multiple different ways to accomplish the same task. For those who don’t really care for details but value convenience, store your items in drawers where they can be with other items that serve the same or similar purpose. An example–keep your gardening tools together so that you will always know where you look when you want to garden.
As you work on beating procrastination and laziness, you do not need to aim for perfection. The idea is so subjective that you will ultimately lead yourself to more stress, and this is something that you are trying to avoid entirely. If you are operating successfully, then you should be providing yourself with all that you need in order to live a healthy and happy life. When things feel stressful or rushed, you will need to consider what changes you must make in order to balance everything out again. When you tie your self-worth to perfectionism, this is an easy way to tear yourself down. The two have nothing to do with one another, so try your best not to link them.
4. Timing
Nobody wants to sit inside doing work on a beautiful sunny day. You don’t have to if you know how to work with the time that you have. Procrastinating on less favorable tasks in order to do something more fun makes sense. Though it does not allow you to make a dent in your to-do list, you are met with instant gratification that keeps you feeling like you can continue to put off your tasks. We all have the same amount of time in a day, so make sure that you are using yours wisely. If you know that you would like to enjoy brunch with your friends in the morning, but you have to wash your car, consider getting up 30 minutes earlier so that you can accomplish both.
A problem that most people encounter is the desire for change without taking action that will lead to a change. If you were to wake up at the same time you normally would, there would not be enough time to wash your car and eat brunch with your friends. If you decided to go with the thing that brings you instant gratification, you would go for brunch and promise yourself to wash your car another time. This is procrastination. If you decide to opt for the car wash, thus missing out on brunch, then you would likely be in a bad mood. This is resentment. What you need to realize is that there is time for everything that you need to do each day, as long as you are willing to make it.
Changing when you wake up is a big factor in being able to make more time, but it isn’t the only way. Think about which tasks you can group together in order to save time. For example, imagine that you needed to wash the car and go grocery shopping before you went out to brunch. By waking up earlier and making sure that you used the car wash next door to the grocery store, you would be killing two birds with one stone. These are small details that make a big difference in whether or not you are going to be able to get everything done.
What you do in your free time has a lot to do with your procrastination habits. We all enjoy being lazy and having some time to just do nothing, but it is still possible for you to enjoy this while also getting your tasks done. If you have a few hours after work free before you must go to bed, consider splitting this time between leisure and chores. The more that you take care of your responsibilities, the less there will be in the future. You might have one week of cleaning after you relax for a short period of time, but once you get things under control, you will be able to go straight back into your nights of relaxation only.
The sacrifices that you decide to make are important to your procrastination habits. While you do not need to do anything extreme, it will truly make a difference in your life if you are able to be more flexible when it comes to the timing in which you complete your tasks. By waking up earlier, you might even realize that you are a morning person. The same can be said for getting work done at night. Each person is different, so you might need to try out a few different methods before settling on the one that fits you the best.
5. Environment
The energy that surrounds you plays a huge role in your ability to be productive. If you are trying to be motivated around people who are lazy and procrastinating, it is going to be harder to change your own habits. Even if you are simply in a loud or cluttered environment, it can be hard to get things done. Pay attention to your environment and the people that usually surround you. Sometimes, in order to become better with your procrastination habit, you must make a change that is directly related to the environment that you are trying to remain productive in.
If noise is your problem, try doing your tasks somewhere else. A public library is always an option, and so is an internet cafe. In these environments, you will be surrounded by other people who are also working. This could provide you with some additional motivation to get your tasks completed. If you would rather not leave your house, then take some time to remove yourself from any chaos that might be going on around you. It isn’t always a realistic idea that you are going to be home alone in a quiet house. Retreat to your bedroom or home office, ensuring that you keep the door closed. This self-seclusion is going to work out in your favor.
Take a look at your workspace. Do you know where everything is? Or is there clutter preventing you from being able to stay organized? While cleaning is probably not something that you want to do before you sit down to accomplish some tasks, it can help you tremendously. Instead of spending time searching for other items or trying to find the space to do your tasks, you will be able to focus on exactly what you need to be doing. Procrastination can stem from a messy workspace. Because the space is too messy to be productive, you might think that you can try again another time. While this sounds ideal, nothing is going to change unless you do some clean-up and organization first.
Even if you do not have a problem with the noise levels or cleanliness of your workspace, a change in environment can promote even more productivity than you realize. Simply relocating to a park can provide you with enough of a change to focus on the tasks that you have to accomplish. Try out different locations to see if they cause you to feel inspired. Pay attention to the way that each space makes you feel. Some familiar locations can lead you to become so comfortable that you just want to relax. This is why getting work done from your home can prove to be such a challenge. Your ideal environment should be one that makes you feel comfortable yet motivated. You shouldn’t want to stop working when you enter the space due to the promises that it holds. For example, your bedroom might lead you to a nap sooner than it leads you to a completed to-do list.
6. Influences
Much like the way that your environment can change your working abilities, so can the people that you spend your time with. Think about the 3 adults who are closest to you in your life currently. They can be your partner, family, friends, or anyone that you spend a lot of time with. Now, consider what qualities they offer that you would like to mirror. Are they great with time management? Do they succeed in areas of business? It is important that you think about these qualities. The more time that you spend with a person, the greater the chance that their qualities are going to rub off on you. It is something natural that happens when you spend a lot of time around someone.
If you cannot think about any positive qualities that someone brings into your life, yet you can think of bad habits, you might want to reevaluate how much time you are spending with said person. It can be a tough realization to make when you see that someone is actually a bad influence on you. Bad influences do not only lead us to poor decisions, but they also encourage us to act on our procrastination habits. If you have ever befriended someone who prioritizes partying over everything, then it is likely this person has tried to persuade you to go out instead of staying in to finish up the work that you have to do.
While cutting people out of your life isn’t something that should have to happen, it can sometimes be necessary. If a person isn’t bringing anything into your life except negativity and supporting your laziness, does this person truly have your best interest at heart? It can be easy to form denial surrounding this idea because you are scared that you are going to upset people. Think about how much better your life can be if you actually spend it in great company. With like-minded people, you will all see success in the areas that you are aiming for.
The act of cutting someone out of your life doesn’t have to be dramatic and stressful. It also doesn’t have to happen bluntly. You can slowly ease yourself away from the person who is causing you to act on your procrastination habits. By spending less time with the individual, take a survey of the way that you begin feeling. Can you think clearly? Are you getting more done? If the answer is yes to both of these questions, then you are probably on the right track. The more that you distance yourself from toxic individuals, the more that the bond breaks. If they do inquire about your distance, simply tell them that you are focusing on your productivity right now. Any friend who supports this decision is going to understand, and they might even consider how their behavior impacts your efforts. People come into your life and leave your life for a reason. Some are only meant to be in your life to serve a temporary purpose, while others are going to form a lifelong connection. You will know which one is which by the influence that the person has on your productivity.
7. Skills
Learning a new skill can give you a great advantage in life. Whether you are trying to get better at organization or figure out how to fit all of your events into the same schedule, you should have a desire to improve. Consider reading a book on a topic that you would like to incorporate into your newly-productive life. Not only will this inspire you, but it will also allow you to learn new skills that are necessary for implementing changes. If you are tired of trying the same old methods, only to find your way back to procrastination again, then learning something new makes perfect sense. All of the information that you need is readily available at the tips of your fingers.
Taking a class is also a great way to learn something new. For example, you can take a cooking class if you plan on trying out meal prepping. This is a way to prevent you from procrastinating with your cooking and ensuring that you are eating a well-balanced diet. Everything that you do comes back to your level of productivity. You can see that these things are directly connected, even if it does not seem this way at first. Give yourself an advantage by making sure that you are as educated as possible. Starting from the beginning means that there is always an abundance of things to learn. Even for those who are more experienced with overcoming procrastination slip-ups happen, and that is okay. Taking a class can be a way to refresh your memory on how you can be a more productive person.
When you learn a new skill, the feeling of empowerment that you get is a motivational one. As you know, motivation directly coincides with your ability to beat procrastination. Once you have a reason to keep going, it is going to be much easier for you to enforce the habit. No one else can force you to take control of your own life in this way. Because it is your life, you are in total control. Use this knowledge to your advantage, and think about something that you have always wanted to learn how to do. No matter what it is, taking a class in order to learn how to do it is an act of proactive behavior. Making the decision to learn is always going to be a beneficial activity in your life.
The skills that you learn are going to stay with you for life. As you grow up going to school, you are learning something new each day. This habit tends to stop as you grow older due to a shift in focus. Different distractions and obligations come into play, causing you to believe that your time for learning is now over. This is not the case; learning doesn’t have to end. As long as you still have the motivation to seek out something new, then you should have no problem learning about it and applying this newfound wisdom to your life.
8. Assignments
Once you know what must be done, there are many ways for you to accomplish your tasks. Do not overwhelm yourself by thinking that you must finish everything at the same time. This isn’t realistic, and this will only push you toward procrastination because it is an unrealistic goal. Instead, know that you can break your work down into steps in order to make it easier to complete. Include making your plan as your first step. You should be familiar with this part from the previous categories that were discussed. As you make your schedule that is based on your own prioritization, you can feel good in knowing that you have just taken the first step toward productivity.
Your work can even be broken down into smaller assignments once you get started. For example, if you have to finish doing all of your laundry, then writing down each individual step that you must do can help you to stay focused. You can sort your laundry, wash it, dry it, fold it, and then put it away. By breaking down each step, you are going to feel a sense of accomplishment as you complete each one. It might seem funny at first, but it is what is necessary in order to break the habit of procrastination. You must always give yourself a purpose, and this is exactly what these small assignments will do for you.
Social tasks can be treated this way too. Whether you have to attend a birthday party or meet your boss for lunch, break each task down so that it becomes less overwhelming. It is going to feel easier to complete these small things than completing the original task at hand. The thing is that it is no different; you are still going to reach the same end result. In fact, you will probably reach it faster because you created assignments for yourself that will keep you moving. Perspective can change a lot about your productivity levels. Try this method with some of the current tasks on your to-do list, especially the ones that have been on there for a while.
If you feel that the task has become too simple once you have broken it down, this is a good thing! The idea is to teach yourself that all of these things you must do are easily attainable. Something that does not feel like a problem will be remembered as such. If you have ever had a bad experience while doing a time-consuming task, you probably still have an aversion to it. We are naturally going to refuse the things that cause aggravation, so making each task as least aggravating as possible is how you are going to retrain your brain. There is no complication behind it, simply your ability to break down the steps that must be taken. The more that you practice this habit, the more it will become natural to you. Given time, you will find that you will create assignments for yourself without even realizing it.
9. Rewards
Create a rewards system for yourself that will keep you involved and motivated! It doesn’t matter what you are doing, as long as you are getting your tasks completed, then you deserve a reward for that. The concept of a rewards system probably brings you back to your childhood and getting rewarded for completing basic tasks. Sometimes, it is necessary to bring back this feeling in order to get out of the lazy rut that you have found yourself in. Procrastination is a powerful force, and you can use all the help that you can get in order to overcome it.
You must take away any negative connotation behind the rewards system before you begin applying it to your life. Know that you do deserve these things because of your hard work. Not every accomplishment is going to be profound and huge, but each one that you do complete is getting you one step closer to living as your most productive and motivated self. The rewards can be simple, from your favorite candy to ending the night with a funny movie. They are for you to decide based on which tasks you must complete that day.
If you don’t want to reward yourself after every single task, you can switch up the frequency. Save the rewards for a week’s worth of accomplishments. You can even branch out to a whole month in-between rewards if you’d like. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself intrigued. It is a nice feeling to be met with something that you enjoy after doing something that takes effort. Again, there is no need to compare your accomplishments to larger ones because you will always be able to find larger ones. Know that the things you are doing are things that are necessary for your life. No one else is going to be able to relate in the exact same way.
The rewards system is something that you probably won’t need in the long run. It is simply a way for you to jumpstart your productivity right now. Nothing is more motivational than earning prizes for the mundane activities that you are responsible for. This is all a way for you to train yourself to hold onto better habits. Soon, you will not need a reward for accomplishing a basic need. You will have your own sense of natural motivation and determination to show yourself that you can accomplish anything that happens to be on your to-do list. You are going to become incredibly self-reliant because no one else is going to push you to do these things like you have the ability to push yourself. It is a great change in life that you will see can impact many other aspects in a positive way.
The Wrap-Up
No matter how deep you are into your procrastination habit, it is never too late to make a change for the better. By thinking about all of the things that you wish you could get done and applying the steps that we have discussed, you will be able to turn these wishes into a reality. There is no magic way to complete all of your tasks with the press of a button, but if you are willing to make some productive changes in your life and in your habits, then accomplishing these things should be no problem. No matter how big or how small each task is, you will be applying the same principles to each one. Getting into a routine like this is going to retrain your brain to think in a productive manner. Rather than putting something off until “later,” you are going to have the desire to get it done as soon as you can. Once you can see that laziness does not serve you as well as you think it does, you will be more likely to avoid it in the future.
Related Questions
Is breaking free of procrastination easy?
The task is as easy as you make it for yourself. By taking charge of your own life, you are going to be in control of what you experience and how difficult it has to be. Consider how much procrastination delays your progress; by the time you are ready to get things done, you already feel spent. This is why it is important to show yourself that you are capable of completing a task as it comes to you. Rather than letting them pile up, you are going to be taking charge of your own agenda, fearlessly navigating through all of your tasks. When you apply the steps that you have learned, you will have plenty of resources to try in order to make productivity easy and even fun. Nothing that requires effort is particularly easy on its own, but the steps that you take in order to complete these things can definitely be easy. While banishing your procrastination habit sounds great right now, you might be wondering if it is going to last.
How can you remain motivated for life?
Consistency is the key to making a habit permanent. If you practice these 9 steps for a short period of time, you will likely see success in that time, but it will be fleeting. Becoming a productive person is an entire lifestyle change, one that impacts all aspects of your life. Even when you are not working, you are still going to be applying the same principles to the way that you live. When you are consistently practicing the skills that you have learned, you are naturally going to become better at them. The success that you see depends on the effort that you are willing to make. If you enjoy feeling motivated, this is the perfect incentive to make productivity a long term habit. Remember, you are in control of the principles that you apply to your own life.