“I’ll do it later.” “There is still time.” “It’s just one YouTube video.” This repeats until the 11th hour hits. Hello procrastination, the act of delaying tasks.

Procrastination, something so common that it happens to everyone at some point, in fact, it happened to me while writing this article! For those lucky people who haven’t experienced it before (which way be impossible), procrastination is the act of habitually or intentionally delaying or avoiding tasks that need to be completed by a certain deadline. 

It could start with a simple distraction. “I’ll just watch one YouTube video,” or “I deserve a break.” But one video turns into ten, and before you know it, an hour has flown by. Your assignment is still untouched, and the guilt starts creeping in. Yet, somehow, the allure of social media or a quick game seems more enticing than cracking open that big textbook. This is procrastination from a student’s perspective, but procrastination can happen in almost any activity at home or work. Maybe you’ve been procrastinating at folding those clothes in the back of your closet or telling yourself that you will check out that new yoga class but never got to it. It could also be doing a quick chore like taking out the trash. 

So why do we procrastinate and how can we overcome it?  

For some, it’s often about the fear of failure. What if I start working on that essay and realize I don’t know what to write? It’s easier to delay the inevitable and avoid that anxiety, even if it means stressing out at the last minute. Also, the task just seems so overwhelming that breaking it down feels impossible. Starting feels like standing at the bottom of Mount Everest and looking up. Others procrastinate simply because they are lazy or are uninterested in completing the activity, or they are perfectionists.

Here’s what I’ve learned: procrastination doesn’t solve anything. It just piles up stress and leaves me scrambling at the eleventh hour. To combat this, I’ve tried a few strategies. First, I set small, manageable goals. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Instead of thinking about the entire assignment, focus on writing just one paragraph. Once started, it’s often easier to keep going. 

Distractions can also be limited by putting our fancy smartphones on silent and setting a timer for focused work periods. The Pomodoro Technique, where deep work happens for 25 minutes (no distractions) followed by a 5-minute break, has been a game-changer for me. 

Lazy or uninterested in completing the activity? This can sometimes stem from poor time management. People who delay things lose track of time and they can get caught in a mess. They misleadingly believe that they “got it under the belt” or they tell themselves, “There is so much time, the due date is so far away…” This is a huge myth. My 5th grade teacher, Mr. Pearson, had a big caution sign that read, “Warning: Due dates are closer than they appear” and I quickly found that to be true.

Perfection is another common cause for procrastination. Perfectionists often set high expectations and fear not meeting them. Most of the time, unrealistic goals result in failures. These unattainable goals can lead to dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, and unhappiness. Setting more realistic/achievable goals and accepting that failure is a stepping stone for success are some ways to deal with this type of procrastination. 

Procrastination is a tough habit to break, and I’m still working on it. Recognizing the problem is the first step. If you’re like me and sometimes struggle with procrastination, know that you’re not alone. It’s a battle many of us face, but with a little effort and strategy, we can overcome it together. So, let’s put down our devices, crack open our textbooks, and take that first step towards conquering our work. After all, the satisfaction of finishing on time is worth more than a thousand YouTube videos.

 

Image: Adobe Stock