How many New Year and Birthday Resolutions have you kept up?
Do you keep putting off today what you can always do tomorrow?
Do you believe making time for relaxation and leisure is as important as productivity? The only thing better than taking a break is taking a break with style.
So are you one of those people who always leave tasks for the last possible minute, only to rush around and feel overwhelmed by the time deadline rolls up?
That’s probably procrastination speaking!
By understanding different cognitive biases that can lead to negative behaviors, you can learn how to guard against them in your daily life.
Understanding the “Procrastination”
Procrastination is the tendency to delay or put off tasks to avoid unpleasant consequences or to gain short-term pleasure. It’s a cognitive bias that has existed since ancient times and still plagues us today.
Procrastination is often seen as an issue of willpower and discipline, but it’s more complicated than that.
The allure of immediate gratification combined with a fear of failure leads us to procrastinate rather than take action. We’re wired for short-term rewards, so procrastinating can sometimes feel like an easy way out.
Procrastination can result in decreased productivity and heightened stress levels, and different aspects like anxiety, stress, ADHD, or baseless negative self-perceptions bring it about.
During college days, most of your study sessions must have been interrupted by procrastination. Preparing for an exam or completing an assignment would often devolve into marathon TV and movie-watching sessions rather than prioritizing the important tasks at hand.
Predictably, you regret your poor choices afterward, feeling down about what you had failed to accomplish.
It is very important to recognize the long-term consequences of procrastination and find strategies to help deal with the issues. After all, why waste your time putting off something you could be doing now?
Exploited And Exploiters
Procrastination can affect anyone, but it is most typically seen in students and high achievers who are overwhelmed by the amount of work they need to do. People who procrastinate often need more confidence in their abilities or help to prioritize what must be done first. As a result, they delay tasks that are important for their long-term success.
On the other hand, those who take advantage of procrastination may see it as an opportunity to gain short-term pleasure while avoiding longer-term consequences. For example, they may use procrastination to distract themselves from unpleasant tasks or difficult responsibilities. They may also use it to avoid taking risks or doing something that could lead to failure.
Day-To-Day Procrastination
- A friend sends an email requesting to borrow money; the procrastinator schedules a reminder to reply after two weeks.
- A procrastinator sets up a plan to complete their assignment but pushes back each deadline multiple times until the task is undone.
- The procrastinator finds themselves putting off cleaning their room until it’s almost too late — when their parents threaten to punish them for not tidying up sooner.
- When faced with a project that needs immediate attention, the procrastinator starts making excuses and coming up with justifications as to why they should delay completing it.
Recognizing When You Are Slipping Into The Procrastination Trap
The most common sign that someone falls into the procrastination trap is a tendency to put off tasks or activities until the last minute. Additionally, procrastinating people tend to make excuses and come up with justifications to avoid doing what needs to be done.
Other signs include difficulty concentrating, feeling overwhelmed, and becoming easily distracted or bored when faced with tasks that require effort or attention. Procrastinators may also feel anxious about taking on new tasks or have difficulty committing to plans and goals.
Overcoming the Procrastination
- Make a plan: Break your larger tasks into smaller, actionable steps so that it’s easier to start and stay motivated.
- Prioritize: Create an organized list of tasks to do each day according to their importance and urgency.
- Start small: If the task is large, focus on the first step and start with that so you don’t feel overwhelmed and unmotivated.
- Set realistic goals: Give yourself time limits on tasks and be realistic about how much you can do in a day without overworking yourself or getting burnt out.
- Take breaks: Regularly rest and relax between work sessions to stay focused, energized, and productive in the long run.
- Remove distractions: Avoid checking social media or playing games when you need to be working, as this often leads to procrastination traps.
- Reward yourself: Give yourself a treat for completing each task, such as taking a break or watching an episode of your favorite show, before continuing with the next task on your list.
Final Thoughts
Procrastination is a cognitive bias we all experience from time to time; recently, a friend had all the needs ready for her keto diet plan. She was pumped, motivated, and ready to take on the challenge…until she wasn’t. Her motivation fizzled, and she was battling the ultimate enemy – procrastination!
Despite telling herself that this was the time to commit to the diet, she couldn’t seem to get started. It was like her brain was saying, “Hey, let me have another bite of the chocolate cake instead of making healthy life choices!” and yes, she struggled. It didn’t help that her schedule was already jam-packed, making it even harder to follow a strict diet plan.
Ultimately, her procrastination won the battle, and the keto diet plan remained untouched. But hey, we all have our battles to fight; hers just happened to be with the procrastination monster. Maybe someday she’ll slay the beast and conquer her goals, but until then, we’ll just have to cheer her on from the sidelines!
Finally
Procrastination, although challenging, can be overcome through knowledge and effective planning. It is crucial to initiate the process by understanding how procrastination operates and its effects on our lives.
Doing so opens up the possibility of reshaping our unproductive behaviors into productive ones. Taking this proactive approach allows us to harness our potential and accomplish tasks more efficiently.
If you found this article helpful and want to know more about other productivity improvements, subscribe to our newsletter for weekly tips.
Reference
The above article is based on the book Thinking Clearly; this article is here to help us learn and understand how our minds can be tricked by something called cognitive biases.