Procrastination is the art of putting off everything until tomorrow. We all procrastinate at our own level in the personal and/or professional environment. For small tasks, the impact on our lives is minimal. But when it comes to urgent tasks, it can have detrimental consequences on our daily lives.
And looking closer, we often procrastinate on the same things.
To remedy this, we must first understand why we procrastinate.
Why do I procrastinate?
1. Because I manage my time poorly.
It may be difficult to estimate the time needed to complete a task or the time remaining before the deadline. This poor estimation results in a continual emergency situation that is tiring and sometimes dangerous. Sometimes we miss an action due to lack of time and not due to lack of skill. We then start to feel guilty and we enter a vicious circle that forces us to put everything off until tomorrow.
2. Because I want to do so well.
Perfectionism can be a hindrance to productivity, especially when you lack self-confidence. We want to set the bar too high, to prove to ourselves and to others that we can do it. Suddenly the pressure increases and slows us down. By wanting to do too well, we end up doing nothing at all.
3. For fear of failure.
Certain tasks are anxiety-provoking because we think we don't have the skills, the will or the ability to carry them out. This is often the case for tasks that we have never done or for which we have had a bad experience. In this case, procrastinating allows you to temporarily cancel out stress. We will prefer to do an action that we know and control because it is reassuring.
How to stop procrastinating?
1. Start at the beginning.
If procrastinating has become a habit, you cannot stop it overnight. You have to prepare for it, make an action plan. It starts with prioritizing tasks. What is the most important task to complete? What is the second most important task? … And so on. List the tasks to be completed, sorting them in order of importance.
2. Break down these tasks.
If a task seems insurmountable to you, you need to break it down. Ex: tidy up a very cluttered room. Start at an angle. Then another. Then another…. This will reassure you and give you the satisfaction of the work accomplished gradually.
3. Reward yourself.
It is important to reward yourself for achieving your goals. Do something that makes you happy. It will also be a source of motivation for future goals.
4. Don't commit too hastily.
For each request you must estimate your ability to complete it within a given time. Saying yes to everything is the gateway to procrastination.
5. Avoid distractions.
Social networks, messages, emails, music… There is no shortage of distractions. To avoid getting caught by one of them, try to get as far away from them as possible. This involves turning off your phone or even cutting off the wifi.
6. Be positive.
Engage voluntarily rather than endure. It is always easier to achieve something that we have chosen rather than something that has been imposed on us. You have to find what carrying out a task will bring you concretely.
7. Define the times of day when you are most productive.
Morning, afternoon, evening, we all have a time of day when we are most productive. Focus on these moments for your priority tasks.
8. Allow yourself only one postponement.
As with medical appointments, you only have one joker. Once but not twice.
9. Organize your calendar.
Define a time slot for each task (process emails, make appointments, make phone calls, etc.). This will allow you to keep up and not get overwhelmed.
10. Alternate rush and relaxation phases.
If you are only effective in emergencies, set limits for yourself that you must not exceed. This will force you to be very productive in short periods of time. Then release the pressure and start again.
“One today is worth two tomorrows.”
Francis Quarles
What if you started now?
