Procrastination is the act of putting off doing something that needs to be done, usually because it is unpleasant or boring. You probably already know and accept that you're a procrastinator if you're reading this article. But if you haven't already, you can take a procrastinator test here to see if you are and the degree to which you procrastinate. Likewise, if you're here, you most likely;

•  Have a stack of unfinished or unstarted projects piling up on your desk or electronic device, all close to their due date. And because of that, you're probably panicking and beating yourself up with sorrowful remarks full of regrets. 
• (Miraculously) Pulled off a major procrastination stunt recently, and you can't let it repeat itself. 

Whatever the case may be, you're here, and in this article, we've gathered some helpful tips and advice to help you avoid procrastination and say goodbye to this draining habit.

This is one out of 2 posts on this topic. If you have more time, read our article on how to do what you want when you want to for more content on dealing with procrastination. Let's get started.

Steps to fight procrastination

The first step in overcoming procrastination, we've learned, is to identify your reasons for procrastination.

The mind tools editorial team did an excellent job stating those reasons in their article about procrastination. We don't think we can top that, so we'll just rephrase it and make it more personal for you. Look through to see which category you fall into; you might even fall into more than one:

• You don't know how to organise yourself. You don't have or use prioritised To-Do Lists or schedules that are effective. 

• You may feel overwhelmed by a task even if you are well-organized. Maybe you have doubts about your ability and are scared of failure, so you postpone it and feel secure doing work that you know you can finish.

• You are equally afraid of success and failure. You believe that success will load you with requests to take on more responsibilities.

• You're a perfectionist. A stickler for detail. As a result, you'd rather avoid doing a task that you don't believe you have the skills to do than do it poorly.

• You are unable to make sound decisions. If you can't decide what to do, you'll likely put off taking action for fear of making a mistake.

• Procrastination is much more than a bad habit for some people; it's a symptom of a serious underlying health condition. ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and depression, for example, are all linked to procrastination. If you believe you fall into this category, please seek medical advice from a doctor.

So now that you've identified the category to which you belong and have a better understanding of why you procrastinate, these tips will help you break the habit; try as many as you can.

1. Try to start with a clean slate.

This will require you to finish all your unfinished tasks big or small. Give yourself peace of mind by finally doing so. How can you do this?

• First, if you can, don't accept more tasks. Learn to say no.
• Then list out all your unfinished projects.
• Allow yourself to let go of tasks that you know you'll never complete. You can stop procrastinating once you've decided you'll never do that activity.[1]
• Now for the tasks you know you have to do, pick out the ones that can be done in 10minutes or less and just do it, get them off there once and for all.

Use the following advice to help with the more difficult tasks.

2. Commit to your tasks.

Make these tasks a top priority and concentrate on performing them rather than avoiding them. You can demonstrate your dedication to the task at hand by;

• Avoiding distractions: Avoid checking social media and engaging in interruptions such as unneeded phone calls. You can disable certain apps on your phone for the duration of the time you set aside to finish your tasks. Keep yourself in environments where you can concentrate; cluttered, noisy, or filthy environments are not ideal.
• Set deadlines for your goals: If your task doesn't already have one, set a deadline for yourself to complete it so you don't feel tempted to abandon it.

3. Mark all the tasks you completed as done and reward yourself if you finished them on time. Bask in the feeling of accomplishment!

4. Prep ahead for new tasks:

Now you no longer have any pending tasks, you can prepare to handle the next ones. You can do this by;

• Making a schedule: Start being organised and keep a to-do list. Make a list of all the things you have to do in a day and rank them in order of importance. Keep it simple. That'll help you remember important tasks, plan your time effectively and reduce your stress levels.
• Take advantage of technology: Create to-do lists, schedules, and be more organised and manage your time with apps like Tick tick.
• Know your peak times: Keep track of the times of day when you feel the most energised and capable of giving your full attention. At these times, try to complete your most difficult tasks.

You can read more tips in our next article, how to do what you want to do when you want to.

To wrap it up

These suggestions will only work if you put them into practice; if you read this and do nothing, you will certainly continue to procrastinate. Try going back and following along with each step as you read them.

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