Five pieces of procrastination advice (to read instead of getting to work)

Why you procrastinate so much

Many associate procrastination with a time management problem; in actuality, procrastination is more accurately an emotional management problem. We put off tasks against our better judgement because something about the task creates uncomfortable feelings such as boredom, self-doubt, anxiety, or shame. Ironically, after we put off the task, we feel guilty and add more uncomfortable emotions onto the growing pile.

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Humanity evolved to prioritize short-term needs over long-term needs. It may have worked well in the caveman days when surviving one day at a time made sense, but it’s problematic now. When you procrastinate, you satisfy your short-term desire to avoid uncomfortable emotions in the moment without addressing the negative emotions you’ll experience in a few days when you don’t turn in an assignment.

As an example, you may avoid your math homework because you’re insecure that you don’t understand algebra as well as the other students. Intellectually, you know that doing your homework will help you understand the subject better, but you still put it off to dodge the short-term distress of feeling insecure in your abilities. The key to stopping this cycle lies in practicing self-compassion and changing your negative emotions into positive ones. Show kindness to yourself by affirming that it’s okay not to understand algebra right away, and tons of other students are in the same boat. Incentivize yourself to face something you don’t want to face with a reward. Turn those negative emotions around so you feel less anxiety about the task. The trick to staving off procrastination is not new time management skills but rewiring negative feelings surrounding short term assignments.

Follow these five pieces of procrastination advice to keep yourself on track.

1. “Routine will take you further than willpower.” – Shane Parrish

If you’re avoiding an unpleasant ongoing task like cleaning your cat’s litterbox, integrate this task into your day-to-day routine. Humans are creatures of habit and thrive off routines. When you change work into a habit, the work seems less of a stressful chore and more of a cozy activity you barely give much thought to.

For example, brushing your teeth every morning is part of your daily routine—you never stress about doing it. In fact, you’d feel uncomfortable if you didn’t. If you designate a certain time of the day or week to do the work you’re avoiding, the task won’t feel as stressful, and you’ll be less likely to put it off. In the case of cleaning a litterbox, commit to cleaning the litter box every time you feed your cat breakfast. Eventually, the chore of cleaning up smelly cat litter will become a habit you just do in the mornings without associating negative emotions with it.

2. “As long as you are taking action, you should reward yourself to feel good and help yourself stay on track.” – Shawn Lim

Reward yourself with something bigger and better than your procrastination vice. Our brains constantly seek relative rewards, especially when weighing tasks. We reward ourselves when we put off something we don’t want to do with dodging negative emotions. But what if a bigger, better, offer came along? What if when you complete your task, you reward yourself with a fresh cup of coffee? Or a walk around the block? Or pre-order that new game? Suddenly, you out-weigh the negative emotions surrounding the task with a positive reward. Quick word of caution: don’t pick a reward that could distract you further if you have other tasks to complete, such a playing a game or browsing social media.

3. “Procrastination is not laziness…It is fear. Call it by its right name and forgive yourself.” – Julia Cameron

Practice self-compassion to boost motivation, decrease stress, and nurture positive emotions. Self-compassion is when we treat ourselves with kindness when facing mistakes or failures. Studies show procrastinators have high-stress and low self-compassion, and that when we let ourselves experience regret and anxiety over procrastinating, we are more likely to procrastinate again. People who practice self-compassion are more likely to get the work done after procrastinating. So long story short: don’t beat yourself up so much.

4. “Procrasdemon is fighting hard to feed off of distractions and pleasures.” – Neeraj Agnihotri

In his book about procrastination, Neeraj Agnihotri named procrastination the procrasdemon, and likens it to a demon that distracts you and wastes your time. Identify what distracts you from completing a task and make those temptations less convenient. If social media pulls you away from your work, close those tabs and silence your phone. If loud noises in a crowded café constantly break your focus, work in a quiet office or library instead. Placing obstacles in the way of your procrastination vices make them less appealing.

5. “Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.” – Benjamin Franklin

Productive people often share a common trait: they start their day with their most difficult task. When you tackle your least-desired task first, you address it with a fresh mind, and you also get it over with so you can enjoy the rest of your day without it looming over your head. What’s more, you may find it wasn’t as bad as you initially thought. Get the task over with and don’t give your mind the opportunity to make a mountain out of a molehill.

Do the thing

You’ve distracted yourself enough with this article, you’ve identified why you procrastinate, and picked up tools to manage those habits. Now apply what you’ve learned and go do that thing you’ve put off for so long. Listen to your good friend, Ben, and never put off till tomorrow which you can do today.