Why Do We Procrastinate?

When we think of procrastination, the first thing that comes to mind is laziness. It’s easy to delay and do the task at the last second, and sometimes we neglect them. But the truth is laziness isn’t always the main element of procrastination. Besides, it can harm your mental health if you believe that putting off your task means you are lazy.

The societal thought is that procrastination is a person’s character flaw that takes a toll on your self-confidence and self-esteem. That’s why we count ourselves unproductive, lazy, and incapable when we delay our tasks.

Here are the top 5 tips to overcome procrastination to get your productivity on track.

1. Overwhelm by the task

Sometimes we delay our task because we think it’s so big that there is no way we can get it done. This procrastination due to the overwhelming feeling of where to start can result in no start. In such situations, the way to beat procrastination is by breaking the tasks into smaller goals.

For example, if you plan to clean your whole house, start cleaning one room at a time. It benefits in reducing overwhelming feelings and increasing accomplishment and productivity.

2. Feeling incompetent

It became nearly impossible to complete the work when you already felt incompetent. It results in the feeling of incompetence and self-doubt. To change things positively, you first have to change your narrative.

The best way to do that is to know you are competent. Keep a diary and write down your daily accomplishments. Whenever you struggle with any task, look back at your log and remind yourself that you are not lazy, incompetent, or unproductive.

3. Perfectionism

Struggling with perfectionism can also result in procrastination. Even the thought of not completing a task perfectly is overwhelming and worrisome for a perfectionist. Therefore, trying to protect themselves from this struggle, they continue delaying their task as long as possible.

If your procrastination results from your willingness to do things perfectly, it is now the perfect time to shift from; “it needs to be perfect” to “it needs to be good.” Try to set and accomplish deadlines for your task.

4. Mental health issues

Sometimes procrastination indicates a big issue, especially when it comes to mental health issues. Symptoms of depression and anxiety can result in laziness and delaying tasks. The person is always in a state of low motivation, lacks energy, mood changes, and continuously worries about the outcomes.

                     If you suspect the leading cause of your procrastination is your anxiety and depression, then immediately consult a mental health professional. They can provide you with a treatment plan that can benefit you in overcoming all these complications.

5. Lack of interest

Sometimes the main reason behind the delay of simple tasks is the lack of interest. It’s common when we aren’t interested in the projects and plans. Luckily we have a simple solution for you. If you are continuously delaying specific tasks, ask yourself whether these tasks are according to your interest and strength. If not, the first thing to do is take these tasks off your list.

If the procrastination is due to something you don’t want to do, then the best possible solution is either asking for some help or taking it off your task list.