Written By: Harshita Mansukhani
According to the Oxford dictionary, procrastination is the act of delaying something you should do, usually because you do not want to do it. But the question is why don't you want to do it? You think the answer must be easy - because the task is boring, but no. The answer is a bit more complicated. There are many reasons on why we procrastinate, but the main extract being- when motivating factors are outlived by demotivating factors.
Now, what exactly are those demotivating factors? Answering that question will not be easy. Some of the factors are - fear of failure, anxiety, indecisiveness on where to start, ADHD, and perfectionism. Many of these factors are interrelated and result in a vicious cycle. For example, indecisiveness on where to start which means, not knowing how to start something because of the task being to big, or most of the time seeming too big causes anxiety which in turn causes fear of failure or fear of the future which makes our brain trick us into procrastinating, because it thinks that not doing the task is better than failure. Another thing leading to procrastination is something called self handicapping which means delaying a task due to fear of failure, so that the failure is blamed on procrastination rather than on one's ability.
Now that we know the reasons we procrastinate, it's easier to figure out how to stop it. The first and foremost step should be to divide any task into small bits. For example, if you need to complete a project, divide it into parts like researching the material, making a draft and the final thing. Set small rewards for yourself after completion of each part, like a cube of your favorite chocolate. And a bigger one after the completion of the entire thing, like going out for dinner at your favorite restaurant.
Another thing that could help is the 5-second rule. According to this, if you have any unpleasant task at hand which you do not wish to do, start doing it within the 5 seconds you think about the task. This explains that there is a very thin line between when our mind wants to do a task and when it starts procrastinating. This is also mentioned in the book called "The 5 second rule" by Mel Robbins.
Knowing the reason we procrastinate is very crucial to solve the problem, so next time you realize that you are procrastinating, think about the reason you are doing it and make an action plan accordingly. Seek help from peers, parents, and guardians to keep you accountable and help you get over the evil called procrastination.
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really helpful and relatable article, i will definitely be using some of the strategies mentioned! 🌼💗