I am a person that struggles with self-doubt and anxiety. Even in my writing, I doubt myself.  Sometimes I write a blog and start it over because I don’t think it is worthy, or that I did a good job. I also tend to cower away from important tasks once they prove to be challenging and go for easy quick wins. Knowing the negative repercussions of not tackling the important task increases my anxiety and this makes me feel even worse, and even less like facing the challenge.  

I eventually do the task in a hurry, under pressure to meet the deadline. The result is poor work and insufficient time to do quality checks, and my anxiety shoots up even more because of the poor quality of work I have produced.

This is of course, procrastination. Procrastination is a common challenge faced by individuals from all walks of life. It is delaying or postponing tasks, despite knowing the negative consequences that may come with that. Several factors contribute to procrastination, and they differ from person to person.

People procrastinate for different reasons –  like for me, it can be the fear of failure, and so postponing tasks as you worry my work will fall short of what is expected. Another related reason for procrastination is perfectionism – when people feel that the work might not meet their standard of excellence. 

And we all know that desire for instant gratification or information on social media, like posting a picture and seeing how many likes you get, or soccer fans wanting to know what transfer update Fabrizio Romano has made, rather than focusing on an assignment or task.

Whatever your Achilles heel may be, procrastination can harm various aspects of your life. Academically, it can lead to missed deadlines and increased stress, leading to poor grades. In the workplace, procrastination can reduce your overall productivity, hindering career progression and damaging professional relationships, as your work might affect other people within your space. It can also affect your mental health as you are stuck in a perpetual regret and anxiety cycle.

I can’t be a preacher, and say, “Do this here do that there!” because even I struggle with maintaining my productivity level and revert to my self-doubt, leading me back to procrastinating. However have found solutions that keep me productive, suggested by colleagues.

 I have discovered that my brain works best in the morning after I shower and have breakfast and tea. So that’s I tackle the most challenging tasks. My wins in the morning help me to tackle less challenging tasks with higher energy.

I also try to use the Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method; you work for 25 minutes straight and take five-minute breaks. You can go for a short walk during the break, which sometimes works for me as I work from home. It gives me new energy.

Another piece of advice is to break down tasks into smaller, manageable steps, and establish deadlines for each. For example, when writing a blog, I allocate time for my research, writing the introduction, the body of the piece, and the conclusion. Then time for editing and quality check. Even though it is difficult, I try adopt a beginner’s mind and be curious and willing to learn any lesson. 

And then advice that isn’t always easy to follow – but is very important –  is to avoid harsh self-criticism and celebrate small victories to increase happy hormones to keep motivated.

Procrastination can be a challenging habit to let go of, but if you try to understand what factors contribute towards your procrastination, it helps to take steps to remedy them. You can enhance your productivity, reduce stress, and achieve your goals more efficiently if procrastination gets out of your way.

Tell us: How do you deal with procrastination?