Procrastination solutions
- Philip Brophy
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
Beating procrastination • 3 min read
Experts estimate that 40 percent of people have experienced a financial loss because of procrastination, in some cases severe. In 2002, Americans over-paid $473 million in taxes as a result of rushing and consequent errors.
Introduction
So, let’s recap on what we’ve learnt so far about procrastination. Here are some of the key learnings from last time:
Procrastination is the action of delaying something despite the realisation of its very negative consequences.
Procrastination gives us temporary relief but ironically causes more anxiety in the long run, increasing persistent feelings of guilt from putting off tasks.
Procrastination is a mixed bag of coping mechanisms and self-management issues, stemming from a fear of failure.
Importantly, procrastination is less about avoiding a task than avoiding the negative emotions associated with that task, and most procrastinators find that simply getting started is the most challenging part of the task. Understanding the root causes of procrastination is key to addressing it.
Let’s crack on with it and deal with the issue
Now onto the methods. Here are some top tips to keep procrastination at bay:
Just get started: Many people assume that we must be emotionally on point to confront a big task. In truth, we rarely feel up to it. So, it’s best to ignore how we feel and focus instead on what the next action should be. Research shows that when we can start focusing on a task, within a few minutes, the brain's desire to complete will then take over.
Identify the smallest first step: Instead of saying to yourself, “Create the powerpoint presentation for next week’s conference,” you might decide to, “Set up the presentation template and its outline.” Once you achieve this first small goal, you’ll feel far more motivated to proceed with the next small step.
Reward yourself: Credit yourself for the actions just completed with a reward. You can even tie the first step to a treat and/or set reward goals throughout the day to motivate yourself onwards to complete the next small task, much like jumping from one steppingstone to the next.
Break down your tasks into micro actions: ‘Shaping’ is when we break tasks down into more manageable subtasks with shorter deadlines. Instead of having an enormous task with a two-week deadline, you could break these down into 14 smaller tasks with a daily deadline for each one. Tackling smaller tasks allows us to build momentum, rebuilding self-esteem to meet larger goals.
Make a public commitment: In telling people we’ll get a report over to them at certain time, we’ll be urged to act. This is down to our brain’s reward system being extremely responsive to our sense of social standing. Research time and again shows us that we’re heavily influenced by what people think of us. Accountability implies commitment, and that we not only show up for ourselves, but for those around us.
Key takeaways
Just get started! You’ll come to find that if you can start focusing on a task for a few minutes, the brain's desire to complete it should then take over.
Through ‘shaping,’ you can break tasks down into more manageable subtasks with shorter deadlines, rewarded by small treats which will build both momentum and your self-esteem.
Commit to getting work over to others by a certain time. Accountability implies commitment.
Think big. act small
There are small, yet methodical ways to beat procrastination. These require dedication and practice. In the next lesson, we’ll touch upon a few more tips to set our new proactive and productive cycle in motion.
Content sources
Forbes, 2021, Amy Blaschka, ‘You're Not Lazy; You're Scared: How to Finally Stop Procrastinating’
Forbes, 2021, Caroline Castrillon ‘How to Stop Procrastinating and Start Accomplishing’
Forbes, 2020, Stephanie Burns, ‘4 Ways to Stop Procrastinating And Start Doing’
Harvard Business Review, 2018, Meng Zhu ‘Why We Procrastinate When We Have Long Deadlines’
Harvard Business Review, 2016, Caroline Webb, ‘How to Beat Procrastination’
Psychology Today, 2021, Matt Huston, ‘10 Tips for Turning Procrastination into Precrastination - How to get started with getting started’
Psychology Today, 2017, ‘11 Ways to Overcome Procrastination Easy tips to stop putting things off’
Psychology Today, 2021 ‘Why We Procrastinate’
Psychology World, ’The Zeigarnik Effect Explained’
Scientific American Mind, 2009, Trisha Gura, ‘I’ll Do it Tomorrow’
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