How often do you hear yourself say -> “I’ll do it later.” And well, later never really comes.
I used to be a procrastinator, till the stress of the things piling up was hurting me more than actually doing the task. Since then, I try not to put things off for “later”(at least 95% of the time). That’s progress
Procrastination is…
…the act of delaying or postponing tasks, often unnecessarily or irrationally, even when you know there might be negative consequences. It’s basically putting things off—like avoiding that project, homework, chore, or decision—despite knowing it needs to get done.
It’s not just laziness. Procrastination often involves emotional regulation. People might procrastinate because the task feels overwhelming, boring, or stressful. So instead of doing the thing, they choose to do something more pleasant or easier in the short term (like scrolling on your phone, cleaning your room, or binge-watching something).
Common reasons people procrastinate:
- Fear of failure or perfectionism
- Lack of motivation or interest
- Poor time management
- Feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start
Have you been procrastinating something lately?
Read these Mindset Shifting tips, to manage procrastination sooner than later:
- Motivation is not coming. Start anyway: Waiting to feel ready is why you feel stuck. Action creates motivation, not the other way around. If you want momentum, just start, and the overthinking will calm itself down.
- The hardest part is starting. Trick your brain: Your brain resists hard and big tasks, so make them tiny. Instead of “I have to do this.” say “I’ll do this for just 3 minutes.” Once you start, your brain(and you) will want to keep going.
- If a task feels overwhelming, it’s too big: Procrastination thrives on feeling stuck. If something feels impossible, break it down until its so easy you can’t say no. Progress comes from the small, consistent steps.
- If it takes less than two minutes, do it now: Your to-do list is long and daunting because you keep delaying the little things. Put the dishes away, take out the trash, reply to that email. Small tasks add up and take space in your mind. Clearing them, frees your mind for more important stuff.
- Your distractions are designed to keep you hooked: If your phone is next to you, you will scroll. Remove easy access to distractions, and focus becomes effortless. There are so many psychological studies done on university students, that conclude that studying with the phone in another room, literally just that act, increased the scores of students by 75% in the exams.
- Stop rewarding procrastination: If you let yourself scroll after avoiding work, your brain links avoidance with pleasure. Switch it around. Work for 30 minutes and then reward yourself. Teach your brain that effort comes first.
- Change “I have to” to “I get to”: Your perspective shapes your effort. Instead of “I have to go to the gym” say “I get to move my body”. Instead of “I have to study” say “I get to gain knowledge”. When you shift your inner dialogue, you shift your mindset.
- Never let yourself have a zero day: Even the smallest action counts. One sentence, one little walk, one small task. Progress is not about being perfect, its about showing up even in the tiniest of ways.
- Your future self is watching: Every action you take is a step towards the person you are becoming. Are you making choices that bring you closer to your dreams, or further away? The future you depends on today’s decisions.
- Perfectionism is just procrastination in disguise: If you are waiting for the perfect time, the perfect plan, the perfect conditions, you are stalling. Success comes from starting messy and improving as you go. Getting things done always feels better than being perfect.
Did these help you shift your mindset on procrastination? Managing procrastination can be really hard when there are so many wonderful distractions around us, and I do get that. But not managing it is keeping you stuck in this space, which is not great either. You need to choose whats good for your own well-being and peace of mind always!
As you keep at it, it get easier. I am proof it can be done
What ways do you use to manage your procrastination? Share in the comments
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