We have all dealt with phenomenon of procrastination at some point of our lives (even now, this writer is dealing with it while typing such an article out). Procrastination happens when there is a gap between intended and enacted behaviour, meaning we put off doing certain tasks that we are supposed to do.

But remember, putting off an unimportant task does not mean that it’s procrastinating, but may be prioritising other tasks to do instead. If you start creating excuses not to do things because you don’t want to, then that’s a bad sign. Motivate yourself and keep procrastination at bay with these five tips!

1. List it down

Make a to-do list of whatever you have to do, including the tasks that you are avoiding, so that you won’t forget them and go on to do something else that isn’t as important (and not on the list). Also, schedule the tasks and set deadlines. This incites an urgency to act quickly, otherwise other goals on the list will have to be put off.

2. Get started!

Getting started on the easy bits of your tasks will get you on a momentum and you are more likely to get going on the harder parts next. But if it’s tough to tell what should or shouldn’t be done first, then do like what the creative minds do and get started anywhere! Diving into the thick of things may help you figure your way around more easily. As Martin Luther King, Jr said, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

3. Reward yourself

Bargain with yourself, come up with an unpleasant consequence of not finishing those unpleasant tasks at hand and look forward to that reward you will get for yourself at the end of completing those tasks. For example, you could indulge in your fave snack or go on a fun online shopping spree. Make sure to relish in how good it feels to finish things.

4. Peer pressure

Let someone know about your goals and deadlines and ask him/her to check up on you. This is a widely recognised approach that is used in self-help groups that adds just a bit of pressure on us to do wells in order to avoid embarrassment.

5. Don’t overthink

Perfectionists can be the biggest procrastinators, because they don’t wish to do tasks without having the ‘right’ skills, resources or the ‘perfect’ time. Banish all those negative thoughts and impossibly high standards or nothing will be accomplished.

Some of us can be so chronically affected by procrastination that we cannot fulfil our potential, disrupting our lives in school and work. This habit cannot be broken overnight, so don’t stop practising overcoming it! Do you have your own tip to beat procrastination? Share them in the comments section below!