At times, we procrastinate – putting aside important tasks for (hopefully) a later date. It could be delaying work on your assignments or postponing plans to pursue a start-up because ‘the timing isn’t right yet’.
Procrastination takes place when we find more value in doing things we feel good about rather than the things that truly matter. Perhaps this is because we find those important matters upsetting and aversive or we are simply distracted by other activities, such as watching YouTube videos or going on social media.
While a short delay does not harm us when it creates a pause from our responsibilities, giving in too much to instant gratification, and subsequently to that vicious cycle of sabotaging ourselves, can be damaging to our lives, especially when those activities we were supposed to do could have led us to achieve our goals in life.
Overcoming procrastination, therefore, allows us to have a better control of our life, but doing so will not be easy and will take time. This week, we look into some ways to beat procrastination.
Be kind to yourself
Studies have shown that procrastination is related to negative feelings including shame and guilt. So, instead of scolding yourself for procrastinating, forgive yourself for taking too much time.
Gradually, by forgiving yourself and addressing the fact that procrastinating has become a big issue in your life, you’ll be able to improve your confidence and self-esteem, thereby giving you the boost to get things done quicker.
Show! Don’t tell
As cliché as it may sound, actions do speak louder than words; in this case just telling yourself to “do it” will not lead to an overnight change unless you believe that you’re capable of doing what you want to do and actually go ahead and do it.
The more you take action, the more assured you become without relying too much on the need to be in the mood to get yourself going.
Fight instant gratification
There are several ways to resist those feel-good activities that contribute to procrastination. For instance, you can minimise distraction in the office by setting a short time period to catch up with social media in-between work.
Or if you’re studying for your exams, leave notes or set reminders for yourself to study, or even have someone such as a parent or sibling hold you accountable for your study schedule.
Having a sense of urgency to complete an assignment successfully is important so always remind yourself of the targets and deadlines that you have to meet.
Go slow and steady
Instead of settling your task in one go, try breaking down your tasks into smaller sections. Apart from giving you a better understanding of the work at hand, this approach will help you avoid any regrets about completing the task at the last minute, and allow you to give it your all in any project.
Over time, these little advancements will make you feel better not only in meeting your daily goals, but also about living a better future.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, visit this link: http://bit.ly/2g6Pdoe
Image Source: Vic @ flickr.com
