2 Key Psychological Tips For Everyone Looking To Overcome Procrastination

Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination is intentionally postponing an activity until the last minute or past the time limit.

The primary causes of deliberately delaying tasks are fear and stress because the workload is overwhelming at that moment, and putting it off feels better and relieving.

My battle with procrastination has been a vicious cycle with lots of great and shitty days. Procrastination has been that old good bottle of wine I turn to when things get a bit too much, knowing I’ll regret it later. It’s a warm blanket on a cold night, but only momentarily, until reality catches on.

Tired of the same old shit, I dived in deep to understand the entire spectrum of procrastination with the hopes of taking my life back, and here are two tips that are helping:

Understanding Procrastination

Though I knew the meaning of procrastination and all its aspects, I didn’t quite understand the whole scope leading up to procrastination.

I’ve had to gain insights into how intentional postponing comes to be. After significant research, it’s clear that procrastination is not the problem but a symptom of a bigger problem buried within.

It results from powerlessness, a psychological function emerging from anxiety, the outcome of a lack of faith in our ability to complete the task at hand successfully.

Whenever I procrastinate, there is a little voice within me saying I’m not ready or good enough: my good old buddy, Mr. Doubt. Doubt creates the illusion that everything we face is beyond our ability and potential, prompting us to focus on the negative side of the expected outcome, which results in powerlessness, the driver of the stalling car.

To beat procrastination at its game, I am establishing a healthier relationship with the negative voice in my head by understanding that it’s trying to protect me in whatever way it can, and even though it’s deluded, the intentions are good, by nudging it to see things in a positive light.

Procrastination stems from doubting our abilities and potential, and understanding that it’s a symptom and not the problem by itself helps address the issue behind the curtains and kills the problem from the source.

Changing my Attitude

Most researchers say attitude is everything; when the attitude is right, not even facts matter; hence, where there is a will, there is a way.

Changing my attitude towards life, in general, has been tremendously helpful in conquering procrastination. Since I procrastinate out of self-doubt, I remind myself every morning that nothing thrown my way is unachievable or impossible.

I focus on the positive things around me and strive to encourage only positive thoughts and outcomes.

Since stalling comes from powerlessness, Identifying the things that take away our power, which mine is self-doubt, addressing them is the most viable way to overcome and beat procrastination for good.

Changing attitude is not as easy as changing a tire, but with patience, self-love, and determination, one can alter their point of view little by little. Negative emotions keep the procrastination wheel turning, with each turn becoming worse than before, and changing this attitude to a positive focus sends procrastination back to hell.

There is no shortcut to overcoming procrastination. The most effective way to win against it is first understanding the extensive problem leading to dilly-dallying and tending to it, followed by changing our attitudes toward life.