Procrastination | Understanding its Root Cause and How to Overcome it

It's been a very long time since my exams were going on but it's time to focus on our blog.

So the topic on which we are going to discuss right now is about our day to day problems and one of the biggest enemy's of ours and that is procastination.

Let's understand this with an example: suppose you are given a project and you have to complete it within 2 days and you are aware of the fact that this project is important for you but you still can't focus on it.

You are just wasting your time scrolling social media, watching instagram reels and social media and at last you are caught.

Now you don't have sufficient time to get your work done.

This is not just your problem. Millions of people are stuck up in the same problem as a result. They suffer a lot in their life and they receive failure every time.

The great Chankya once said "Grab opportunities whenever you see them", but here in our case we are doing exactly the opposite. 

Continuously wasting opportunities as a result we are going far away from success Let's discuss some of the common causes of procrastination.

What are the four types of procrastination?

The four types of procrastination are:

1. Deadline procrastination: Putting off tasks until the last minute, thriving on the adrenaline rush.

2. Dreamer procrastination: Daydreaming about tasks or goals but not taking concrete steps to achieve them.

3. Worrier procrastination: Worrying excessively about potential outcomes, leading to inaction.

4. Defeatist procrastination: Believing that efforts will be futile, so there's no point in starting the task.

What are the causes of procastination?

Procastination is a common problem and the causes of procastination are almost same, here's a list of some common causes why we procastinate:

1. Laziness: Being lazy and stucked up in our comfort zone is one of the biggest reason why we procastinate, we feel lazy to do our task, we feel lazy to open our book and focus on study.

That's happening with almost all of us, we feel lazy and that's the first reason of procastination.

2. Actively using social media and getting distracted: Sone people are not so much lazy but yet they can stop themselves from doing procastination and the reason why they can't stop themselves is their love towards social media.

The time you wake up in the morning is considered to be your golden hour and therefore you are suggested to use it in your work rather than scrolling shorts and reels on Instagram and Facebook.

Apart from that many people tend to get distracted from smartphone notification they are so much addicted to their smartphone that they can't live without it and they keep on checking their smartphone again and again.

3. Mood swings : Sometimes and it happens with me personally so I thought to share with you, suppose you decided that from now you will stay fully focused on your goals, you will not waste your time and then something wrong happens with you, something bad that disturbed your mood and you became angry.

So then you decided to put your anger on the work that you were willing to do in the next few minutes. Then in order to boost your mind you start watching social media and time passes and after one hour you realised that I have wasted my time.

That's the third reason for procastination.

4. Extending the limit: One more reason why most of the people procastinate is they keep on extending their deadlines.

Let's understand this with an example in our school we were given a project work and we have to finish it after 3 months, so our class got 3 months to work on that project and complete it.

When the time of submission came then only 2 students have submitted the project on time and no one has completed the project yet in our whole class.

So that was procastination, when you are provided with enough time and resources then you keep on extending it.

So those were the common 4 reasons why most of the people procastinate, let's know discuss the psychology of procastination and how does our mind work's.

What's in the procastinators head ?

So we all are procastinators and somewhere in our life we have procastinators or maybe we are procastinating right now.

So let's understand this in a more brief way. Basically when we talk about procastination then you have to understand one thing and that is you are not controlling your mind.

Your mind is been controlled by a monkey who is very mischievous, he is naughty and he hates doing hardwork, he just want to relax and enjoy.

So when you procastinate you are controlled by that monkey and as said earlier this monkey hates doing hardwork then obviously he will extend your work to the next day.

Know when you reaches the deadline and you realised that you don't have enough time to finish your work then you start doing panick and when you do panic then a monster wakes up in your head and he kicks that mischievous monkey and takes full control of your mind and makes you to work hard and complete your work before deadlines.

So this is the case when you have deadlines and this can be observed in offices, schools and corporate world.

Know in second case you don't have any deadlines that means there is no realisation in your mind and when there is no realisation in your mind then obviously the monster is still sleeping. He is not waked up till know.

Your mind is in the control of that mischievous monkey and you are continuously wasting your time because there is no one who can kick that mokey.

This type of procastination is generally observed in startups, blogs and websites,

and youtube channels in all these works you don't have any deadlines that means there is no one who can help you. You are under the control of that monkey.

In order to take control from that monkey you have to be serious, you have take responsibility of your life and you have to set deadlines by yourself and be strict too.

Let's consider you have a YouTube channel then you can start setting deadlines that you will upload YouTube videos before 5pm in the evening. Everyday and till then I will not watch any YouTube videos or Instagram reels.

Let's know discuss some ways with which you can get rid out of procastination.

How to get rid of procrastination ?

Procrastination is a big issue and if you are able to manage procrastination then you will be able to stand apart from the crowd.

Till now everyone is stuck up in procrastination and that's the best time to make yourself better because you are not having that much competition now.

1. Give yourself time 

See you have to give yourself time, discover yourself and find out about your weakness and why you are wasting your time.

Observe your day to day activities and find out where you consume most of your time and then try to optimise that time.

Discover yourself, sit with yourself and ask yourself why you are procrastinating and how you can solve this problem.

2. Build self discipline

The more you will search for procrastination the more you will procrastinate. So what you have to do is stop this habit of searching for motivation on the internet.

What you have to do is build self discipline because in the end nobody is gone, help you neither motivation nor anything. If something that can make you consistent then it's your self discipline.

Self discipline is the ability to stay honest to your work doing your work regularly without getting bored is what we call self discipline.

So self discipline is a must. 

3. Don't go for mass problem

In order to save our time and to waste more time on what we actually do, we try to solve a big problem rather than dividing it into small chunks.

For example you wanna prepare for your school examination and you have to cover 16 chapters and you are given 5 days to complete your syllabus.

Ideally the topper of the class will start preparing from day one as a result he can save time for revision. On the other hand, lazy people will start on the last day in the hope of completing the whole syllabus in just a night.

Is that possible ? Absolutely not, so this is the same thing that happened with us and in order to avoid procrastination you must take your work seriously from day one. So that you can save your time.

4. Practice meditation daily

Meditation is something that can lead you much ahead in your life, meditation is one of those keys that can unlock the lock of your fortune so start meditation from now.

The benefits of meditation is Known to everyone and if you are willing to become a genius and highly intellectual person then surely you should opt for meditation as your daily Habit.

What are the 7 steps to cure procrastination?

To cure procrastination, follow these seven steps:

1. Acknowledge and accept your procrastination tendencies.

2. Identify the underlying reasons for procrastination (fear of failure, lack of motivation, etc.).

3. Set specific, achievable goals with deadlines.

4. Break tasks into smaller, manageable chunks.

5. Prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency.

6. Create a structured schedule and stick to it.

7. Celebrate your successes and learn from any setbacks.

Bonus tip 

We all know how hard it is to start our work and gain that momentum yo do our work.

Even research shows that it's more hard to start working rather than actually working on it.

So in order to solve your problem here's a solution for you.

What is the 2-minute rule?

The 2-minute rule is a productivity strategy popularized by productivity expert David Allen. It states that if a task takes less than two minutes to complete, you should do it immediately instead of postponing it.

By adopting this rule, you can prevent small tasks from piling up and causing unnecessary delays.

Not just that you can gain momentum from this two minutes rule just make your mind understand that you will just sit for 2 mins to do your work but as soon as you started working then you can extend your limit to an hour or 30 mins.

Frequently asked questions 

1. What is the best way to overcome procrastination?

Overcoming procrastination requires a combination of strategies and self-discipline.

Here are some effective approaches:

- Set clear and realistic goals.

- Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps.

- Create a structured schedule and stick to it.

- Use time management techniques like the Pomodoro Technique.

- Eliminate distractions and create a focused work environment.

- Reward yourself for completing tasks.

- Practice self-compassion and avoid harsh self-criticism.

- Seek support from friends, family, or a productivity coach if needed.

2. Why can't I stop procrastinating?

Procrastination can be a complex behavior with various underlying causes. Some common reasons for struggling to stop procrastination include:

- Lack of clear goals or direction.

- Fear of failure or perfectionism.

- Low motivation or interest in the task.

- Feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the task.

- Habitual patterns of procrastination that need to be broken.

3. What are the dangers of procrastination?

Procrastination can have several negative consequences, including:

- Missed deadlines and poor academic or work performance.

- Increased stress and anxiety due to last-minute rushes.

- Reduced productivity and efficiency.

- Damage to personal and professional relationships.

- Missed opportunities for personal growth and achievement.

4. Why am I addicted to procrastination?

Procrastination can become addictive due to various psychological factors, such as:

- Temporary relief from stress or discomfort by avoiding tasks.

- The immediate pleasure of engaging in more enjoyable activities.

- Fear of failure leading to avoidance of challenging tasks.

- A lack of motivation or clarity about the importance of the task.

5. Is overthinking a form of procrastination?

Yes, overthinking can be a form of procrastination. When you spend excessive time analyzing and worrying about a task without taking action, it becomes a barrier to progress.

Overthinking can lead to inaction and delay, hindering your ability to move forward effectively.

6. Why is procrastination ruining my life?

Procrastination can have a significant impact on various aspects of life, leading to missed opportunities, decreased productivity, and increased stress. Continuously putting off tasks and important responsibilities can hinder personal and professional growth, strain relationships, and lead to a cycle of negative emotions.

Addressing procrastination is crucial to reclaim control over your life and achieve your goals more effectively.

Conclusion 

So that was the whole discussion on procrastination, since it's not easy for you to get rid of this habit but surely with self discipline and self control you would surely be able to do it.