Everyone knows the feeling when you're just staring at your device screen and meaninglessly scrolling your feed, and telling yourself just five minutes more will do no harm. The feeling of procrastination is not just laziness, it's a combination of aimlessness and lying to oneself.
In a highly competitive environment, procrastination can act as a curse for an individual. As an ex-management entrance aspirant, I am no stranger to this feeling and know very well the effect procrastination has on each sphere of our daily lives. So, what is the solution? Not vague motivation, but well-defined habits and clever strategies. Here are a few tips on how to avoid procrastination.
-Follow the 5-second rule
The 5-second rule is a tool developed to help people act on their impulses immediately when they feel the potential to hesitate. When you feel the urge to do something (i.e, get out of bed, start a project you have been procrastinating on, or make a tough phone call), count backward from five to one and act. Counting backwards from five to one disrupts your overthinking; rather than ruminating on the possibility of action, you follow through before the brain can talk you out of it! The 5-second rule is a game-changer for breaking a procrastination cycle.
- Break Tasks into Micro-Actions
Sometimes the reason we procrastinate is not our laziness or unwillingness to do the task, instead, the real reason is that the task itself appears too big of a headache to start working on. The best way to avoid this is to break the task into smaller, manageable parts. This approach not only decreases the perceived pressure of functions needed to achieve, but it also subconsciously reinforces our belief that these tasks are possible to achieve. Each completed small task provides us with momentum and a feeling of progress, which increases motivation. Rather than thinking of the entirety of writing a report, think of just writing the rough outline of the first section. Rather than becoming anxious about an entire presentation, think of just designing the title slide. When you think in terms of, "I can just go with one small step," rather than "I have to finish all of this," you make it much easier to take the first step!
- Eliminate Digital Distractions
Digital gadgets, according to me, not only are a cause of distraction from the task one should focus on, but they also enhance one's procrastination. Scrolling your social media feed, watching reels, and the addictive algorithm give us a reason not to give attention to the primary task we should be doing.
Eliminating these distractions, such as turning off notifications, using app blockers, or keeping the device out of your reach, would really help increase productivity and create an environment that supports deep work. This not only helps in staying present but also significantly reduces the tendency to procrastinate, making it easier to build momentum and complete tasks more efficiently.
- Setting daily priorities
By creating a priority list for every day, it becomes easier to avoid procrastination as there is much less ambiguity regarding where to focus your efforts. If you have clear direction on exactly what you want to do, you will be less likely to spend time wondering how to start or scrolling through unimportant tasks. One component of the clarity and focus that prioritizing provides is a sense of urgency to complete your list and act. When you prioritize, those actions are more or less in chronological order, which allows you to knock off high-priority impactful tasks quickly and build momentum that will lead you into an efficient rest of your day. Over time, consistently making, following, and building priorities will develop a level of discipline and reduce the mental clutter that generates procrastination.
Final Thoughts: How to Avoid Procrastination
Besides all this, the most important thing is rewarding yourself after achieving your goals, no matter how small it is. It reinforces positive behaviors and keeps the motivation to keep doing it consistently. Eliminating procrastination requires a lot of zeal and willingness to improve one's life, and if you are trying to eliminate it, you deserve to get rewarded.
Read More:
- DILR Strategies to Score a 99 Percentile
- Free Formula Book for Quants
- From a Failed UPSC Attempt to IIM-C
- From Journalism to IIM-K
- VARC Guide For Engineers
- 5 VARC Strategies to Begin Your Comprehension Game
- Staying consistent with the 6-month-long CAT journey
