How to Overcome Procrastination: Understanding and Conquering the Habit
- Kelly Godar
- Apr 20, 2024
- 2 min read
Procrastination is a common challenge that many of us face. It can hinder our productivity and cause stress, yet we find ourselves falling into the same patterns repeatedly. Understanding what drives our procrastination, identifying our personal procrastination habits, and adopting strategies to move past these barriers are essential steps towards conquering how to overcome procrastination.
Understanding Procrastination: What Makes Us Procrastinate?
How to overcome procrastination isn't just about poor time management or laziness. It's often a complex interplay of emotional and psychological factors. Here are some common reasons why people procrastinate:
We are not clear: We don't know who we are or what we even want in the first place.
Perfectionism: A desire to do something perfectly can be so overwhelming that it prevents us from taking the first step.
Overwhelm: Feeling daunted by the size or complexity of a task can lead to avoidance.
Feeling Paralyzed: Your stopped, your spinning, your stalling
Decision Fatigue: Being overwhelmed by too many choices can lead us to choose doing nothing at all.
Identifying How We Procrastinate
To start overcoming procrastination, we need to recognize how it manifests in our daily lives. Common procrastination behaviors include:
Delaying Start: Your just in fear and you don't do anything
Getting Distracted: Start a lot of projects and finish none
Identify What Negative Beliefs are Holding You Back: Like, not enough money, not enough time, I'm not good enough. What are the limiting beliefs holding you back?: Spending excessive time planning as a means of putting off the actual doing.
Strategies On How to Overcome Past Procrastination Barriers
Once we understand and recognize our procrastination habits, we can implement strategies to combat them:
Measurable Results Action Plan: The how, the what, the by when.
Write Down Your Top Three Biggest Barriers: For example, money, past trauma, I'm not good enough, I suck, it has to be perfect. Just write down what comes up for you, then rewrite those beliefs. I deserve love and abundance, I can do what I love, or I have all the time in the world to create my dreams.
Write What You Are Committed to Creating: Maybe write them on notecards, look at them everyday, maybe pray, meditate, or journal your thoughts after you first read them. This can help you take out the mental garbage.
Conclusion
Overcoming procrastination is about more than just forcing yourself to work. It involves understanding the psychological barriers that hold you back and implementing practical strategies to overcome these challenges. By identifying your personal procrastination habits and adopting targeted tactics to combat them, you can enhance your productivity and reduce the stress associated with delayed tasks. Start small, stay consistent, and celebrate your progress as you move towards a more productive and fulfilling routine.
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