I’ve been thinking about how procrastination isn’t always about poor time management. Sometimes, we put things off because we don’t want to deal with the discomfort of trying something difficult, failing, or realizing we’re not as good at it as we thought.
Avoiding the task gives us temporary relief, but we end up making no progress.
Here are a few things that might help:
Make distractions less accessible. Keep your phone in another room or use website blockers so you’re less tempted to avoid the work.
Focus on one major goal at a time instead of trying to improve every area of your life simultaneously. Give it your attention for a set period, like 90 days.
Get comfortable being a beginner. Your first attempts don’t have to be impressive. Focus on getting better rather than worrying about how you look.
Break overwhelming tasks into smaller steps. Sometimes, all you need to do is open the document, write the first sentence, or attempt the first problem.
When you get stuck, look for a solution instead of letting the obstacle stop you. Ask someone for help, look up a tutorial, or use the resources available to you.
Stop waiting until you feel ready. Sometimes, confidence comes from taking action and seeing yourself improve.
Of course, procrastination has different causes, and these approaches won’t work equally well for everyone. But making it easier to start and harder to get distracted seems like a good place to begin.
What’s helped you overcome procrastination the most? Was it changing your environment, focusing on fewer goals, or learning to accept that you won’t be good at something right away?