If you constantly delay your work, goals and dreams, you can’t fix it without identifying a problem. So here are a few most common reasons for procrastinating:
- a lot of distractions;
- fear;
- too much pressure;
- lack of motivation and an overwhelming amount of work;
- other people’s opinions.
Let’s look closely at each of these reasons for procrastinating and find out how to stop delaying work that needs to be done.
1. Distractions that are holding us back
Nowadays, distractions surround us. They are slowing us down and keeping us from doing things we truly want and have to do. Some of them are inevitable, some are coming with the environment, and some we fail to resist or even create for ourselves to avoid the greatest challenge get-the-work-done. There are so many types of distractions, and they definitely belong to the top reasons for procrastinating.
Some things will draw away focus from our primary purposes no matter what. For example, going to work you don’t like but can’t afford to leave just yet. With such distractions, all we can do it’s just deal with them in the most effective way possible and be extra efficient with all the free time we have left.
The environment is something we can change or adapt to meet our needs. For example, you are working on your personal project on your computer at home, and there is noise, distraction, and a lot is going on around in general. In that scenario, you can either negotiate with your cohabitants about “quiet hours” during which nobody will be disturbing you or find another place where you can concentrate (rent an office, go to a friend who can spare a free quiet room, etc.).
But if we let things that are not essential or even important distract us, well, that’s on us. Scrolling through social media pages or watching TV shows instead of working hard to reach our goals is a decision that is delaying our dreams. And every time we make that choice, we push our ideal future further away. Of course, everyone sometimes needs a break and all these little pleasures, but there’s also a time to stop procrastinating and start to use every minute efficiently.
It’s your choice how much time to waste on social media and how much time to spend on productive work. And the decision of who you want to be and what you want to achieve is yours as well. But if you choose social media and TV over work a lot, you probably want to keep everything the way it is. Do you? If not, it’s time to make different decisions and take action.
2. Fear as a reason for procrastinating and how to get rid of it
Unfortunately, quite often, all these distractions are used just as excuses to delay the new beginnings. Sometimes we all can be afraid to start something new. One of the biggest reasons for procrastination is fear of starting a new path, especially if it’s something where we don’t have much experience. So we can be afraid to fail before we even begin.
Of course, there’s always a chance that everything will go south, but you can’t succeed without trying. So you either agree to be stuck in a loop for the rest of your life, or you take a leap of faith in yourself and jump. Fortunately, these days we have an impressive paraсhute – The Internet, which is full of helpful information. So before starting something new, you can check useful resources, courses, how-to-do videos and minimize the risks. So, don’t let fear delay your dream. Just learn everything you need to make it real, and it won’t be a reason for procrastinating anymore.
If you are still afraid to fail, just ask yourself a few questions:
Is your life good enough as it is?
Which would hurt more, taking action with the possibility of failure or doing nothing and definitely failing to achieve your dream?
Would you forgive yourself for not even trying?
We are all human beings, and we all get scared. But succeed only those who could handle their fear.
3. How to deal with the pressure that causes procrastination
You have to be at hundreds of places at once; there are so many tasks to be done, enough for the lifetime; you barely manage to sleep and eat due to these reasons, so you can not spare even a few minutes for purposes that will make you happy and successful. And of course, there are bills that must be paid and the responsibilities that must be met, so just to stop and find some extra time feels impossible. Looks familiar?
Well, at some point, probably we all have been there. So, how to stop procrastinating if the main cause it’s a lack of time?
Stress and exhaustion could result from too much work and lots of daily routine tasks, but they could also be a reason for all this pressure’s existence. So let’s look at them as they’re the cause and try to find a solution.
When we are overwhelmed with many different things that need our attention, we might get scattered and chaotic in our actions. As a result, we won’t be able to deal with tasks effectively, so they will continue to pile up and cause more stress. So if that’s the case, the best idea would be to stop for a few minutes, breathe and clear your head. Change of environment might help as well.
With a fresh mind it will be much easier to concentrate and find a solution. Time management and efficiency are the goals here. There’s always a way to organize your schedule better and get the job done faster. Try to identify things that need immediate attention and things of high importance. Deal with them first. Avoid distractions and concentrate on the work that you are doing right now.
4. Lack of motivation and an overwhelming amount of work
Quite often, people give up on their dreams even before they start to achieve them. They just think they can’t handle this massive amount of work that’s in front of them, which is an excuse, just one of the many. And delaying actions even longer could not possibly help your cause.
So it’s time to stop focusing on things you think you can’t do and point all your ambition to what could be done. There are a few things that’ll help manage a big amount of work:
- prioritize tasks and exclude everything unnecessary;
- set milestones, specific goals and stick to them;
- delegate some work if possible;
- learn efficient ways to do your job.
But to stop procrastinating and achieve your goals, you need to have motivation. Without it, you’ll just continue to look for excuses. So what inspires you? What would success look like? How will it change your life?
Find answers to these questions and keep them in mind, especially if you’re about to give up.
5. How other people’s opinions could impact self-confidence and cause procrastination?
How many times have you heard “It’s impossible,” “It’s not the time,” or “You can’t do it”? Such words could ruin your mood and shatter your belief in your cause and yourself. Don’t let them!
First of all, you are the one who decides what you can or can’t do. Secondly, there’s nothing wrong with taking the advice of others, but you should choose carefully whose recommendations to follow.
It’s a good idea to hear the thoughts of people who succeed in the area that you are aiming for. And stories of the ones who failed could be useful too. But don’t let them break your self-confidence. If you believe that you can do it, just take action, but learn from other’s mistakes. And there’s no use at all in considering something like “It’s impossible” from someone who knows nothing about the topic in question or listening to the opinions based on hearsay.
So if you are going to change your life for the better, surround yourself with people who will be inspiring you, who succeeded in life and are experts in the area you’re going to conquer. And remember, YOU CAN DO IT!
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