How to Stop Procrastinating and Finally Get Stuff Done!
I’ve got a huge to-do list! I’ve got tons of work, the place is a mess and I haven’t started dinner yet. Guess what I ended up doing?
Yep…scrolling social media on my phone.
Procrastination hits again!
Procrastination rears it’s ugly head in my life quite often. So what is procrastination? Simply put, it is the act of delaying and/or avoiding the completion of a specific task. The thing to remember, however, is that it’s not the same thing as laziness. Procrastination is much more complicated than that.
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Why Do We Procrastinate?
There are many different reasons why we procrastinate.
We procrastinate to avoid something that is potentially uncomfortable. A task we for one reason or another do not want to do.
Sometimes the procrastination is because of fear. Fear of failing or even fear of success. Yes, people do actually fear succeeding. That however, is a discussion for another day.
Often procrastination happens when we feel a task is beyond our skill or is just too big for us to tackle alone. We find it overwhelming and while we know it will just make it worse, we put off until later.
How to Stop Procrastination
So how do we stop procrastinating and making excuses? Well, first we need to figure out why we are procrastinating.
Are we procrastinating simply because the task in front of us is unpleasant or is it that we feel we are not capable of completing it? When we learn the motivation behind our procrastination, it becomes easier to deal with it.
We can cater the solution to the cause. For example, if we are procrastinating cleaning up a messy house, rewarding ourself may be enough to get ourselves going. However, if we are procrastinating because we are afraid of failure, the promise of a reward likely won’t be enough. We will need to find a stronger motivation.
Reward yourself
Try to find a more immediate reward. For example, “If I start writing right now for 45 minutes, I will give myself a special treat.”
The reward has to be something that you wouldn’t normally allow yourself to have. It could be a sweet treat, some time put aside to watch tv or read, a spa date, or even a candle lit bubble bath. Whatever motivates you to take the first step and stop procrastination.
Do it With a Friend
Another way to stop procrastination is to make yourself accountable to someone else. For example, you could tell someone “Hey I’m trying to start an Etsy shop. I should have it up and running in a couple days. I’ll send you the link.”
Now you’ll feel the pressure to get it done so that you don’t let the other person down. Tell your partner or friend so that they can hold you accountable. “Hey, I’m writing a new chapter for my book. Could you take a look at it?”
Now that you’ve involved someone else in your project they will eventually be asking you about it. A little bit of pressure and motivation is a good thing. It will push you to GET IT DONE!
You can also ask someone to be your accountability partner. The way this works is you both share what you want to work on and then arrange check-in times. When you check-in with each other, you simply share your progress and discuss where you may be struggling.
When what we do involves someone else or someone else is holding us accountable, we are more likely to do what we need, rather than procrastinate.
Break it Down
Breaking things down into more manageable pieces is also a great way to get past procrastination.
Sometimes the task ahead of us is just too big. It’s so daunting that we can’t figure out how we are going to get it done. We spend all of our time worrying about how we are going to find the time and energy to do it and don’t actually take any steps to start.
So instead of approaching the task as a whole, we need to break it down. For example, if you are trying to clean your whole house, you may want to start with just one room or even just one area of that room.
Cleaning the entire house is overwhelming. However, cleaning the bathroom on Monday, the kitchen on Tuesday, working on the bedrooms on Wednesday and Thursday and tidying up the living room on Friday, is not nearly as scary.
You may also find that you become so motivated by your progress that you just kept going. That’s the thing about procrastination, once you actually start that thing you’ve been avoiding, it tends to be a motivation in of itself.
Starting is always the hardest part.
Tips to Stop Procrastination
Here are some tips for slaying the procrastination beast.
- Make check lists. Being able to work through a list and check things off as you go is very satisfying. On top of that, when you write something down it goes from being just an idea to something more tangible. Something you have committed to.
- Post it notes, vision boards or even just a simple image of what you want to accomplish are great reminders of what you want to do and why you want to do it. Those visual cues will help motivate you. Put them up all over your home, your desk at work and even in your wallet. Reminding yourself about what the ultimate goal is can be enough to help you push through the procrastination.
- Just start! Sometimes the only way to break through procrastination is to force yourself to start. The first step is the hardest. It usually gets easier as you go.
So whatever tips and tricks you use to break through the procrastination, stop making excuses and take that first step. Every step after that will be a little easier. I promise! Get out there and do it!!
Want to keep that momentum going? Try positive affirmations. You can read more about it here.
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Fantastic first blog post Metaphysical Mama! You’ve just inspired me to overcome my procrastination! Thank you! 😊😊
Yay!! I’m glad to hear it. The only way forward is to take the first step. Good luck.
Procrastination is something we all deal with more or less. The tips you shared are great and from what I know of you are right, the hardest thing is to just start doing it. Once you start magically you want to do more.
Thank you for sharig! great post!
Thanks! I’m glad you found my tips helpful!
I like doing things in bite size chunks. Interesting article,
I like doing things in bite size chucks as well. It’s less overwhelming. Thanks for your comment!
Loved reading this, I’m so bad with procrastinating so I should really take some of these tips on board. I do love treating myself and making to do lists haha x
http://www.nadinealex.blogspot.com
Thanks for the comment! Treating ourselves can be a great motivator. I hope this post helps you with your procrastination.
I used to be a master procrastinator ! I honestly am so glad I’ve worked past this and I now use to do lists and have created great daily routines that allow me to get stuff done without feeling overwhelmed and then wanting to procrastinate !
To-do lists and a daily routine are great ways to combat procrastination! Thanks for the comment!
It can be sooooo hard to stop!! I like the tip about going things with a friend because its so nice to have an accountability partner!
Yes it can, but asking a friend for help can make it a little easier.
I am definitely a procrastinator at times! Rewards are a good incentive for me as is putting in my earbuds and listening to an audiobook while working. Great post! Thanks for sharing.
Listening to an audiobook is a great idea to motivate yourself! Thanks for sharing!
Great article! I often avoid cleaning because I hate cleaning! I’d rather be crocheting or reading or doing else. I get around it eventually by just starting. Sometimes I do it all in a go, other times I do a little at a time. Thanks for sharing some other tips on getting past the procrastination 🙂
Thanks Giulia! I hate cleaning too, but you’re right, just starting is usually enough. 🧹😕
This is wonderful Tiffany! Definitely something I can relate to at times – like you mentioned for me it’s writing down the steps that helps motivate me to at least get started – which typically helps kick start my motivation again! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
You’re very welcome Alex! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Breaking a task down into smaller, more manageable pieces is so helpful. I’ve also found that doing something for a set amount of time (like, say, 30 minutes) also makes starting it easier.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!
Such a great read! I struggle with procrastination, so I’m going to give a few of these tips a try.
Thanks! Let me know how they work for you.
When I have bouts of procrastination I will refer back to this post as it’s super useful. I definitely respond well to breaking tasks down into smaller bits with a reward once I’ve completed a certain amount if I’m finding procrastinating is really getting in the way. I appreciate the info you’ve shared — it’s going to help!
Thanks! Breaking things down is definitely much easier and less overwhelming.
I’m so happy you found this post useful!
I’ve only recently starting writing ‘to do lists’ and boy has it worked wonders. I’m quite a big procrastinator and it’s a pet peeve of mine that I’m trying to tackle so this is really helpful. Thank you so much for sharing Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
Thanks Elle! I love to-do lists, they have helped me so much!
This is great information! I was definitely struggling with both fear of failure and fear of success when I was making the transition from working on social media to making a living as a freelance writer. It stopped me from actually making the transition for months while I kept talking about WANTING to make that change. Luckily, I had some good friends that helped me figure out how to step out of that comfort zone, stop procrastinating and start doing the work necessary to work towards my dream career. I am SO happy now that I did it! I think we often are happy we took that step after we finally move forward!
That’s awesome!! It can be so hard to step out of our comfort zone. You are blessed to have good friend to support you with it!
Thankfully I’m not usually a procrastinator. I’d rather just get the thing done so then I can relax afterwards! These are fab tips though!
Just get it done! That is a great way to think!
Thanks for the comment!
Enjoyed reading this post. But I’ve realized one thing about procrastinating, it’s easy to do. It’s easy to lay down and scroll through your phone, it’s easy to watch TV and eat popcorn while the task at hand is pending. The sooner we start making the task we need to do look easy, the better we get the job done. So for me, I try as much as possible to make my task easy by breaking them down, this helped me from procrastinating and not making the task look daunting.
Thank you so much for sharing
Thanks so much! I find the same thing. If I make the tasks I have to do look a bit easier, I’m more likely to get them done.
One of my biggest character defects for sure, these are great tips thank you. I’ve been meaning to make a vision board, perhaps that should be something I work on this month.
Thanks for your comment!
Vision boards are great at motivating us. They remind us why we are doing things.
Great post, I’m terrible for procrastinating, and I have to use the break it down method; otherwise, it is too overwhelming. I think I have got worse the older I get; I think I’m getting wise to my plans 😉
Haha! I actually have found the same thing. The older I get the harder it is to trick myself into doing things I don’t want to. I think there was a sweet spot in there somewhere around 30, but that’s long gone. 🤣
I’m such a massive procrastinator and it’s been a thing since childhood – I still can’t ride a bike because I never bothered to learn! I’m definitely trying to combat it though so this was helpful to read!
Thanks for your comment! I think it would be helpful for you to look at what’s behind the procrastination. What is stopping you, for example, from learning how to ride a bike? Is there more than just procrastination? What do you gain from not learning? Is there a payoff for you? Try journalling about it or talking with someone and see if there is a little more to your procrastination. Feel free to reach out if you need any support with this.
This was such an interesting read and totally hit the point! I read myself so much in it, mostly during the last years. Making lists and breaking down what I have to do have helped so much, even if sometimes I still fall on the slope of procrastination! x
Thanks! I appreciate the comment Cristina!
I make to do lists, set goals and rewards, break everything down and then watch Netflix. We all procrastinate now and again. I think what’s important is that our procrastination doesn’t keep us from achieving our goals. That we are able to push through it, more often than not.
These are such great tips on not procrastinating. Usually, I am pretty good at staying on task and getting things done early. I do not like to wait until last minute, it stresses me out!
Thanks for the comment Charity! Leaving things to the last minute stresses me out too, but sadly I still catch myself doing it on occasion. 🥴
Wonderful list! I completely agree with having someone there to help you with certain things, for me, it’s cleaning. Breaking things down is also incredibly helpful. We tend to look at the bigger picture, which can be overwhelming. But when we focus on smaller tasks, it’s a lot easier to follow through. Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely! Focusing on smaller tasks is the only way I can get stuff done. If I don’t break it down, I become overwhelmed and will find any excuse to avoid it. Thanks for the comment!
Love love love this post, Tiffany! I am big on making lists and having vision boards up! I’d say that one big thing I procrastinate on is household chores haha I wouldn’t say that I really procrastinate but time management is something that I struggle with and a tinge of perfection which ties in with procrastination for me! Thank you for always making your posts really straightforward and great to read! Amazing as always xx
Lynn | https://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
Thanks Lynn! I really appreciate it! Procrastination and perfectionism come up for me a lot too. “Done is better than perfect” has become my mantra. I hope some of these tips will help.
Great tips, thank you!
You’re very welcome!
I totally feel you! I have such a long list so I’m just watching Friends…A checklist always helps me get out of the slump. I think I’ll try out the post-it notes idea x
Well, if you have to procrastinate watching Friends is a good way to do it! 😊
Thanks for the comment! Let me know how the post-it notes work for you.
Great tips! I need to reward myself, and break down what I am doing into smaller steps! Thanks for the reminder!
You’re very welcome! I hope they help.
I know someone who always waits for last minute to do anything. It so frustrating sometimes. I totally understand doing it ever now and then but not with everything. I’m a planner and I love planning out my days and weeks.
Thanks for the comment! I can only imagine how frustrating it would be for a planner to be around a procrastinator!
Thanks for the tips and how you break it down and provide the solutions. I am not a procrastinator but a complicated person, meaning perfectionist. It takes me longer than normal to finish a task. But these are good tips . Thanks
Thanks so much for the comment! Perfectionism and procrastination can go hand in hand. I know for me, perfectionism is one of the main reasons I procrastinate. You may want to give my post on perfectionism a read https://metaphysicalmama.com/how-to-know-if-youre-a-perfectionist-and-why-its-not-a-good-thing/
Oh Tiffany! I love this post and I wish I found it earlier. I used to be such a great procrastinator and it sucked tbh. Splitting up a task into smaller, more manageable units is so helpful tbh. Also, to do lists help a whole lot. Just knowing that I have this much to do and I have to tick ’em off my to do list helps a lot. I’ll definitely refer to your post whenever I find myself procrastinating as it’s really informative and has tips I have never thought about. Thank you for sharing x
Thanks so much Ruth! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Breaking things down and ticking things off a to-list is really helpful for me too!
Love this post… I procrastinate a little, but I love my to do lists and I get joy from ticking things off, haha. But next time I find myself procrastinating, I will be using your tip of rewarding myself for doing the task! You’re also right about breaking things up and doing them in steps being easier to manage 🙂
Thanks so much! I feel you on the whole getting joy from ticking things off the to-do list. That in of itself feels like a reward sometimes! 😊
I have been trying to talk myself into tasks so that I know they are over sooner rather than later. But yes, procrastinating is a difficult habit to get out to, but with some strong work I know I can get it contained. Plus your help is always appreciated, Tiffany x
Thanks Simona! I know you will master the procrastination demon! Just remember to break things down and take it one step at a time! 💖
I really needed this! Been Procrastinating a lot these days
Thanks for your comment. I hope it helps!
Love love love this! I’m so bad for procrastinating, I start kne thing and move into the next as soon as I get it I my head and by the end of the day there’s multiple things started and none finished lol. These are so helpful, especially like the idea of rewarding myself. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for the comment Jordanne! I hope the reward system works for you!
The best way for me to stop procrastinating is to put my phone down until I’ve done what I need to do, haha!
Corinne x
I hear you! My phone distracts me from doing what I have to do all the time. 😊
Loved this in-depth tutorial that has everything I need in my daily routine. Thanks a lot for sharing it in a very easy language and do it from the first day.
Loved your efforts and keeps sharing more updates!
Thanks for the comment!
This is a great post, to-do lists and breaking down tasks has worked wonders for me. There are days I don’t follow my to-do lists, it can be difficult for me but I still find them helpful. Great post! xx
Thanks so much!
I’m the same, I love breaking things down and making to-do lists. I just have to remember to check my lists. 🥴
I am so bad for procrastinating! There are some great tips here 🙂
Katy | http://www.katystephenson.com | http://www.thegrownupsclub.com
Thanks! I hope they help! 😊
Hello! This is a great post and one that I really needed, thanks for sharing! I think it’s a great tip for rewarding yourself for completing tasks. Great post. Alicia
Hi!
Thanks so much for your comment! I hope the tips help.
Oh I’m terrible for procrastinating! I get so distracted and start doing other stuff, then I get stuck down a hole! Lists really do help as I can see visually what I need to do.
Corinne x
I get easily distracted as well. Making list or any kind of visually reminder is a life saver for me.
Thanks for your comment Corinne!!
This is a really helpful post and some great tips. I am doing better with procrastination but I can sometimes avoid doing tasks I don’t want to ha ha!
Thank you for sharing.
Lauren – bournemouthgirl.com
Thanks Lauren! I’m great at avoiding doing the things I don’t want to do as well, and I have really great excuses! 😂
Awesome tips, love to reward yourself after doing things. It helps to have more motivation to keep going.
Thanks! Rewards can definitely be motivating.
Love this article. I have struggled with procrastination off and on for years! I utilize many of these tips that you talked about. Thanks for sharing! Xo
Thanks Christine! I’m so glad it resonated with you!
i needed this so bad! Time to start writing on my post it notes!
Thanks for the comment Sophia! I’m so glad you found it useful!