How To Stop Procrastinating

Tired of pushing back important tasks, rescheduling plans, and avoiding important goals? Learn how to stop procrastinating using 9 tips that are brilliant yet easy to implement.

It’s time to ditch your unproductive habits for good and say hello to a better version of yourself.

Everything You’ll Find In This Post:

Understanding Procrastination – Why Do We Procrastinate?
How To Stop Procrastinating
Affirmations To Beat Procrastination

Hello procrastination, my old friend.

And hello to whoever is reading this.

Thank you for doing yourself the favor of clicking on this post, when there are hundreds of other things you could be doing.

Like signing up for that e-course you’ve been meaning to check out for months. Or writing a book that you know would be a bestseller. Or creating a fitness journal because you know you can do it.

I swear I’m not trying to guilt-trip you.

I know you’re here to finally end the cycle of procrastination, and that means you believe in the power of change.

You are willing to start working now instead of planning things in your head, and that’s why you rock.

But you know what doesn’t rock?

Procrastination.

And you know what the only good thing about it is?

It can be cured!

But before we delve into the strategies that will tell you how to stop procrastinating, it’s important to understand this phenomenon.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why we procrastinate in the first place.

Understanding Procrastination – Why Do We Procrastinate?

Oftentimes, we assume that procrastination is a direct result of laziness. It’s not a pleasant idea to deal with, and we end up beating ourselves over it.

But don’t do that anymore.

Because believe it or not, laziness doesn’t have much to do with procrastination, which is why I’m not mentioning it in the list down below.

The reasons behind putting off doing something are valid and deserve to be analyzed with kindness:

1. Unpleasant Task

The simplest reason behind procrastination could be that the task is unpleasant for you.

It can be things like cleaning, washing the dishes, or even something as simple as boiling a kettle of water.

If you don’t enjoy a chore, no matter how easy it is, procrastination can creep in and result in the delay of tasks.

2. Unfamiliarity

Sometimes, it could be that you really do want to start a task, but its unfamiliar nature makes you uncomfortable.

For example, I avoided starting this blog for a long time, because I knew close to nothing about this business.

Just the thought of it made me queasy, even though I knew I had to start eventually. It was necessary for me to step out of my comfort zone.

In short, if you find don’t know much about something, it’s going to be hard to get started with it.

3. Fear Of Not Being Successful

This issue might trickle in when you’re looking to tick off an important task from your list – like a major project (something like writing a book.)

You might dread finishing a task out of fear of failing or the doubt of not being good enough.

This fear is real, and something that can be worked on. We’ll come to this later in this post.

4. The Perfectionist’s Streak

The need to be perfect, to do everything right, is something that sabotages our chances of success.

In our obsession with wanting everything to be just right, we don’t get started until we have all the missing pieces right.

This idea can be misleading because nothing is ever perfect.

There will always be things you can improve upon, which is why perfection shouldn’t be a reason to procrastinate.

5. Lack Of Self-Motivation

If you are familiar with your task, don’t struggle with the need to be perfect, and also enjoy doing your chores, chances are you lack self-motivation.

Stagnancy can be alluring, and so comfortable that we might not want to move. It can be hard to convince ourselves to walk when resting feels good.

Again, I wouldn’t call this laziness, instead just the lack of inspiration, which can always be sparked using some simple techniques.

If you’re finding the post useful so far, pin it now for safekeeping.

In this post, we look at some brilliant tips on how to stop procrastinating.

Believe me when I say this – it isn’t hard to overcome procrastination, because you have what it takes to implement these strategies and get going in life.

If you’re ready to stop thinking and start doing instead, read on.

1. Write Down Your Plans

Everyone who’s ever struggled with procrastination knows it’s important to plan in advance, and many try to do so religiously.

But the real problem comes with the execution part, i.e., getting those plans out of your head and acting upon them, because plans mean nothing without actions.

The first step to acting on your plans is to turn the job of planning into action. In simple words, make plans by putting them in words that you can see.

I make my plans for the day during my 5am morning routine. This helps me visualize my day.

Once your plans take the form of something you can see, it’s going to be hard to put them off.

For example, if you want to go out for a walk today, then write it down. Once it’s action time, do the task for the sake of crossing it off your list.

Tell yourself you’ll cover just two miles, which is hardly fifteen minutes. Even if it’s not the distance you’re aiming for, at least you’re walking!

Use an empty notebook as a daily planner, and allot timings to each task if you want to be more organized.

2. Use The 5-Second Rule To Get Moving

You might have already heard of the 5-second rule. It also goes by the name of the 3-second rule.

According to this rule, if you feel the urge to act upon a plan, you need to get moving within 5 seconds.

Any longer than that and your brain would slip into procrastination mode.

This simple revelation was game-changing for me.

Using it, I was able to form a habit of exercise, build a healthy morning routine, and be consistent with posting on my blog.

The best thing is, once you start getting a hang of it, the 5-second rule becomes quite simple to implement.

Whenever you’re thinking of doing something, count to 5 in your head, and then get up and start doing it. There should be no time for excuses or second guess your plan.

For a better explanation, watch this amazing video of Mel Robbins explaining the power of the 5-second rule:

3. The Incentive Method (a.k.a The Reward Method)

This technique has been a wonderful addition to my routine. It helps me look forward to getting things done and makes my day more exciting.

For every task that you’re not looking forward to doing, set a reward for yourself at the finish line.

For example, if you’re dreading writing a report, tell yourself you’ll watch an episode of your favorite sitcom after you’re done with work.

This gives your brain an incentive to act and makes you look forward to ticking off your goals.

Here are some reward ideas you can use as motivation:

A long bath
A snack that you love
Youtube surfing
Watching a 20-minute episode of a sitcom
Reading your favorite book
Quick self-care session
A power nap
Calling your best friend

4. Get Rid Of Your Fear of Failing

Fear of not succeeding, of not being good enough, or of creating mediocre results holds us back from achieving major goals in life.

But here is a simple reminder that might help you get over this fear:

You can’t fail at something you haven’t even started yet.

It’s very easy to get swept under the waves of fear, but I’m telling you – Failure is not the worst thing that can happen to you.

Not getting started is the real roadblock that stands between you and your dream life.

Yet, we forget this simple logic and sit quietly while waiting for the fear to subside. But unless we actively work on this problem, it won’t come to pass.

woman holding a mug to her cheek, wearing tilted glasses, thinking how to stop procrastinating

Here are some tips to overcome your fear of failing:

Work on your self-confidence
Accept that failure is a part of life
Make lessons out of your failures
Build habits of self-love
Be comfortable with trying
Don’t indulge in negative thoughts
Encourage positive thinking

5. Discard The All-or-Nothing Mentality

If you have a mentality to either do it all or do nothing, it might be time to ditch it. This thing might be affecting your performance more than you realize.

Think of it like this: A house is built by laying the foundation first, and then the rest of the construction takes place.

How crazy would it be if we tried creating the walls and the roof without laying the foundation first? The house would never be built, and then we’d be homeless.

Your imperfect work is the foundation of your future excellence.

Don’t try to get to the end of the race without even crossing the start line, because that’s just not possible.

The ideal thing to do is to start small, and then build big!

I understand this is easier said than done; some of us are just not wired to be imperfections. But it’s a habit that needs to go.

I often put off writing my posts because I want everything to be excellent. But unless I put aside my need to be perfect, I rarely start writing.

You can always add on, edit, and delete your mistakes later.

But first – get started. It’s the best advice I can give you on how to stop procrastinating.

6. Do The Unpleasant Tasks Early In The Day

This is a piece of golden advice that I’ve recently started implementing, and it’s helped me simplify my routines to a great extent.

If you have a tendency to delay your tasks until the very end of the day, it’s a good idea to get them done early on in the day.

If you leave unpleasant things pending for the later parts of the day, there’s a good chance you might not end up doing them.

And the worse thing that happens here is that we spend the whole day dreading doing that task.

That’s why, in the mornings, I work out as soon as I wake up. This puts me in an instant good mood because I feel like I’ve achieved a lot by getting over my laziness when it comes to exercising.

So, start your days by doing whatever you procrastinate the most.

You’ll feel amazing for the rest of the day, which will bring more productivity into your life.

7. Focus On Your Breaths

Everything in our life is connected to our breaths.

A hard workout can be turned into the easiest thing in the world by focusing on your breathing. The tension in your body can be resolved through breathing.

In fact, a lot of problems can be tackled by the power of deep breaths, including our bad old friend procrastination.

So, whenever you catch yourself procrastinating a task, sit back, relax, and tune into your breathing.

Keep your eyes closed, focus on the sensations in your body, and tune out the voice that stops you from acting upon your plans.

This will instantly relax you, rid you of your root causes of procrastination, and make you feel in control of your actions.

After this, there will be no space for stress, anxiety, and overwhelming thoughts.

Here is a mindfulness meditation video you can use as a guide:

8. Let Go of Past Procrastination

Many times, you might find yourself avoiding doing a task because you dislike how far you’ve put it off.

We feel disappointed in ourselves and a distorted thought appears as a result –

‘I’ve already put this off this long, a few minutes more won’t hurt.’

Before you know it, a few minutes turn into hours. Hours turn into days, and…you get the picture.

This has to stop.

You can’t move forward in life if you’re constantly looking back. It’s not a healthy mindset and will hold you back from attaining your true potential.

The one thing you can do at this very moment to beat procrastination let go of your guilt regarding tasks you’ve put off so far.

This needs to be done for a stress-free mind space, and to be happier in your present moment.

Once you are focused on your present and not looking over your shoulder, it’ll be easier to focus on the tasks at hand and tick them off.

9. Use Affirmations To Motivate Yourself

Remember how I told you that lack of motivation can be a big factor in procrastinating? Affirmations might be the simplest and quickest solution to this problem.

Positive, inspiring, and uplifting affirmations can be amazing to motivate yourself. These are words that you need to imbibe, believe in, and start living by.

Whenever I feel drained but have some chore that demands to be finished, I write down something like “This is easy peasy; I got this.”

And trust me, it makes a ton of difference to my energies.

You can write your own motivational words, or refer to the affirmations in the next section.

Speak the words out loud, realize how true they are, and use them to get your tiny and big tasks done.

Related Posts:

Affirmations To Beat Procrastination

I have penned down 20 affirmations for you to beat procrastination like a pro. Write them in your journal, or scribble them on a piece of paper to keep in your sight.

I am in charge of my actions.
I am not scared to fail.
I have what it takes to win.
My future self will thank me for finishing my tasks.
I give myself permission to be imperfect.
The best time to act is now.
I believe in myself, fully and wholly.
I have everything I need.
I’ll take things one step at a time.
Today is a new day, a new beginning, and I plan on making it beautiful.
My dedication is my strongest asset. It exists within me, I just need to tap into it.
Nothing is stronger than the power of actions.
Something is better than nothing, always.
I won’t focus on the end, instead, I’ll make my journey memorable and learn from it.
I will breeze past this.
I am awesome, and nobody can tell me otherwise.
I can do anything I put my mind to.
I am aware of how alive I am.
Every plan I chase will reward me seven times more when I finish it.
I can, I am, and I will.

It’s Time To Stop Thinking And Start Doing

Procrastination is just an uppity word for some bad habits we’re all guilty of – being perfectionists, feeling discomfort from the unknown, being scared of failing, and lacking motivation.

But once you bring this word down to something you understand, it doesn’t seem so daunting anymore.

Don’t let procrastination overpower your life. You’re much bigger than your fears and hesitations.

Here is a quick summary of the tips on how to stop procrastinating:

Write down your plans
Use the 5-second rule to get moving
Reward yourself
Get rid of your fear of failing
Discourage your all-or-nothing mentality
Start your day with unpleasant tasks
Focus on your breaths
Let go of your past procrastination
Use affirmations to motivate yourself

Hope these strategies help you the way they’ve helped me so far in my journey to get rid of procrastination.

In case you have any questions or suggestions for me, feel free to drop a comment down below. I’m always up for a good chat.

How To Stop Procrastinating – 9 Best Ways To Get Things Done