Overcoming Procrastination: Tips For Overcoming Procrastination


by MattR - Date: 2007-05-05 - Word Count: 622 Share This!

Procrastination, is a behavior or habit of waiting until the last minute or putting off completing a task. Procrastination can become a major issue to overcome in your personal and professional life. Added stress, overwhelmed, never having enough time, guilt, feeling that life is passing you by, and missing opportunities are just a few of the long list of symptoms. Through this article, we are wanting to explain the major causes and how to completely overcome procrastination with some simple ideas to practice.

First, the thought process of having to do something is the first major factor in procrastinating. Telling yourself that "you have to do this" or "you have to complete that task". In all reality, you are feeling forced into completing a task, which is automatically adding displeasure and wanting to disobey. So the result is very easy, and procrastination slowly creeps in as a defense mechanism for not wanting to feel the pressure or force of completing a certain task.

So the solution is first to start mentally blocking the fact that you are not being forced to do anything. You are a free person with a choice to do anything you want, even if there is some major consequences, it's still a choice that we all have. All the different choices you choose through your life's journey has gotten you to where you are now. And your free to continue making any kind of choice to change where you are heading and will be in down the road.

But, about this, there are some areas in your life that you do not procrastinate at all. This area is different for everyone, but for some it could be spending time with a spouse, checking your email, or paying bills on time. The honest truth is the worst procrastintor still overcomes procrastination in some areas of his or her life. What it boils down to is the choice is yours. When it comes to starting that really hard project or that task that you just dread thinking about starting it, it's that whole feeling of "I have to do it". Start looking at things differently and start choosing do things on your free will, and always remember your free to do whatever you choose.

The next new idea for overcoming procrastination is what some call "time box". This concept is taking a large task and braking it into a smaller task over a period of time. For example, you have a task that will take you several hours of work, so you start off with working on the project or task for 30 minutes, and after that 30 minutes is up you reward yourself immediately after completing the 30 minutes of work. Whatever is enjoyable to you, some it could be taking a break, and walking around, watching tv, just relaxing, get a snack, etc. This is a great idea because what ends up happening is that you work in a lot of short spans, but your focus shifts to the reward after the work, that you will soon find that your working well over 30 minutes to complete the task. This is a great way to dive into some really hard task, and no matter how much you did not want to do it, you quickly find yourself thinking about that reward and the 30 minutes is up already.

I hope this article has informed you on how to overcome procrastination and a little more information of what causes procrastination. Understanding procrastination and what it's associated with is the first step in overcoming procrastination. Remember one simple way to overcome procrastination is simply start adding pleasure and declining the pain that is associated to a unwant or difficult task.

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Break Procrastination is a resource that goes more in depth into the causes and effects of procrastination. Additionally it includes a great plan for Overcoming the Habit of Procrastination.

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