How to stop procrastination ?

It’s easy to come up with great excuses to put it off until the next day. No time, no desire, no courage. Yet procrastinating can put us in difficult situations. Discover our tips for finally doing things at the right time … and finding satisfaction!

Invoices are piling up on the desk, supplies are still waiting to be purchased on the eve of the start of the school year, this already urgent work file is becoming hot. No matter how hard you try, you can’t anticipate. As a result, you act in a hurry, sometimes in a hurry… with generally a good dose of stress to the key. This attitude has a name: procrastination. The adage is true, however. “We must not put off until the next day what we can do the same day ”.

Fortunately, it is possible to get rid of this bad habit and stop being a chronic procrastinator. Are we all potential procrastinators? While some are more likely than others, in the office or in their personal life, to procrastinate, at one time or another we all drag our feet to accomplish a task. Different explanations for this.

Procrastination: why do we put off until tomorrow?

First, it is a human reaction, quite simply. We enjoy, we have fun, we relax. It is quite normal not to want to sit at your desk to work or take out the brooms to do the housework. Problems arise when this attitude spreads and becomes a real brake on everyday life. This tendency can be a sign of difficulty concentrating, lack of self-confidence, poor planning of tasks, a habit of always relying on others, a fear of failure. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, chronic procrastinators would also have a different brain from others, especially in the prefrontal cortex. Basically, it is not really their fault … Which does not prevent however from trying to improve!

Why should we stop procrastinating?

At the moment, we think that postponing until tomorrow allows us to take advantage of the present moment. We repeat like a mantra: “I have time!”. In reality, this trend is not without consequences because:

  • You are wasting time to achieve your goals. By constantly pushing back deadlines, you risk losing your chance.
  • You may also miss opportunities and stagnate indefinitely in your projects, at work or at home.
  • Your reputation will take a hit! This is particularly true in the office where you risk thinking in the long run that you are not reliable.
  • You don’t get to the end of things and you get in trouble.

Our guide and tips to stop procrastinating

The hardest part will be to initiate the change in your habits. First, ask yourself about your tendency to procrastinate and the reasons that push you to postpone everything. An essential starting point before you start which will allow you to break down the bolts that block you.
You will then have to work on self-discipline, even if it means completely reviewing your daily organization. Take the time to make a list of the things you consistently push back and don’t set yourself a goal too high to begin with.

You are not going to change your habits overnight, but rather one step at a time! The goal will be to make a list of your priorities and then to plan the different tasks you need to accomplish and everything you need to get them done. Ask yourself the right questions: “Why is this task important? Why will it benefit me? What is the risk in constantly postponing this task? ”. The answers to this last question can obviously be very varied.

Continuously delaying a sports session recommended by your doctor can have repercussions on your health, putting off a file until the next day can have consequences on your career. Also stop being negative. There is no point in telling yourself that you have no will, that you are good or bad, that nothing matters. You are able to change!

The ideal is even to do a back-planning which precisely details the different stages in order to have a precise and detailed plan. Most importantly, set deadlines and try to stick to them at all costs by eliminating all sources of distraction.

Procrastinating isn’t always a bad thing!

If we have given you a series of tips to stop procrastinating, it is important to remember that the unexpected and pleasure are the spice of life. As long as your tendency to procrastinate has no harmful effects on your daily life and you know how to dose it, there is no need to torture yourself. Changing the cat litter, sweeping under the couch, buying apple juice, playing sports, all of this CAN wait. No need to pollute your mind and start making a to-do list and schedule for everything.

Our selection of books to stop procrastinating

The theme has almost become a social issue, and books on procrastination have flourished in bookstores in recent years. From John Perry’s cult guide to more practical books with exercises and concrete solutions, here is our selection of books for die-hard procrastinators.

  • I stop procrastinating! : 21 days to stop putting everything off until the next day (Diane Ballonad Rolland, Eyrolles, 2016). An ideal book for setting goals.
  • 50 exercises to stop procrastinating (Jacques Regard, Eyrolles, 2018). A book full of advice and exercises to apply on a daily basis.
  • Procrastination: The art of procrastinating until tomorrow (John Perry, Éditions Autrement, 2018) A bible on the subject!
  • Procrastination: 15 magic minutes to finally move forward! (Swana Leitner, Mango, 2019)
  • Procrastinator Survival Manual: Stop procrastinating by being productive and organized today. (Adam Fartassi, Penserchanger.com, 2017)
  • Procrastination, the enemy of efficiency: 10 habits to stop procrastinating everything until tomorrow (Christian Dubois, auto edition, 2019.Available on Amazon)

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