Procrastination is the habit of delaying tasks despite being aware of the long-term negative impacts it could have. Whilst everyone is guilty of this at some point of their life, habitual procrastinators tend to struggle with self-control and lack motivation.
The common reasons why we procrastinate include the belief that we will not enjoy the task we have to complete therefore we delay a task to avoid making ourselves unhappy. Similarly, we may believe we won't perform well in a task- this low self-esteem reduces our levels of motivation and causes us to leave a task to the last minute and sometimes even past a deadline
In addition, we may procrastinate due to the present bias. This means we feel more motivated to complete a task where we receive immediate rewards rather than long-term rewards. This is why procrastination often feels good in the moment, for instance, watching television gives immediate joy rather than completing an essay which may not give satisfaction until the results are received.
Procrastination can have several negative impacts on our lives. For example, it can lead to lower academic performance and is linked to high levels of stress. In extreme cases, it may lead to insomnia, muscle tension, and digestive problems.
We can prevent procrastination by splitting complex tasks into smaller ones and realistically deciding when to do them. This will ensure the task is less overwhelming and much more manageable.
Also, optimizing your environment can help improve productivity. Technology can be distracting and being stuck in an environment you find stressful will only mean you'd avoid a task- therefore, balancing your leisure and work time as well as finding a comfortable working space is important in preventing procrastination.
Tackling procrastination is not an easy task, however, even small changes to tackle it can be effective. By focusing on the long-term benefits of the task we have at hand, it will become easier to improve our time management skills leading to overall greater satisfaction.
