Procrastination. Perhaps one of the worst things to ever plague the human mind. It is a serious threat that affects millions every day. Procrastination doesn’t just affect you though. It can affect your friends, family, and your job. There are many reasons why it happens and how, but there are luckily many solutions to navigating procrastination. Plus, it helps you with time management and getting through your day as a productive person.
Then in 2020, a devastating plague encroached on the world. Many had to work from home while in quarantine. This led to a downward spiral for many people across the world. How does one get the motivation to work? What causes it? How do I overcome it? These are all excellent questions that will be answered below.
The most important you need to know is that procrastination is not a problem with time management, but rather, it deals with your emotions. The problem is separating procrastination from your work schedule. Solving this will get you into a better and more productive groove.
What Causes Time Management Procrastination?
The big problem with time management and procrastination is that there is no one-way ticket to solving the actual problem. Multiple people often use things like schedules and time management tools to keep them on track. But what if that doesn’t work for you?
Well, for starters, don’t waste time looking for a time management tool or researching what device would help you with procrastination. To get out of a rut, you have to push yourself forward. But, how does one do it?
First, write down everything you need to get done. Of course, make sure that it is written in a way that you can follow easily. It may feel like a lot in your mind, but writing it all down can help you visualize what you need to get done.
Now, a common myth about procrastination is that it is laziness. It is not. It’s simply the lack of tools at your disposal or even too many tools at your disposal. Procrastination can settle in for a myriad of reasons and they vary from person to person. But again, this is an emotional problem, thus, you need to know what is going on inside your head.
What to Learn from Procrastination
How does procrastination affect time management? Well, learning the why is important. Once you know the WHY, you can learn HOW to stave it off. Procrastination happens because of emotional and psychological issues. Below are some of the most common reasons. How many have you had?
The Fear of Failure
Perhaps the biggest one on the list, the fear of failure is a hinder for many. Fear can make you go into flight or fight mode. Or even just frozen with procrastination. Having a lack of confidence, training, and other such things can lead to fear.
Is It Worth It?
Sometimes, you just are not interested or motivated to work on the task at hand. To you, it may not feel like it is worth your time.
You Are Overextended
Having another task to the pile can get frustrating, leaving you to being buried with responsibilities.
You Are a Perfectionist
You may be someone who sets your standards high. Or, you want to make sure everything is absolutely perfect. But, if you don’t have the specific resources at your disposal, then you will be jaded.
No Start
Sometimes, the hardest thing one can do is start something. You may have a task that you can complete, but there are so many ways to go about it, that you just don’t know where to start.
How Procrastination Affects Your Time
Procrastination is something that you can’t just beat like a disease. It is something you have to fight against, sometimes, a lot.
In order to keep procrastination at bay, use some of these tips and tricks to keep you busy.
- Set a timer for thirty minutes of work. Work on what you need to do for that amount of time. Afterward, think about how it made you feel. Can you keep going? Should you work on something else? While that is your question to answer, you are still chipping away at your work.
- Be in a place that makes you comfortable when you work.
- Breakdown the task into several smaller tasks.
- Learn what your energy patterns are and try to work when you are more energetic.
- Take a break in between your work for about ten minutes.
- Reward yourself when you compete your task.
Conclusion
It is said that it takes 21 days to build up a habit. About one month. Now that you know how procrastination affects time management, use the tips above for 21 days. See if that can help you make your goals.
Procrastination affects the best of us and our time management. It may seem like there is too much time and too little of it. As long as you navigate your procrastination in a healthy manner, you can do it! Remember, you are not alone in this. Reach out to friends and family to help you.
