Procrastination: Self-Inflicted Injury

Procrastination, the worst enemy of our lives. A delayed response to something on being productive when instead we become like couch potatoes. In reality, we have all been there, maybe some of us are going through it right now, laying down, scrolling through social media when we know we have something on our to-do list waiting for us. It’s a tragedy where we ruin, we kill our potential and our ambition in striving for greatness. Why is it that many of us struggle with procrastination? Let’s find out!

Procrastination is often referred to as an action of delaying a task that needs to be done, until the last minute. It is something that many of us can have a hard time dealing with it. Many students, and 20% of adults unwillingly engage in this act. For example, I am also guilty of suffering from procrastination. Usually it’s a matter of staying in the comfort zone, and avoiding a task which seems to be very uncomfortable for us, which these delayed responses, can lead to some serious consequences if not taken care of.

The answers may vary, sometimes it’s because many individuals suffer from perfectionism, where if one task isn’t done perfectly from start to finish, we postpone it, because we know our performance won’t meet the criteria of perfectionism we have set up in our heads. Many other times it’s because they may find the task to be done to be so challenging so we constantly delay the task and finish it at the last second. If procrastination is prolonged for a while, we will feel guilty, increased stress, poor impulse control, because we are not doing something that needs to be done, and we can only go so far on avoiding it before there comes a time to face the task.

The first step in overcoming this problem is identifying it, realizing that if we keep on delaying our tasks it can result in serious consequences. Sometimes, it’s not because we are lazy, but because we may be going through a time where our mental state may not be at its best. But there are ways where we can get out of this situation. Firstly, understand that sometimes, it’s okay to have a “lazy day” as studies have shown that it can be a great way for our brains to have a recharging process, by just laying in bed for most of our day. Now, in the era where our attention spans are getting shorter, is dissecting big projects, onto smaller things, because the reason why we keep delaying work is because its size seems colossal which results in us avoiding the task, so start early so you’ll have room to take small steps on finishing your work. Another great way is, to have a “reward” system in your mind while working, where after you’ll have this task done, you’ll treat yourself for the hard work, and the time spent focusing on something, it can be a 10 minute break of you scrolling through social media, or anything else that lets you relax. But be cautious, as if not being careful about it, you may overdo the “reward” and find yourself right back procrastinating. Again, it’s normal to have times or days like where we feel lazy, but the fact of the matter is to avoid bringing it to the point where it disrupts our daily lives. It’s never about perfection, it’s about starting small, building momentum, and most importantly, be kind to yourself.