Art of procrastination, and how not to master it! [7/10 Time Management]

If I have to pick one t-shirt I do not own (yet), it will be this.

Procrastination is a common challenge, especially in fast-paced and demanding workplace. While it may seem like a mere bad habit, procrastination is deeply rooted in our psychology and can significantly impact productivity and mental well-being.

Why do we procrastinate?

One of my friends used to say "don't solve all the problems right away, if you wait long enough, half of them will go away on their own". The problem is, we don't know which half! As we tackle "do it later" attitude in the context of time management, it's important to acknowledge that, it is not just about poor time management or laziness. It's a complex psychological behavior often driven by fear, anxiety, and a lack of motivation. Here are some key factors that contribute to procrastination:

1. Fear of Failure: The fear of not meeting expectations of others, and more importantly "yours".
2. Perfectionism: Setting unrealistically high standards can result in delaying tasks to avoid imperfect results. Perfect is the enemy of good.
3. Immediate Gratification: Our brains are wired to seek immediate pleasure, which can make it difficult to start tasks that don't offer instant rewards.

Not all procrastination is bad. Perfectly okay to apply it to not-important / not urgent, but too often it's applied to important / not-urgent and it can cost us long term benefits.

How do we cheat it to beat it!

Here are a few strategies to apply to cheat your brain:

• Break Tasks into Smaller Steps: If it's comes in small bites, it's usually tasty.
• Set Short, Realistic Deadlines: Bring a sense of urgency and the task you have broken in the small chunk, get it done quickly
• Use Positive Reinforcement: Reward yourself for completing tasks. Delay the coffee break by 5-10 mins, so when you finish something, you tell your brain that the coffee is the reward it's getting for a job well done)
• Gamify it: Our brain craves for small wins. If you do a hard task you have been trying not to do, your brain will itself give you a "badge".

Personal example?

Look no further than this article and the article series itself. Friday evening 7 pm. Not a time to write a long form article. Or is it? I can tell myself that I am doing something important but not urgent, but I feel good doing it today than on Monday. Because Monday will bring it's own demons.

Or this tree doodle I got done last week, one leaf at a time over a period of 3 days.. and doesn't it look good when finished?

So today is better than later!

How about you?

What strategies have you found effective in overcoming procrastination? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.