I'll do it later

"I'll do it later."

How often you use this phrase is a significant deciding factor of your bank balance, relationships, credibility, status in society, education levels and much more.??

I will do it later, is one powerful phrase that can literally make or break your future.?

Avoiding work till the eleventh hour is known as “Procrastination” and is an inborn human quality. According to research, 95% of humans procrastinate tasks at hand on a day-to-day basis.?

Procrastinating tasks might help you get away once or twice, but sooner you would hear yourself saying, “Wish I did it earlier.”?

What is procrastination??

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing an activity. In layman's terms, you are to delay a task at hand.?

I, however, will delineate it as “The conscious and intended postponement of action”.?

Procrastination is a mindful action to deliberately postpone; it is human nature. It is a deliberate activity where you choose to do something else instead of the task that you know you should be doing.?

This usually involves ignoring a task that is unwelcomed in favour of one that is more enjoyable or liked.?

However, caving in to this urge can have severe consequences. Most likely, it can lead to lowered productivity or cause us to miss out on accomplishing our goals.?

Looking for ways to stop procrastinating? Get in Touch?

Why do we Procrastinate??

A widely conducted research suggests that the reason we procrastinate is not laziness or being unmotivated. It is but the fact that we do not feel positive emotions when we think about the task ahead.??

So, having an app on your phone or keeping a daily planner will not help with procrastinating. It is a lot less to do with your self-discipline and a lot more to do with your happiness levels!?

When the task on hand gives us negative emotions (for example: scared, anxious, overwhelmed, angry, miserable, or bored), we tend to push it as far away as possible, unless and until we have to face it (probably before a deadline).?

So, is Procrastinating Bad??

Well, procrastination only delivers short term consolation to stress and anxiety, ultimately making it worse in the long run. It also tends to reduce levels of motivation or self-control.?

When we procrastinate due to hostile feelings towards a specific assignment, we get hooked on receiving short-term happiness. Hence, we end up opting to prolong this feeling as long as possible and regularly. This then becomes a habit.?

This is concerning because it keeps you perforated in a cycle of negative and semi-positive sentiments rather than allowing you to work through them.?

What can we do to stop procrastinating??

• Be aware.?

Figure out which tasks gives you negative emotions.?

Identify which tasks cause you to feel gloomy and the reason behind them. Is it about a specific project or a task that makes feel you are incapable of completing??

• Plan.?

Avoid doing tasks randomly and prepare a strategy.?

Once you have figured out which task is a priority and which can be done later, it gets easier in completing them on time. Getting things that you are not keen on doing as soon as possible allows you to feel accomplished on completion.?

• Rid distractions.?

Discard anything that bolsters procrastination.?

The tougher to engross in procrastination, the less likely you are to do so. Because it will take a lot of effort. So, diminish the probability of procrastinating by dismissing anything that might trigger.?

• Do not stress.?

Stressing too much to be productive can cause you to procrastinate.?

If you follow the first 4 steps, it is easy for you to notice particular patterns of you procrastinating. Once you find yourself procrastinating, do not dread or start to beat yourself. Take a short break and forgive yourself for it. Being too rigorous about your productivity regime will do a lot more harm than benefit.?

Finally,

Procrastination is about so much more than lack of self-control.??

You are now aware that procrastination is not just a simple trap you fall into because you are lazy or lack motivation. It is much more than that!?

Remember to be forgiving to yourself and not pressure yourself too much. It is OK to procrastinate from time to time. Just do not get stuck into a vicious circle.

Also read:?

Importance of strategic advice in business.??

9 tips to be more innovative at Work

Passion, not stress, makes people more productive.?

?About Author:?

Ravijeet (Ravi) is a Managing Director of?Iotasol?and also, an award-winning digital strategist known for his out-of-the-box revenue building strategies and commitment to helping his partners achieve significant cost savings. Ravi has worked across Europe, South East Asia, and Australia for global brands such as DHL, FIFA, and Fuji Xerox until he found his tech start-up, a state-of-the-art inventory control management software system.?

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