How to Overcome Procrastination: Strategies for Taking Action and Achieving Goals
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Procrastination is a dirty word in many environments (work, school, home, etc.) and none of us wants to admit that we sometimes (or many times) give in to it.
Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing something. It comes from the Latin pro (forward, forth, or in favor of) and crastinus (of tomorrow).
We all try to stop procrastinating by delegating, removing tasks from the to do list, rationalizing their perceived importance, or facing the consequences of scrambling to meet deadlines.
There are many reasons why we procrastinate. For example, we may think the task at hand will make us less happy. We underestimate how long the job will take. Or what we want to do does not have a clear deadline. Forbes has an insightful article exploring the reasons behind procrastination.
This quote from Adam Grant brought me to a halt and made me realize the true reason why I procrastinate on activities that are important to me: “the task you’re putting off isn’t always the one you hate. It might be the one you fear. The one that’s worth pursuing.”
I confess to procrastinating on projects that are significant to me, particularly those that seemed intimidating at the time.
Procrastination, in a way, aligns with our mind’s instinct to prioritize safety and avoid risks or stepping outside our comfort zone. I say, not anymore! Procrastination stops here.
“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” – Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter and sculptor
Here are five strategies I use to overcome procrastination.
1) Identify your most productive time and tackle demanding tasks first
In the book Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy, the author introduces the concept of ‘eating the frog’ – addressing your most challenging task first, the one that could have the highest impact on your goals.
The specific time for this depends on whether you are a morning, late morning, or evening person.
Being a morning person, I prioritize impactful activities early to break the inertia of inaction and establish a productive rhythm.
“The hardest part of any important task is getting started on it in the first place. Once you actually begin work on a valuable task, you seem to be naturally motivated to continue.” – Brian Tracy, American motivational speaker and writer
2) Acknowledge the fear
When on the brink of a breakthrough, I experience an “OMG, this is real!” moment that scares the bejesus out of me to the point of interrupting my flow. I learned that this is a normal reaction.
During such moments, I take a short break, breathe, and come back to my center. I then focus on the very next step: the next line to read or write, the next document to open, etc.
The more we increase our awareness, the less frequent we have to break our flow because of fear. Consistent practice is key.
“The task you’re putting off isn’t always the one you hate. It might be the one you fear. The one that’s worth pursuing.” – Adam Grant, American writer and Psychology professor in the Wharton School
3) Take consistent manageable steps towards your goal
Consistent action is like compound interest where new actions build on prior ones until exponential growth occurs.
My journey to a work promotion began five years before its realization. I am a natural learner and achiever, so I am an avid reader, I set goals, and I am constantly looking for ways to improve.
When I was selected to participate in my first leadership development program at work, I became more strategic in my approach to self-development. Every Saturday morning, I had a meeting with myself for about one hour, where I would review my development plan, track progress, and prioritize the actions I had set for myself.
I did not see any relevant changes in the first few months, and I kept going. When someone senior to me on my team retired the following year, I was ready and took on her responsibilities. I was once more managing a team, this time of more senior people. What I had been working on every Saturday morning started to click and I saw some progress. I did not stop. Each job I got afterwards had increased scope until I officially got the promotion to the level I had already been operating at.
“Doing just a little bit during the time we have available puts you that much further ahead than if we took no action at all.” Unknown
4) Set a deadline
Projects without defined deadlines foster procrastination. We tend to think there is more time to accomplish them, so we are more likely to put off the work entirely.
A few years ago, my blood test results made me realize that I needed to change my eating habits and shed a few pounds. I gave myself four months to lose weight. That meant that I had to start on day 1 (of 120) if I wanted to meet my deadline. Without a due date, I would not have started any immediate action as my brain would have thought “why rush? we have plenty of time.”
“You may delay, but time will not.” – Benjamin Franklin, American Founding Father, postmaster, scientist, inventor, and diplomat
5) Consider a minimum viable product
This is a popular concept in the software development world. It means that the first iteration of a product or service may not have all the bells and whistles. It will be good enough to make it available to users who will provide feedback that, in turn, will be incorporated in the following versions.
When I began writing articles, they were basic, with minimal formatting. Learning and incorporating feedback over time improved content, format, and flow.
This approach allowed me to learn, share relevant content, and experience a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Otherwise, I would still be “learning” and “preparing” to have a perfect article every time… unpublished!
“The desire for perfection often leads to the awakening of the Procrasdemon. Allowing yourself to make mistakes is the single most effective way to get rid of it.” – Neeraj Agnihotri, from the book Procrasdemon – The Artist’s Guide to Liberation From Procrastination
One more thing before you go
Procrastination serves as yet another defense mechanism our brain employs to ensure our safety and survival.
The good news is that we can override that program by consistently taking action even small steps. Over time, these actions build on each other and before we know it, we have made it to that next milestone in our journey.
We will procrastinate. When it happens take the opportunity to discover the reasons, so you can identify that “big” thing that is about to happen and is putting fear in your heart. That “big” thing may transform your life. For this reason, the brain is on high alert and will do whatever it takes to keep you from that transformation.
What project or goal is the most important to you and you are procrastinating out of fear? Please, let us know in the comments.
As a leadership coach, I enable talent to achieve bold goals with high standards. My mission is to empower underrepresented women in the financial industry transition from mid to senior level leadership positions using mental fitness to achieve peak performance, peace of mind, and healthier relationships.