The Oxford dictionary definition of procrastination: the action of delaying or postponing something. My definition of procrastination: the let's-put-off-important-stuff-until-we-stress-cry game. They're both pretty accurate, but no matter what situation you're in; procrastination probably won't do you any good.
Procrastination is like a one night stand; at the time you're thinking well, what the hell? with a little bit of regret, but afterwards all that regret is pelted at you full throttle. To be honest, I'd much rather that than do my assignments. Stress crying sounds like way more fun than stupid algebra and scientific equations. I will never need that in my life!
I'm procrastinating by writing this post; I should be studying and writing book reviews. But MISCELLANEOUS FRIDAY posts are always so much more fun. This, my friend, is procrastination at its finest.
Procrastination is simply a really bad habit that needs to be broken, and while habits are hard to get out of it's certainly not impossible.
Sometimes all you need is a little push to acknowledge everything that needs doing. You might have been procrastinating to avoid letting all the work you have to do sink in. If you face the fact that there are important tasks in need of completion, it might help put things in perspective. Having said that, your to-do list might seem quite daunting - but that's okay! You'll get through it!
If things get to be too much, try stepping back from the situation and examining it from a positive perspective. If you're constantly saying this like I'll never get this crap done, then it's much more likely that you'll do just that because you don't have a positive outlook on it. I do this all the time, and it really doesn't help. Being positive about the things you've got to do helps you work better.
Reward yourself! If you need extra motivation, set a reward for yourself at the end of each task or once you've completed all the tasks. Something as simple as a DIY facial or piece of chocolate could do the trick and help keep you positive.
When it comes to actually completing tasks; things like schoolwork, applying for jobs, cleaning, writing blog posts, you need a good atmosphere to work in. Like your own personal study tree that Rory has in one episode of Gilmore Girls. A comfortable, relaxed work space really helps to keep you focused and actually in the mood to work. If it's too loud, crowded, or uncomfortable then you won't actually want to work. Give the room a quick tidy, light a scented candle, just do something that will make you more likely to work well. Maybe go to a library to study!
Sometimes it's not your where you are that affects you, but who you're with. You don't have to be with these people while you're working, but their attitude affects you and you might not know it. Those negative people, you know the ones. You're a great worker, but the people you hang out with can influence you into doing things with a negative attitude. This doesn't do you any good, trust me. Sometimes you've just got to ignore the bad influences from bad people. Most of the time, these people aren't bad, but they don't have any motivation. If you've got motivation, don't let other's lack of that get you down.
Being wary of negativity is all well and good, but sometimes beating procrastination is as simple as writing a list. A to-do list means you know exactly what you've got to get done. You can take it one step further and write up a much more detailed time table if that works better for you. Sometimes keeping track of everything can be a form of motivation in itself!
Keeping track of things is great, but it can also be really sucky and lead to being overwhelmed. To prevent that sickly feeling, take a break. A small ten minute break from all the things you've been trying to do and just relax. After that break, hopefully your mind will be a little clearer and you'll be ready to do this shit. If you're still feeling overwhelmed about the things you've got to get done, try completing one task at a time; kinda like climbing one rung on a ladder at a time. Starting with the smaller less important tasks can actually be a really good thing! They put you in the right frame of mind for the more daunting tasks, and plus if you do a lot of little tasks on your list it still means you've done a lot.
All in all, procrastination is definitely annoying, but definitely not impossible to beat. It just takes a little bit of motivation and focus, and less Youtube 'n' sitting around. I'm having trouble with avoiding the latter two, but I'm sure that we can all kick procrastination's butt.
~Au Revoir!~
Procrastination is like a one night stand; at the time you're thinking well, what the hell? with a little bit of regret, but afterwards all that regret is pelted at you full throttle. To be honest, I'd much rather that than do my assignments. Stress crying sounds like way more fun than stupid algebra and scientific equations. I will never need that in my life!
I'm procrastinating by writing this post; I should be studying and writing book reviews. But MISCELLANEOUS FRIDAY posts are always so much more fun. This, my friend, is procrastination at its finest.
Procrastination is simply a really bad habit that needs to be broken, and while habits are hard to get out of it's certainly not impossible.
Sometimes all you need is a little push to acknowledge everything that needs doing. You might have been procrastinating to avoid letting all the work you have to do sink in. If you face the fact that there are important tasks in need of completion, it might help put things in perspective. Having said that, your to-do list might seem quite daunting - but that's okay! You'll get through it!
If things get to be too much, try stepping back from the situation and examining it from a positive perspective. If you're constantly saying this like I'll never get this crap done, then it's much more likely that you'll do just that because you don't have a positive outlook on it. I do this all the time, and it really doesn't help. Being positive about the things you've got to do helps you work better.
Reward yourself! If you need extra motivation, set a reward for yourself at the end of each task or once you've completed all the tasks. Something as simple as a DIY facial or piece of chocolate could do the trick and help keep you positive.
When it comes to actually completing tasks; things like schoolwork, applying for jobs, cleaning, writing blog posts, you need a good atmosphere to work in. Like your own personal study tree that Rory has in one episode of Gilmore Girls. A comfortable, relaxed work space really helps to keep you focused and actually in the mood to work. If it's too loud, crowded, or uncomfortable then you won't actually want to work. Give the room a quick tidy, light a scented candle, just do something that will make you more likely to work well. Maybe go to a library to study!
Sometimes it's not your where you are that affects you, but who you're with. You don't have to be with these people while you're working, but their attitude affects you and you might not know it. Those negative people, you know the ones. You're a great worker, but the people you hang out with can influence you into doing things with a negative attitude. This doesn't do you any good, trust me. Sometimes you've just got to ignore the bad influences from bad people. Most of the time, these people aren't bad, but they don't have any motivation. If you've got motivation, don't let other's lack of that get you down.
Being wary of negativity is all well and good, but sometimes beating procrastination is as simple as writing a list. A to-do list means you know exactly what you've got to get done. You can take it one step further and write up a much more detailed time table if that works better for you. Sometimes keeping track of everything can be a form of motivation in itself!
Keeping track of things is great, but it can also be really sucky and lead to being overwhelmed. To prevent that sickly feeling, take a break. A small ten minute break from all the things you've been trying to do and just relax. After that break, hopefully your mind will be a little clearer and you'll be ready to do this shit. If you're still feeling overwhelmed about the things you've got to get done, try completing one task at a time; kinda like climbing one rung on a ladder at a time. Starting with the smaller less important tasks can actually be a really good thing! They put you in the right frame of mind for the more daunting tasks, and plus if you do a lot of little tasks on your list it still means you've done a lot.
All in all, procrastination is definitely annoying, but definitely not impossible to beat. It just takes a little bit of motivation and focus, and less Youtube 'n' sitting around. I'm having trouble with avoiding the latter two, but I'm sure that we can all kick procrastination's butt.
~Au Revoir!~
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