10 top tips to combat procrastination
If you experience procrastination, you are not alone.
Studies suggest 15–25% of adults consider procrastination a significant problem in their daily lives and 80–95% of people report they procrastinate sometimes.
What is procrastination and why do we do it?
Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing important tasks and replacing them with less important or more enjoyable tasks.
People tend to procrastinate when the task feels unclear, overwhelming, difficult, boring, or when they have a fear of failure.
Instead, the brain opts for something that feels better or safer such as scrolling social media, checking email, tidying a desk – anything that is easier and more immediately rewarding.
The procrastination cycle
However, procrastination creates a cycle. You delay a task, feel guilty about delaying it, which makes the task feel even more stressful. This makes you want to avoid it even more.
As deadlines approach and anxiety increases, the work often gets done in a rushed, stressful way that reinforces the negative associations with similar tasks in the future.
10 top tips to combat procrastination
The good news it is possible to combat procrastination.
Procrastination is part of a habit loop: trigger → avoidance → relief.
The goal is to interrupt the loop by making starting easier and avoidance harder.
Here are 10 ways to help you interrupt the loop and combat procrastination:
1. Acknowledge you are procrastinating
The first step in combatting procrastination is to acknowledging you are procrastinating. Next time you notice you are procrastinating, try saying to yourself, ‘Ok, enough procrastinating. It’s time to get started. 3, 2, 1, go.’
2. Name the feeling
Procrastination is often a disguise for an emotion associated with the task. Ask yourself: Why am I avoiding this? Name the feeling such as anxiety, boredom or fear of making a mistake to help you reduce its hold.
3. Set specific intentions
Verbalising what you are going to do (preferably to someone else) creates accountability and a greater motivation to get that thing done, but the key is to be very specific. Instead of saying ‘I’ll work on X today’, be even more specific: “I will work on X at 9am at my desk for 45 minutes.” Specificity increases follow-through.
4. Create a sense of urgency
Tricking your brain can help to get things done, especially if there is last-minute pressure, albeit a pretend one! Try pretending you are going on holiday tomorrow!
5. Pair the activity with a more pleasurable task
If you find a task particularly tedious or boring, try doing it alongside something more enjoyable, such as listening to a podcast or eating a yummy snack.
6. Do the task with someone else to make it fun
Boredom and loneliness can be big blockers to getting things done. Working with a colleague or friend can boost motivation. This could be anything from going for a run, writing a report or studying for an exam.
7. Use the 2-minute rule
if something takes less than 2 minutes, as Nike says – just do it!
8. Try the Pomodoro Technique
This popular technique uses a timer to break down a task into ‘Pomodoro’s’ – 25-minute intervals, separated by 5-minute breaks.
How it works:
- Pick a task
- Set a 25-minute timer
- Work on your task until the timer rings or you finish
- Take a 5-minute break
- Repeat this cycle 4 times
- After the fourth pomodoro, take a longer 15-30 minute break
9. Focus on outcomes
Visualising the outcome, how you will feel when you have finished the task and the difference it will make can be helpful in combatting procrastination.
10. Try body doubling
Body doubling is a productivity technique where you work alongside another person to improve focus, motivation, and accountability. It is often used by people with ADHD or neurodiversity. Body doubling can take place virtually or in person.
Most importantly – be kind to yourself. Practise self-compassion rather than self-criticism. Choose one or two tips that resonate with you, experiment with them for a few weeks and notice what changes. Which tip will you try first?
How I can help
Procrastination to Productivity is a 1-hour coaching session, specifically designed to help you move away from procrastination and towards being more productive. The session can take place in person or online.
For a deeper dive into productivity, Time management and productivity coaching for individuals and Time management and productivity training for teams are available.
