How to Stop Procrastinating: 9 Practical Tips

Procrastination is a common behavior that many people engage in at times, some more than others. While it can be easy to fall into the trap of procrastinating, it usually leaves us frustrated and wondering why we didn’t start something sooner. 

If you ever find yourself wishing you could stop procrastinating, you're not alone. Data suggests that 20 to 25 percent of adults consider themselves chronic procrastinators, and many more occasionally procrastinate in matters regarding work, friends, and health [1]. 

While it's easy to fall into the trap of delaying tasks, finding effective strategies to combat procrastination can significantly improve your ability to get things done and achieve your goals. In this article, we'll explore a variety of practical tips and techniques that can help you break free from the cycle of procrastination and take control of your time and tasks.

What is procrastination? 

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or actions that you should do. It involves intentionally putting off tasks that need to be completed, often in favor of doing more enjoyable or less demanding activities, often despite potentially negative consequences.

For example, you may have received a project at work or school with a one-week deadline for completion. Procrastination might involve delaying work on the project until the night before it's due, which can cause anxiety, stress, and missed deadlines.

9 ways to stop procrastinating 

Whether you're a student, a working professional, or simply someone seeking to make the most of each day, these actionable steps can set you on the path to greater focus and accomplishment:

1. Recognize the behavior.

It’s important to be able to distinguish between when you are procrastinating and when your reason for not doing something is valid. If you consistently deviate from the same tasks or tell yourself the same story as a reason for not working on something, it may be a sign you are procrastinating. 

2. Prioritize your tasks. 

Take some time to get organized. What needs to be done and what doesn’t? What is the most important task? Try writing a list and creating some structure. The simple act of creating a list can be an effective way of organizing yourself and prioritizing your tasks. 

3. Trim your to-do list.

Once you have a to-do list, go through it and take out anything that doesn’t need to be done. Doing so will stop you from focusing on those small inefficient tasks at the expense of the important ones. It also helps to make your list of things to get through seem less overwhelming. The more you can reduce the amount of decisions you need to make–and the amount of tasks that are deemed essential–the less stressed you will feel. Do this the day before so you are ready to focus and get started the next morning. 

4. Eat the frog

The term “eat the frog” refers to completing the most difficult or stressful task first thing to set you up for the day. By getting the one task that you’re worried about out of the way first, you gain confidence, motivation, and momentum to get everything else done, and the rest of the tasks may feel more manageable in comparison. 

5. Work on yourself.

Take a moment to check in with yourself and see if you can identify the cause of your procrastination. Is it a specific task you need a little extra help starting? Or is procrastination something you do consistently? Knowing your triggers can be very helpful because it allows you to make changes that help reduce procrastination. For example, your strategy to reduce procrastination is likely to be much different if you are bored than if you’re scared of failing. 

6. Develop good consistent habits. 

A habit is something we develop over time and can be challenging to break. However, it is possible to develop new, healthy habits. An example of a good habit is “eating the frog,” as outlined above. Another is setting time aside for a task and not allowing yourself to do anything else during that time. The Pomodoro technique is excellent for this and involves setting a timer for 25 minutes to work on a task without stopping. At the end of the 25 minutes, you reward yourself with a short break.

7. Reward yourself.

Like the Pomodoro technique where you reward yourself with a break, you can use other personal rewards as motivation, such as a break for a snack or an activity. This is a great way to stay on track. 

Read more: How to Motivate Yourself: 11 Tips for Self Improvement

8. Minimize distractions 

Make sure you limit distractions when you commit to focusing on a task that would usually cause you to procrastinate. Turn off your phone, stay away from social media, and make sure you’re setting yourself up to stay on-task rather than deviating to something new. 

9. Be kind to yourself. 

Procrastination is common, and berating yourself for it is rarely helpful. Instead of focusing on feelings of frustration, be kind to yourself and focus on taking steps to get started. In some cases, procrastination can be a sign of something deeper, so it’s important to check in with yourself if procrastination is becoming an ongoing problem.

Read more: 11 Good Study Habits to Develop

Why do we procrastinate? 

Usually, the tasks we procrastinate on are those that we find most difficult, unpleasant, or boring, and we put them off even if they are the most important responsibilities of the day. Some common reasons for procrastination include: 

• Avoidance of bad feelings: Humans are wired to avoid things that make us feel bad. Freud developed the pain-pleasure principle, hypothesizing that humans are motivated to move towards pleasure and away from pain. This model showed that humans tend to do things that give us instant gratification rather than the things we find difficult, overwhelming, or painful. 

• Overwhelm: Sometimes, tasks are so overwhelming it is easier to put them off. Avoiding tasks that feel too heavy can be a characteristic of people with depression, OCD, anxiety, and ADHD, but this isn’t always the case. Feeling overwhelmed by tasks can also be linked to perfectionism, helplessness, a lack of energy, and trying to do too many things at once.

• Lack of interest: Sometimes, we procrastinate because the task just doesn't interest us. It’s easy to avoid doing something that is boring or seems pointless. It’s also a telltale sign that it’s time to make some changes. 

• Fear of failure: We often avoid important tasks because we fear making mistakes. If we are perfectionists by nature, the fear of failing can be particularly overwhelming and may push us to avoid the task altogether. Interestingly, a fear of success can provoke the same response.

• Bad habits: Sometimes, procrastination develops from bad habits practiced and reinforced over time. It often stems from a need for more discipline. It takes commitment and dedication to prioritize the most difficult or uncomfortable task. 

The effects of procrastination 

Procrastination can have a detrimental effect on productivity if it is a common theme. Often, the task that causes a person to procrastinate is the task that really needs to be done. Putting it off can mean other work suffers.

Procrastination can increase feelings of guilt and anxiety. It can also lead to other problems, such as low self-esteem, stress, insomnia, and reduced performance in other tasks. If this continues for long periods of time, it can affect possibilities for professional development, salary, and job prospects.

Next steps 

Change your thinking, including how you approach procrastination, with invaluable learning techniques in Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects from Deep Teaching Solutions.