How to Stop Procrastinating: 9 Practical Tips

Procrastination is a common behaviour 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 wish you could stop procrastinating, you're not alone. Data from a study conducted by business lender Fleximize revealed that up to 84 percent of workers in the UK procrastinate for 30 minutes or more daily [1]. 

Although 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. 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 you need to complete, often in favour of doing more enjoyable or less demanding activities, often despite potentially adverse 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 learner, 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. Recognise the behaviour.

It’s essential 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. Prioritise your tasks. 

Take some time to get organised. What needs to be done, and what doesn’t? What is the most important task? Try writing a list and creating some structure. Making a list can be an effective way of organising yourself and prioritising your tasks. 

3. Trim your to-do list.

Once you have a to-do list, go through it and remove anything that you don’t need to do immediately. 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 number of decisions you need to make—and the number of tasks 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 tackling the one task you’re worried about first, you gain confidence, motivation, and momentum to get everything else done, and the rest of the tasks may feel more manageable. 

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 with? 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 will likely be much different if you are bored than if you’re scared of failing. 

6. Develop good, consistent habits. 

You develop habits over time, and they can be challenging to break. However, it is possible to create 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. The Pomodoro technique is excellent for this and involves setting a timer for 25 minutes to work on a task without stopping. You reward yourself with a short break at the end of the 25 minutes.

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. 

8. Minimise distractions 

When you commit to focusing on a task that would usually cause you to procrastinate, limit distractions. Turn off your phone, stay away from social media, and ensure you’re setting yourself up to remain 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 more profound, so it’s essential to check in with yourself if procrastination is becoming an ongoing problem.

Why do we procrastinate? 

Usually, the tasks you procrastinate are those you find most challenging, unpleasant, dull, and put off, even if they are critical to complete that 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, hypothesising 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 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 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 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 practised and reinforced over time. It often stems from a need for more discipline. It takes commitment and dedication to prioritise 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 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 different tasks. If this continues for long periods, it can affect possibilities for professional development, salary, and job prospects.

Next steps 

Engaging with distractions like social media and socialising with coworkers are among the chief distractions that lead many UK workers to procrastinate. Putting off tasks can have detrimental effects over time, including a loss of productivity, increased stress, and challenges with self-esteem. 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 on Coursera.