5 Reasons Why You Procrastinate (And 5 Ways to Stop)

Apr 03, 2019

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing something such as tasks and responsibilities. So what does the word “procrastinate” have to do with a solopreneur like you?

Here's a situation: Say you're going to attend an expo in a week and you have to prepare for a presentation to make your product sell. For some reason, you procrastinated the preparation process. The day before the expo, you start to cram and got stressed. You ended up presenting your product poorly on the day.

You felt guilty and thought to yourself that you could've done more.

If you want to end procrastination and live productively, here's what you should know.

5 Possible Causes of Procrastination

1. You have a bad sense of time.

When you have something to do that’s not urgent, you tend to think that you still have a lot of time left on your plate. The truth is that you don't. Anything can happen in between. The only time you can truly enjoy is after you've done everything you need to do.

2. You escape to a distraction when you feel overwhelmed.

Is your schedule full because you have a meeting today and tomorrow with potential investors? You tell yourself, "This is TOO MUCH WORK. How about browsing Facebook or watching Netflix? Ahh, sounds like fun." After hours of procrastinating, reality sets back in.

3. You are a perfectionist.

Not in the mood? Won’t work. Not the right time? Won’t work. Conditions aren’t met? Won’t work. But seriously, when are you going to start? When you're already stressed out? When it's near the deadline?

4. You lack the confidence to accomplish tasks.

If you think you can’t do anything then you probably will not. Let's say that you were given a task that you found too difficult. Instead of taking the challenge, you allow yourself to doubt your abilities.

5. You spend a lot of time with procrastinators.

Birds of a feather flock together. If you often spend time with people who like wasting time than doing the work, there's a huge chance you'll pick up the same habit.

5 Ways to Beat Procrastination

1. Schedule tasks in chunks.

Schedule your tasks in manageable chunks so you can get an overall picture of your day. Set deadlines. Doing this will motivate you to manage your time wisely, work in advance, and get stuff done before the deadline. Imagine scheduling a task for 5 days. If you give your full focus on the task, you might be able to finish it within 4 days. You can spend the 5th day by rewarding yourself.

2. Choose a distraction-free work environment.

A working environment gives off a productive atmosphere. So, create a place dedicated to working. If you’re working in a bedroom, you’ll think of sleeping because you're seeing the bed. If you work from home, choose a spot that has zero distractions. You can also try a co-working or shared office space.

3. Act now.

If you have the time to do things now, why not start right away? Time is a finite resource, so spend it productively. The world is unpredictable in many ways. Emergencies and unexpected situations can happen that will consume your time. Procrastination can wait, but not your dreams.

4. Believe in yourself.

Singer-musician Ray Charles got blind at the age of 7. Yet, he still managed to play the piano and became one of the most famous music icons. Why? Because he believed he could play music despite his condition. Don’t let your doubts stop you from reaching your true potential.

5. Be in the company of productive people.

Being with productive people motivates you to be like them. You get to share aspirations and learn from each other. Productive people will help you and encourage you to be the best version of yourself.

Live a lifestyle that encourages productivity. Start with these tips. What's your personal experience with procrastination? Share it in the comments section below.