Helpful Tips to Overcome Procrastination

Let’s be real – we’ve all been there. Whether it’s putting off a work project, ignoring those household chores, or pushing back an important personal goal, procrastination sneaks up on us.
Even though we know it’s holding us back, breaking free from the cycle can feel like an uphill battle.
Procrastination doesn’t just mess with our productivity – it can leave us feeling totally overwhelmed, too. But here’s the good news: with the right strategies in place, we can turn it around.
In this article, we’ll dig into why we procrastinate in the first place, and I’ll share some practical tips to help you break the habit and get back on track – so you can start feeling more in control of your time and your life.
Let’s begin!
What Does Procrastination Mean?
Procrastination is all about putting things off, even when we know it’s not in our best interest. It’s that nagging habit of avoiding tasks, even though we know the consequences are coming if we don’t take action.
But it’s not just laziness – procrastination is actually a bit more complicated than that. It’s shaped by a mix of psychological, emotional, and situational factors.
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At its heart, procrastination is a tug-of-war between two sides of ourselves: the “now me,” who craves immediate relief or comfort, and the “future me,” who knows that getting things done is important and will ultimately pay off.
The Procrastination Cycle
Procrastination often falls into a familiar, never-ending loop:
You come across a task that feels overwhelming, boring, or just plain stressful. Naturally, your first instinct is to put it off.
Instead of tackling it head-on, you dive into things that offer an instant escape. Maybe it’s scrolling through social media, binge-watching TV shows, or even organizing your desk (anything but the task at hand, right?).
As time goes on, the pressure starts to build. Guilt, stress, and anxiety creep in as you realize that the task is still waiting for you. You might start beating yourself up, which only makes the task seem even harder.
Finally, with the deadline looming, you scramble to get it done. You manage to focus under the pressure, but it’s often rushed, and the quality of your work might not be what it could’ve been if you’d started earlier.
You finish the task, and there’s a mix of relief and maybe a little regret. If only you’d started sooner, right?
And before you know it, the cycle starts all over again with the next task, keeping you stuck in the procrastination loop.
Why Procrastination Is Not a Sign of Laziness
Procrastination doesn’t mean you’re lazy – far from it. While it’s true that procrastination involves putting things off, it’s usually driven by deeper psychological factors, such as:
People who procrastinate often want to get things done, but they struggle with starting or finishing tasks for various reasons. Laziness, on the other hand, is more about a general unwillingness to put in any effort, no matter how important the task may be.
Understanding the real reasons behind procrastination is key to overcoming it. People who procrastinate often put themselves under a lot of unnecessary stress, making it harder to reach their goals.
Procrastination can also take a toll on your self-esteem. When you’re not meeting your own expectations, it can lead to feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and make you question your abilities.
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Understanding Emotional Regulation
Procrastination often comes down to how well we manage our emotions. When we can keep our feelings in check, we’re more likely to get started on tasks and actually finish them.
But if you’re someone who struggles with regulating emotions, those negative feelings – like stress, anxiety, or frustration – can take over and make it harder to get things done. For example, if you find it tough to deal with stress, you might procrastinate just to avoid dealing with those uncomfortable emotions.
On the flip side, people who are good at emotional regulation tend to handle negative feelings better. They can stay focused on what needs to be done and resist the urge to put things off.
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People who don’t procrastinate often have the ability to take action even when their emotions are running high. They focus on what needs to be done rather than letting their feelings dictate their behavior.
If you want to beat procrastination, it’s essential to get a handle on your emotional regulation. Once you understand what’s driving your procrastination, you can work on tackling those emotional roadblocks.
Personally, I’ve found that focusing on the rewards of completing a task – instead of getting stuck on how difficult it feels – helps me detach my emotions from the process. It takes discipline, but this mindset has helped me stay on track and avoid procrastination more often than not.
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What is the Main Cause of Procrastination?
There are a lot of reasons why we procrastinate, and it’s often a mix of things.
Here are some of the most common causes:
The fear of not living up to expectations or making mistakes can cause us to avoid tasks altogether. It’s easier to delay than face that fear.
Wanting everything to be perfect can actually make things harder. If you set impossibly high standards, it can create anxiety and make procrastination feel like the only way to cope.
If you’re feeling low on motivation, it’s hard to get started or follow through. The lack of drive can easily turn into procrastination.
Depression often comes with feelings of fatigue and low energy, which makes it difficult to tackle tasks. Sometimes, procrastination becomes a way to avoid confronting the tough emotions tied to sadness or despair.
Social media offers quick, easy rewards, like likes and comments. It’s tempting to get caught up in that instant gratification instead of focusing on long-term tasks that take more time and effort.
Some tasks are just plain overwhelming. When something feels too complicated or difficult, procrastination can feel like a way to put off the stress.
We all want to avoid uncomfortable emotions, and procrastination can be a way to escape tasks we find unpleasant. But while this may give temporary relief, it doesn’t solve the underlying issue – and often, the stress just builds up over time.
When you struggle to cope with stress or challenging situations, procrastination can be a way of managing those tough emotions. It’s easier to avoid the problem than face it head-on when your mental coping tools aren’t strong.
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How to Overcome Procrastination
Procrastination is something we all deal with, but the good news is, it’s totally possible to beat it. Here are three methods that have really helped me tackle procrastination:
1. Focus On Task-Oriented Style
A task-oriented approach can be a game-changer if you’re someone who tends to procrastinate.
Here’s the difference between two ways of coping:
When you choose a task-oriented approach, you shift your focus from how you feel about the task to what you need to do to get it done. This might mean breaking the task into smaller, more manageable steps or setting clear, achievable goals.
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For example, instead of focusing on how overwhelming the whole project feels, break it into smaller chunks that are easier to tackle.
A task-oriented approach tends to work better for overcoming procrastination because it focuses on taking action. It’s all about solving the problem and making progress toward your goals, which can make the task feel less daunting.
2. Declutter Your Space
A cluttered environment – whether it’s your work area or home – can quickly leave you feeling overwhelmed, distracted, and unproductive. It can even make procrastination harder to avoid.
On the flip side, when you clear up your space, it can boost your mental clarity and give you that little extra push to get things done.
Personally, I’ve found that keeping my space neat and organized makes a huge difference in how I focus and make decisions. It helps reduce mental fatigue and, honestly, cuts down on that urge to procrastinate. Clutter has a way of pulling your attention in all sorts of directions, making it easier to put things off.
Related Article: How to Support Mental Well-Being by Removing Clutter»
When you take the time to remove unnecessary items and tidy up, you’re essentially minimizing distractions. With fewer things pulling at your attention, it’s easier to stay focused on what needs to be done.
Having a clean, organized space can totally shift your mindset. It creates a positive environment that can lift your mood and make you feel more motivated to dive into your tasks rather than procrastinate.
3. The “Nothing Alternative” Strategy
If you’re anything like me, doing nothing can sometimes feel like both a relief and a bit unproductive.
But believe it or not, this “nothing” approach can actually be a powerful way to beat procrastination. In the book Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy Baumeister and John Tierney, they suggest using this very strategy to break free from procrastination.
Related Article: Uncovering 7 Reasons Why Your Goals Overwhelm You»
Here’s how it works:
Imagine you’ve always dreamed of becoming a screenwriter, but you’re stuck on your first script. You’ve put it off for months, filling your free time with distractions like video games. Enter the “Nothing Alternative.”
Now, you’ve got two choices:
The idea is that doing nothing doesn’t mean you’re allowed to just do whatever you want. No games, no scrolling through social media – just sitting there.
After a while, you’ll find that doing nothing is really unappealing, and you’ll probably end up choosing to write. The discomfort of inactivity becomes enough to push you to take action.
This strategy is less about forcing yourself through willpower and more about consciously limiting your options.
Related Article: How to Overcome 11 Common Obstacles in Goal Setting»
You may have heard of the strength depletion model, which says that we only have so much willpower. It’s kind of like a muscle – if you’re constantly using it, it gets tired and weaker.
So instead of relying on willpower alone, limiting your choices to two clear options – “write” or “do nothing” – can help you bypass the struggle and make the decision easier.
And if you’ve ever noticed, willpower doesn’t exactly get stronger over time. It actually gets depleted. That’s why this method of narrowing your options is often more effective than just trying to power through with sheer will.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to think that procrastination simply comes from laziness, but that’s not really the case. The true cause often lies in how we manage the negative emotions that come with tasks.
Whether it’s the fear of failure, anxiety, or just feeling overwhelmed, procrastination usually stems from the discomfort we feel when facing these emotions.
When you take the time to understand the root causes of your procrastination, you can start to address them with strategies that actually work. It’s not about just “forcing” yourself to do things – it’s about managing your emotions and making thoughtful choices that align with your goals.
The key is consistency. Every small step you take toward overcoming procrastination is a victory. By practicing these strategies regularly, you begin to build momentum, and over time, you’ll start to see a shift.
As you regain control over your tasks and manage your time better, you’ll find that productivity becomes easier, and your goals feel more achievable.
Ultimately, the more you break free from procrastination, the more you open the door to a life that’s not only more productive but also more fulfilling. Instead of feeling weighed down by tasks you keep putting off, you’ll feel empowered and confident in your ability to take action, tackle challenges, and move forward with purpose.
Cunningham, M. R., & Baumeister, R. F. "How to Make Nothing Out of Something: Analyses of the Impact of Study Sampling and Statistical Interpretation in Misleading Meta-Analytic Conclusions." Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 7, 2016, p. 1639, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01639. Adapted from and used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Mohammadi Bytamar, Jahangir et al. “Emotion Regulation Difficulties and Academic Procrastination.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 11 524588. 4 Nov. 2020, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.524588. Adapted from and used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Oscarsson, Martin et al. “A large-scale experiment on New Year's resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals.” PloS one vol. 15,12 e0234097. 9 Dec. 2020, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234097. Adapted from and used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Raypole, Crystal. “How to (Finally) Break the Cycle of Chronic Procrastination.” Healthline, medically reviewed by Alex Klein, PsyD, 19 July 2021, https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/chronic-procrastination#symptoms. Accessed 6 January 2024.
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Linda is the co-founder of Courier Mind and holds a Diploma in Natural Health Nutrition & Diet. Her passions include photography, personal growth, and travel, where she draws inspiration from diverse cultures and their approaches to mindset and self-discovery. She is committed to helping others set meaningful goals, overcome self-doubt, and become the best version of themselves.