It would be difficult (probably impossible) to find a single person out there who hasn’t struggled with the cycle of putting off an assignment/chore/ task for too long to doom scroll on social media and then proceed to beat themselves up for being “lazy.”

If this sounds like you, maybe your past Google searches look something like this: 

• How do I stop myself from Procrastinating?
• How do I stop procrastinating and being lazy?
• Why am I always procrastinating? 
• How to overcome procrastination and laziness

We live in a world where we’re exposed to an endless number of distractions that make it so easy to push assignments off and allow their looming presence to take up space in our minds for however long.

What is the Root Cause of Procrastinating?

It’s a common misconception that people procrastinate simply because they don’t want to complete the task at hand.

No matter what it is, procrastinators are generally pegged as lazy people with poor time management- but this couldn’t be further from the truth (in most cases).

Procrastination is rooted in emotion. People default to stalling when there is some underlying negative feeling that they’ve associated with the task.

So if you have a work assignment, you might put it off because working on it could force you to acknowledge an inner sense of overwhelm, self-doubt and anxiety.

So to tackle it, a huge mindset shift has to happen for you in addition to other strategies for overcoming procrastination. 

4 BEST TIPS TO OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION

SET A DEADLINE AND USE A TIMER

Have you ever had a task that should only take you 5 minutes to complete but you push it off for weeks? Even though it takes a couple of moments, it never gets done, because there is no time limit. So do yourself a favor and set a clear deadline and use a timer.

I personally love the Pomodoro Technique to help me stay focused and know that a break is coming. You can find free timers online through a quick Google Search.

Implement Tips From The Best "How To Stop Procrastinating" Book: 5-SECOND RULE BY MEL ROBBINS

The 5-second rule by Mel Robbins is essentially a countdown method to breaking any bad habit and initiating change.

When you have thought about completing some task, you have 5 seconds to start before your brain distracts you with other thoughts to prevent you from completing the task.

So, if you are looking to avoid stalling, jump into action as soon as you think about it. I also love this Ted Talk she gave below which goes over how to stop screwing yourself over as a whole.

DECONSTRUCT THE FEELINGS BEHIND COMPLETING THE TASK

Like I stated above, you aren’t lazy, just avoidant of the negative emotions.

To work past this, ask yourself, what emotion am I avoiding? After identifying it, ask yourself, why am I avoiding this emotion? What do I truly believe?

When you’ve answered these questions honestly, think of other ways to complete the task that don’t involve experiencing that emotion.

STATE YOUR DESIRES OUT LOUD

This hack is backed by science and from Atomic Habits by James Clear.

By stating what actions you would like to be completed out loud and writing them down, you are way more likely to do so consistently.

These were some of my favorites and most effective tips on how to stop procrastinating now. What would you add to the list?