Overcome Procrastination Using the Power of Your Mind: 20 Strategies To Try

Emily | Posted on January 24, 2023 |

Are you struggling with procrastination? Procrastination is a common problem that affects many people, and it can be a significant obstacle to achieving your goals. Putting things off can be a frustrating and bad habit, whether it’s putting off a work project, studying for an exam, or cleaning the house.

But the good news is that it’s a habit that can be broken. In this blog post, we’ll look at some ways to overcome procrastination by using the power of your mind.

The Main Causes Of Procrastination

Procrastination is such a big problem for several reasons:

Avoidance of discomfort: Procrastination can be a way to avoid the discomfort or stress that comes with certain tasks. By putting off the task, you don’t have to deal with the bad feelings that come along with it.

Lack of motivation: Sometimes, you procrastinate because you lack motivation to complete a task. This can be due to a lack of interest in the task or a lack of belief in your own abilities to complete it.

Perfectionism: Some people procrastinate because they want everything to be perfect and they fear making mistakes. This can lead to an endless cycle of putting off the task, as they keep striving for perfection. Perfectionism can also lead to feelings of shame and guilt.

Difficulty in decision-making: Some people procrastinate because they have a hard time making decisions; for example:

they might be afraid of making the wrong choice or indecisive about the best course of action;
they might not know how to plan and organise their time well to get things done quickly; and
they might not know how to plan and organise their time well to get things done quickly.

Postponing things can have a big effect on your life, making you feel stressed, less productive, and unhappy with what you’ve done. If you are a chronic procrastinator, it’s important to be aware of the reasons why you keep doing this and move beyond this obstacle.

Why Is Procrastination A Complex Problem?

Because there are numerous factors that can both cause and affect procrastination, it is a complicated issue. Some possible reasons why procrastination is a complex problem include:

Psychological factors: Procrastination can be caused by a variety of psychological factors, such as fear of failure, low self-esteem, perfectionism, and a lack of motivation. These things can make it hard to figure out why you put things off and come up with good solutions.

Habit: Procrastination can become a habit, which means it can be difficult to break and change. Habits are often automatic and unconscious, and it can be challenging to change them.

Interconnected causes: Psychological, environmental, and social factors can all play a role in the development of procrastination. So, it can be hard to figure out the main cause of putting things off and find a solution.

Personalities: Some people may be more prone to procrastination due to their personality traits, such as impulsivity, lack of self-discipline, and low conscientiousness.

Lack of awareness: Some people may not be aware that they are procrastinating or why they are doing it. This lack of awareness can make it difficult to address the problem.

Interference with other problems: Procrastination may be related to other problems, such as mental health issues, stress or lack of sleep, so addressing procrastination alone may not be enough to solve the problem.

Thus, procrastination is a complex issue that has many potential causes and influences. Because this problem is so complicated, it’s hard to figure out why you do it and what to do about it. Learning more about the issue and using various methods can, however, help solve it.

How To Overcome Procrastination?

It’s important to note that procrastination is a complex issue, and different strategies may work better for different people. Keep in mind that it’s a process, and it may take time to develop effective strategies that work for you.

Here are several strategies that you can use to overcome procrastination. Select one or two which resonate with you the most but try them all first.

Be Aware Of Your Triggers

Procrastination often happens when you are in certain situations or environments. To stop doing this, you need to figure out what makes you put things off and try to avoid those situations. For example, if you know you procrastinate when you’re tired, make sure to get enough sleep before working on a project.

Break Tasks Into Smaller, Manageable Chunks

One of the main reasons you procrastinate is that an unpleasant task can feel overwhelming and daunting. When you have a big project or goal, it can be challenging to know where to start. The solution is to break the task down into smaller, more manageable chunks so that it becomes easier. This way, you can focus on one part at a time rather than feeling overwhelmed by the whole project.

Use Visualisation Techniques

Visualisation is a powerful tool that can help you overcome procrastination. Imagine yourself completing the task and the positive outcomes that will come from it. This can help motivate you to take action and make it more tangible.

Use Positive Self-Talk

Positive self-talk is a powerful tool that can help overcome procrastination. Encourage yourself with positive affirmations and remind yourself of your abilities and past successes. This can help boost your confidence and motivate you to take action.

Eliminate Distractions

When you become preoccupied with other things, procrastination frequently occurs. To stop putting things off, it’s important to find and get rid of anything that could keep you from doing the task at hand. This could be turning off your phone, closing unnecessary tabs on your computer, or finding a quiet place to work.

Prioritise Tasks

One of the main reasons you procrastinate is that you don’t know where to start. To overcome this, make a list of tasks and prioritise them based on their importance and urgency. This way, you can focus on the most important tasks first and make progress towards your goals. Prioritising tasks based on their importance and urgency can help you focus on the most critical tasks first and make progress towards your goals.

Use the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that can help overcome procrastination. The idea is to break your time into shorter intervals (25 minutes) with short breaks in between. This can help make you more focused and less likely to procrastinate.

The Five-Minute Rule

One effective mental technique to overcome procrastination that is not as well-known as others is called the “5-minute rule.” The idea behind this technique is to commit to working on a task for just 5 minutes, with the understanding that you can stop after that if you want to.

However, once you get started, you will often find that you continue working on the task for longer than 5 minutes. This method works because it helps people get over their initial reluctance to start a task, which is usually the main reason they procrastinate.

This technique is based on the idea that, most of the time, the hardest part of a task is to start it. Fear, self-doubt, a lack of motivation, or other psychological factors are frequently to blame for the resistance that one feels before beginning a task.

By committing to work on a task for just five minutes, you are making a small and manageable commitment that is easy to follow through on.

The five-minute rule is a great technique to use when feeling overwhelmed, as it helps break the task into smaller chunks and make it more manageable.

It’s important to note that this technique should be used in combination with other strategies, such as visualisation, positive affirmations, time management, and other methods that can help overcome procrastination and achieve your goals.

Reframing

An NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) technique to overcome procrastination is called “Reframing.” Reframing is a technique that involves changing the way you think about a task, in order to change your emotional response to it.

Here’s an example of how to use reframing to overcome procrastination:

Identify the task that you are procrastinating on.

Ask yourself: “What is my current frame of mind towards this task?”

Identify the negative thoughts and beliefs that are associated with the task, such as “This is too hard,” “I’m not good enough,” or “I don’t have enough time.”

Find something positive or helpful about the task. For example, you could say, “This task will help me improve my skills,” “I can do this task,” or “If I finish this task, I’ll be closer to my goal.”

Repeat the new mindset for yourself until it becomes a habit.

By reframing the task, you change your emotional response to it and make it more manageable, and less daunting. This technique helps to overcome resistance to starting a task and procrastination. Additionally, it helps to focus on the benefits of completing a task, which can increase motivation and make it easier to take action.

Use Switch Words

Use switch words each time you want to procrastinate. Switch words are single words or phrases that are used as mantras or affirmations to help with a specific intention or goal. They have a powerful effect on the subconscious mind and work by shifting the energy in the body and mind, aligning them with the intended outcome.

Switch words can be used for many different things, like to bring in more money, improve relationships, or get past problems.

Some examples of switch words include “POSTPONE” for letting go of negative emotions, “MIRACLE” for manifesting positive changes, and “TOGETHER” for healing relationships. Switch words can be repeated silently or out loud, and it’s recommended to repeat them regularly, as well as to combine them with visualisation and other manifestation techniques.

Here are some switch words that are believed to help overcome procrastination:

“NOW”: Encourages you to take immediate action and overcome procrastination
” AIM “: Encourages you to take action and accomplish a goal.
“FLOW”: Helps to get going.
” SOMEHOW “: Used to complete a task without worrying about the details, assists in the completion of an act or task by any means.
“DONE”: Helps to focus on the completion of the task and overcome any obstacles
“HALFWAY”: Makes the task appear less daunting and more manageable, helps you see less distance for your goals.
“ATTENTION”: Helps to increase concentration and focus on the task at hand
“BEGIN”: Helps to overcome the barrier of getting started

It’s important to note that switch words are not scientifically proven, and their effectiveness may vary among individuals.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a form of therapy that helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviours that contribute to procrastination.

Use EFT Tapping

The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a form of energy therapy that can help to reset the body’s energy system, balance emotional and energetic imbalances, and allow access to underlying beliefs and emotional blockages that may be contributing to procrastination. EFT can help to reduce or eliminate the underlying stress, anxiety, or fear that can contribute to procrastination by offering a physical means to release and reset this emotional energy.

By using EFT, you can learn to process unwanted emotions and release them, which can allow for greater mental clarity and focus and help to reduce procrastination. Additionally, EFT can help identify and address any underlying beliefs or thought patterns that may be contributing to procrastination, and can provide a means of building self-confidence and motivation to help you take action and move forward with your projects.

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Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a technique that involves paying attention to the present moment, without judgement. It can help you feel less stressed and pay more attention, which can make it easier to stop putting things off.

Self-compassion

Self-compassion involves treating oneself with kindness and understanding, rather than self-criticism. It has been shown to increase motivation and reduce procrastination.

Time management techniques

Planning and organising your time effectively can help reduce procrastination. There are ways to do this, like the Pomodoro Technique and the Eisenhower Matrix.

Positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement involves rewarding yourself for completing tasks. It can help to increase motivation and make it easier to overcome procrastination.

Goal setting

Setting goals that are clear, measurable, and doable can help boost motivation and make it easier to stop putting things off.

Changes in environment

Changing the environment in which you work, like working in a different room or organising your work area, can help reduce distractions and make it easier to focus on the task at hand.

Get accountable

Finally, one of the best ways to overcome procrastination is to get someone to hold you accountable. Tell someone about your goals and ask them to hold you accountable for completing them. This can help provide the motivation and support you need to take action and achieve your goals.

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Positive Affirmations

Here are some positive affirmations to help overcome procrastination:

“I am capable and competent to complete this task.”

“I have the time and resources to achieve my goals.”

“I choose to focus and take action towards my goals.”

“I am in control of my time and my actions.”

“I trust in my ability to overcome procrastination and achieve success.”

“I am motivated and dedicated to reaching my goals.”

“I am committed to making progress, one step at a time.”

“I am productive and efficient in completing tasks.”

“I am proud of myself for taking action and making progress.”

“I choose to let go of procrastination and live in the present moment.”

It’s important to keep in mind that positive affirmations work best when they are tailored to the person and their situation. It’s also a good idea to say these affirmations every day, either when you wake up or before you start doing something.

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Always remind yourself of the reasons why you want to overcome procrastination and focus on the benefits of taking action and achieving your goals.

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FAQs About Procrastination

What Does The Term Procrastination Mean?

Procrastination is the act of postponing or deferring tasks that should be completed immediately. It is a common problem that affects many people, and it can take many forms, such as putting off a work project, delaying studying for an exam, or postponing cleaning the house.

Is Procrastination A Personality Disorder?

No, procrastination is not a personality disorder. It is a habit that is often associated with a lack of self-discipline and motivation. Although it can be the result of underlying problems like anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem, procrastination is not in and of itself a personality disorder.

What Is Procrastination Behaviour?

Procrastination behaviour refers to the act of consistently postponing or delaying tasks or activities that should be done in a timely manner. Lack of motivation, a propensity to put off or postpone starting a task, and a propensity to engage in activities unrelated to the task at hand are typical characteristics of this behaviour.
Different things, like fear of failure, low self-esteem, perfectionism, lack of interest in the task, and trouble making decisions, can lead to putting things off. Distractions and poor time management are two additional factors that can contribute to it.
This kind of behaviour can have a big effect on a person’s life by making them feel stressed, The Kaizen Mindset: Use This Framework for Continuous Improvement (emilywatsonbooks.com) and unhappy with what they’ve done.

What Are The Four Types Of Procrastination?

There are several different types of procrastination, but four common ones are:
Decisional procrastination: This kind of procrastination happens when you have trouble making decisions and can’t decide what the best thing to do is. This can lead to delays in starting or completing a task.
Avoidant procrastination: Avoidance procrastination occurs when you avoid starting a task due to a fear of failure or success.
Arousal Procrastination: This type of procrastination occurs when you feel an adrenaline rush or a sense of excitement while procrastinating and find it hard to start a task.
Akrasia Procrastination: This type of procrastination occurs when you know what you should do but don’t do it. This might be due to a lack of self-discipline or impulsiveness.

What Are Procrastination Examples?

Here are some examples of procrastination:

Putting off a work project until the last minute, even though it was assigned weeks ago.
Delaying studying for an exam until the night before, even though the exam has been scheduled for weeks.
Postponing cleaning the house until the weekend, even though it has been messy for days.
Putting off organising one’s finances until the last minute, even though bills are overdue.
Avoiding making a difficult phone call or sending an important email, even though it needs to be done.
Putting off going to the gym or working out, despite having had the intention to do so for some time.
Avoiding starting a big task, such as writing a book or building a website, due to fear of failure or success.
Putting off starting a new hobby, even though one has been interested in it for a while.

Overcoming procrastination is a common problem that affects many people, but it’s a habit that can be broken. You can beat procrastination and reach your goals by using the tips in this blog post, such as breaking tasks into small, manageable pieces, using positive self-talk, getting rid of distractions, setting priorities, using the Pomodoro Technique, being aware of your triggers, and holding yourself accountable.

It may take time to develop effective strategies that work for you, but with time, patience, and perseverance, you will be able to overcome procrastination and achieve your goals.

Procrastination can take many forms, and it can affect different areas of your life, from work and school to personal and professional goals. It’s important to be aware of procrastination and take steps to overcome it in order to improve productivity and achieve your goals.

Overcome Procrastination Using the Power of Your Mind: 20 Strategies To Try

Table of Contents

The Main Causes Of Procrastination

Why Is Procrastination A Complex Problem?

How To Overcome Procrastination?