How To Overcome Procrastination: A Step-By-Step Guide

Many people experience procrastination at some point in their life. Procrastination may not be a cause for concern if it occurs on occasion, but chronic procrastination can lead to negative emotions and a lower quality of life overall. If you notice that procrastination is negatively impacting your mental health, career, or other important aspects of your life, it may be time to seek professional assistance.

The guidance of a mental health professional can help you identify the causes of your procrastination, workshop potential solutions, and reframe negative feelings and behavioral patterns into positive ones. In this article, we will explore what procrastination is, the steps you can take to curb this habit, and how online therapy may be able to aid your help.

What is procrastination?

Procrastination can be loosely defined as delaying tasks that need to require attention. This delay may occur due to avoidance, lack of motivation, distraction, or any other reason that prevents an individual from completing their to-do items. Procrastination is a near-universal human experience that most will encounter at some point in their life. In fact, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association in 2010,  upwards of 95% of people report that they have procrastinated before.

Chronic procrastination, on the other hand, involves persistent procrastination habits that can significantly reduce overall quality of life, including energy consequences and reduced executive functioning.

Tips to stop procrastinating

Procrastination can be a difficult habit to break, but with the right tools, determination, and support, it is possible to learn how to manage your time more effectively and complete your responsibilities as needed. Some steps you can take to reduce procrastination are as follows. 

1. Understand the root of your procrastination

One of the first steps you can take to overcome procrastination is to understand where the habit might be stemming from. Procrastination may come from negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, or fear associated with a particular task. By recognizing the negative emotions that could be influencing your habits, you may be able to work with a mental health professional to identify coping strategies and eliminate certain triggers and identify coping strategies.

In other cases, procrastination may stem from a mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder, major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, or psychosis. If you have an underlying mental health condition contributing to procrastination, working with a licensed therapist could help to reduce your symptoms and help you manage your time more efficiently. 

2. Practice self-compassion

When beginning your journey to effective time management, it can be important to practice self-compassion and understanding. Rather than criticizing yourself when you procrastinate, try to approach each situation with patience and a willingness to improve. Procrastination doesn’t have to be something that defines your worth or capabilities. Instead, it can serve as a wake-up call to managing your time more productively. By maintaining a sense of compassion for yourself, you may be able to maintain a more positive outlook and remain resilient in the face of setbacks. 

3. Break down your tasks

If you have one large project or several medium-sized tasks to complete, you may feel overwhelmed at times. However, breaking down these tasks into small, more manageable parts can lessen the anxiety surrounding your to-do list. Small steps can add up and help you get closer to the finish line, whatever that may look like.  

4. Prioritize your tasks

Once you have broken down your tasks into smaller steps, it can be helpful to prioritize them based on their urgency and importance. If certain tasks are causing you higher levels of stress than others, you may want to prioritize them to remove them from your agenda as soon as possible. Reducing the amount of stress that you’re experiencing may allow you to devote more energy to other assignments. 

Another way you might choose to prioritize tasks is based on mastery. For example, if there is a particular task you are talented at or enjoy doing more than others, starting with that task may help you build motivation and attribute positive emotions to your to-do list. You may even find yourself enjoying other tasks that you typically wouldn’t.

You can also prioritize tasks based on their size. Starting with less time-consuming tasks may help you build momentum before starting on a bigger one. Being able to check something off your to-do list, no matter how minuscule or small it may seem, can help you build confidence and decrease the negative consequences associated with procrastination.

5. Devote time for your tasks

If you’re already pressed for time, it can be even more difficult to attend to your responsibilities. Setting aside specific days and times to work on certain tasks can help ensure you complete them. One technique for overcoming procrastination is called “timeboxing.” Timeboxing is when you break down tasks into manageable segments with designated time slots. If you know exactly what you are going to complete and when you are going to complete it, you may be able to avoid procrastinating altogether. 

6. Eliminate distractions

Once you have broken down your tasks into manageable pieces and set aside time for them, it might help to eliminate potential distractions in your work environment. These could include cell phone notifications, music, environmental distractions, or anything else that pulls you away from your work. Try to find a dedicated environment that can be used solely for work purposes.

7. Take regular breaks

While it can be important to devote time to tasks, it can also be crucial to take time for breaks. Even a few minutes of rest can help your mind stay focused when you resume your to-do list. Taking regular breaks to keep your mental energy and focus high can help increase your levels of productivity. The “Pomodoro technique” is a commonly used strategy in which you work for 25 minutes before taking a five5-minute break for four cycles. After the two-hour segment is complete, you take a full 20- or 30-minute break before starting another two-hour segment and repeat. You can set timers as a reminder to help avoid watching the clock. 

These are just a few tips for overcoming procrastination. In some cases, you may be able to implement these strategies into your life all on your own. Sometimes, though, you may need extra guidance and support from a mental health professional, such as a therapist. A therapist can provide structured guidance and proven therapeutic techniques to enhance your progress. They can also review each area of your life to see where your procrastination tendencies may be stemming from and give you tools to create effective change. 

Support for forming new habits

Online therapy can provide valuable support in addressing procrastination. By discussing your concerns with a professional, you can uncover underlying issues contributing to your procrastination, such as perfectionism, lack of self-control, fear of failure, or decision fatigue. Understanding your relationship with procrastination in the past can help you learn strategies to avoid this habit in the future. 

You can connect with an online therapist through a platform like BetterHelp, which allows you to access support available from your own home at a time that suits your schedule. You may work on strategies to help improve your mental health, such as building a self-protection mechanism, finding ways to reframe negative thoughts, and planning for situations where you find yourself procrastinating. Online therapists can provide personalized strategies to tackle these challenges effectively.

Efficacy of online therapy for procrastination

Research supports the efficacy of online therapy, showing it can be just as effective as traditional face-to-face therapy for many mental health conditions, including those related to procrastination and time management. In one study, researchers found that an online cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention successfully reduced habits associated with procrastination. CBT is a form of therapy that can help individuals identify unhelpful or negative thought patterns that may contribute to unproductive behaviors like procrastination.