Taming a Wild Beast: Procrastination
On a fine morning, you get a call from your boss tasking you to an assignment with a time of about 15 days to complete. You know that the task at hand is something that you are good at and that it may not even require 5 days to complete. However, you while away 15 days of the time that you have, thinking about the consequences such as the appreciation that your boss might give you or the fact that you would have all your colleagues envious because you could meet the deadline of submission effectively. A night before the date of the deadline, you realize that you had procrastinated too much and did not start the task. This is something that each one of us has experienced at some point in our personal and professional lives. It could have ranged from cleaning the wardrobe at home all the way up to maintaining a report tracker at work.
Procrastination
We love the idea of postponing or avoiding decision-making or taking action. In the current situation of a global pandemic where most of us are home quarantined the scope of procrastination taking over the mind is enormous leading to a huge pile of tasks to be finished. It is a serious predicament in both professional and personal lives with side effects such as anxiety, lowered self-esteem, stress, missed opportunities, resentment, and guilt. It is no less than a wild beast running amok if not tamed at the right time.
Every human behavior is a consequent result of a trigger point. Similarly, procrastination is triggered due to an overwhelmed mind as there is too much on the plate or because it serves as a means to escape reality. Sometimes it is caused by exhaustion or fatigue.
The Remedy
It is a proven fact that we tend to procrastinate when we can least afford it. This is because of populating our to-do lists more than what we can reasonably accomplish in the given time frame. We are biologically wired to not cooperate with an unreasonable schedule. Hence, it can lead to a condition of rapid overwhelm. In such circumstances, it is imperative to stop taking new assignments and to reassess priorities. Auditing the to-do list and having a reality check about its state of completion often helps in understanding bottlenecks. Eliminating tasks or activities that provide no value will declutter the to-do list and enhance the process of prioritization.
Finishing with a set deadline or a time frame and breaking down complex tasks into simpler steps will ease the completion of tedious and unenthusiastic tasks or chores.
When you are stressed, worried, or anxious, it is hard to be productive. Procrastination works as a coping mechanism that helps you negate stress. Reducing stress can help you work because you want to, and not because you have to. An effective way of negotiating stress is to fill time with what you are most passionate about and what you like doing without the need for any motivation.
It is easy to envisage a task to be tedious even before attempting it. This is a result of our inner lazy selves. When you start feeling lazy, even the simplest of the tasks become seemingly herculean. The only way out is to get off from your place, start moving your physical self, and get to work! As a result, it builds the required amount of momentum to set you free from the clutches of a lazy mind.
The absence of a real purpose in life ignites a lack of motivation, which leads to procrastination. A definitive purpose will always keep the mind motivated. Embracing the responsibilities of your actions and obliterating an aloof state of mind drastically improves motivation. Upon realizing a purpose defined by responsibilities the locus of control shifts from external to internal, thus, fueling motivation and morale.
Despite incorporating all the above, you may sometimes come across tasks that you do not wish to complete. In such situations, self-discipline is the key. Discipline is least required when you are motivated, but it plays a crucial role when you need to do something that doesn’t peak your interests. Strengthening self-discipline through a persistent and relentless attitude towards every task that you do will greatly enhance your productivity. Fragile self-discipline will make you succumb to the temptation of procrastination. Never give in to the need for procrastination.
Remember the good old saying — “You won’t win if you don’t begin.”
Copyright © Dhakshina VR
Requesting you to please give due credit/citation to the author Dhakshina VR, if you are share this post. Requesting to NOT cut/copy/paste this post. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE.
© Dhakshina VR., All Rights Reserved.
