HOW TO STOP PROCRASTINATION?

At one point in life we all face the same problem, the lack of energy to do now what we suppose to do, just because we feel tired or lazy. But before we start on this topic, we should clearly know, what it is.

FIRST, WHAT IS PROCRASTINATION? 
This is been for centuries. Human beings have been procrastinating for centuries. The problem is so timeless, in fact, that ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates and Aristotle developed a word to describe this type of behavior: Akrasia.

Akrasia is the state of acting against your better judgment. It is when you do one thing even though you know you should do something else. Loosely translated, you could say that akrasia is procrastination or a lack of self-control.

Here's a definition more according to our time:

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing a task or set of tasks. So, whether you refer to it as procrastination or akrasia or something else, it is the force that prevents you from following through on what you set out to do.

Now that we know what it is, lets work on how to stop it.

SECOND, WHY DO WE PROCASTINATE? 

Ok, definitions are great and all, but why do we procrastinate? What is going on in the brain that causes us to avoid the things we know we should be doing?

This is a good time to bring some science into our discussion. Behavioral psychology research has revealed a phenomenon called “time inconsistency,” which helps explain why procrastination seems to pull us in despite our good intentions. Time inconsistency refers to the tendency of the human brain to value immediate rewards more highly than future rewards.

The best way to understand this is by imagining that you have two selves: your Present Self and your Future Self. When you set goals for yourself — like losing weight or writing a book or learning a language — you are actually making plans for your Future Self. You are envisioning what you want your life to be like in the future. Researchers have found that when you think about your Future Self, it is quite easy for your brain to see the value in taking actions with long-term benefits. The Future Self values long-term rewards.

However, while the Future Self can set goals, only the Present Self can take action. When the time comes to make a decision, you are no longer making a choice for your Future Self. Now you are in the present moment, and your brain is thinking about the Present Self. Researchers have discovered that the Present Self really likes instant gratification, not long-term payoff.

So, the Present Self and the Future Self are often at odds with one another. The Future Self wants to be trim and fit, but the Present Self wants a donut. Sure, everyone knows you should eat healthy today to avoid being overweight in 10 years. But consequences like an increased risk for diabetes or heart failure are years away.

Similarly, many young people know that saving for retirement in their 20s and 30s is crucial, but the benefit of doing so is decades off. It is far easier for the Present Self to see the value in buying a new pair of shoes than in socking away $100 for 70-year-old you. (If you're curious, there are some very good evolutionary reasons for why our brain values immediate rewards more highly than long-term rewards.)

This is one reason why you might go to bed feeling motivated to make a change in your life, but when you wake up you find yourself falling back into old patterns. Your brain values long-term benefits when they are in the future (tomorrow), but it values immediate gratification when it comes to the present moment (today).

HOW TO STOP PROCRASTINATING? is different ways to stop procrastination, but today we will only talk about in the short term, to do little quick tasks, that way, we start a habit. Follow this steps.

STEP 1- STOP PUNISHING YOURSELF FOR PROCRASTINATING

The more stressed out you are, the harder it’ll be to get your work done. Don’t be mad at yourself. Move on and focus on what you’ve got to do instead.

• Guilt and regret are draining emotions. Wasting time yelling at yourself for not starting this essay two weeks ago will only make you extra tired and frustrated. This will make it impossible for you to finish your assignment right now.

STEP 2- TACKLE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT TASK FOR 15 MINUTES

Instead of thinking about the total number of hours you’re about to work for, just start. Tell yourself you’ve only got to do it for 15 minutes. This will deal with the intimidation factor, and you’ll likely spend much longer than 15 minutes on your task before you stop working again.

• If 15 minutes still sounds too intimidating, do something for 3 minutes.
• Once you come up for air, take a two-minute break. Then start up on another set of 15 minutes of work.

STEP 3- BREAK TASKS DOWN INTO SMALL PIECES

It can be overwhelming to think about finishing a whole essay or getting through an entire week’s worth of tasks. Instead of thinking about everything you have to do as one big obstacle, break it all down into really tiny pieces. You’ll be able to get started on the smallest crumb and go forward from there.

• For example, instead of thinking, “I need to finish this essay by 10PM tonight,” tell yourself, “I’m going to make a short outline, fill that in, and then look for quotes.”
• Consider trying a specific technique like POMODORO, where breaks happen at planned intervals.
• Avoid making a long, disorganized to-do list. This is just setting yourself up for failure. Instead, create subcategories like "Home," "Work," "Family," and "Fun" and just try to cross off a few entries from each list every day.

STEP 4- START YOUR DAY WITH THE HARDEST TASKS

Make yourself a plan in the morning and pick the hardest task first. You’ll be most energized in the morning once you’ve eaten breakfast and woken up fully. Tackle the hardest thing on your docket right then. You’ll feel better once it’s done, and then you can move on to a few easier tasks for the rest of the day.

• Figure out when you are most motivated and alert and plan out your day so you use this time best. For example, if you're a morning person, do your toughest work right after you wake up. On the other hand, if you tend to be groggy in the morning, you risk making careless errors or frustration by going headfirst into a difficult task.

STEP 5- GIVE YOURSELF A MOTIVATION SPEECH

 “Self-talking” is a great way to calm yourself down, get focused, and meet your goals. Talk to yourself, using your name. Tell yourself that you can (and will) do this.

• Self-talk by saying something like, “Jenny, I know this week has been hard and you’re tired. You’ve written a million essays before, and you’re going to rock this.”
• You can also ask yourself questions: “Jenny, why are you nervous about this? You know you can handle it.”
• Self-talk out loud if you can. It’ll also work in your head if you’re in a public place.

STEP 6- AIM FOR DONE OVER PERFECT

Imagining the perfect essay, assignment, or project could be what’s holding you back. It’s nothing at all if it’s not finished, so abandon your vision (or fears) of the perfect product. You also can’t fix what doesn’t exist yet.

STEP 7- PROMISE YOURSELF A REWARD WHEN IT'S DONE

You’re probably dreading the next however many hours you need to finish this task. Just tell yourself that when it’s over, you get to celebrate with one of your favorite things. Use that anticipation to push yourself through the pain.

To stop procrastinating, there are several methods, but this is the most common, if you need any further info in the topic, feel free to contact me and I will glad, guide to more area and other techniques.

If you think this information is useful, please share with persons, that you think, are facing the same problem.