Even grandmother taught us from an early age: “What you can do today, don’t put off until tomorrow!” Easier said than done – according to experts, about one in five suffers from procrastination (“postponement”, Aufschieben). What is often dismissed as laziness can develop into a real disease: chronic procrastination is characterized by counterproductive, superfluous and delaying behavior.
Procrastination common among college students
Since the mid-1980s, scientists have been researching “procrastination” and came to the conclusion that students in particular suffer from the phenomenon of procrastination, as they suddenly have to regulate their daily routine at university (often alongside work) after school with a set timetable and organize long-term projects. Students in the less organized humanities are particularly affected here. Eliyahu M. Goldratt therefore also referred to procrastination as student syndrome. Men suffer more often from procrastination than women.
Therapy or overcoming the bastard?
In severe form, procrastination can occur in combination with anxiety, striving for perfection, depression, boredom or fear of failure. This creates a vicious circle: the person suffering from procrastination is helpless in the face of the ever-growing mountain of undone work. Although he knows the consequences of not completing the tasks, he is put under even greater pressure and ultimately becomes even more frustrated. Sometimes only behavioral therapy can lead out of this dilemma.
15 tips against procrastination
But it doesn’t have to get that far! Humans are creatures of habit, and we can also break the habit of putting everything off by training ourselves to behave differently. We’ll show you how to break the vicious cycle of procrastination with these 15 rules.
1. start right away
When you receive a task or have an idea that you want to realize, start right away. The chance that they will realize a project drops to only one percent after the first three days.
2. the most unpleasant task first
Start with the most unpleasant task. Habitually, this is because it will be delayed the longest. However, if you have mastered it right away as the first task of the day, the following tasks will not seem so bad anymore.
3. divide work into bites
Make a mammoth task into several small tasks. Otherwise, the work will seem overwhelming and unsolvable. Don’t just focus on the seemingly endless path, but keep your eye on the goal.
4. firm will
Use the power of thought! A thought strengthens with frequency. Keep telling yourself that you can do it instead of thinking, “Well, this can’t be anything…”
5. Forget about perfection
Stop trying to be perfect. This will cause you to get bogged down and eventually hit the ground running. Instead, focus on what’s important.
6. praise yourself!
Praise yourself instead of doubting. Honor partial successes. Praise leads to motivation and boosts confidence in your own strengths. This actually increases performance.
7. your own rhythm is important
Pay attention to your body rhythm: everyone has their own rhythm. Whether we are late risers or early risers is determined by our genes. Instead of fighting against it, try to complete difficult tasks in your personal performance phases.
8. avoid disturbances
Don’t get distracted. Try to avoid interruptions, whether from colleagues, the phone, or your own digressive thoughts. Try to focus only on what you are doing.
9.Set a time limit
Set a time limit for yourself. The more time you have for a project, the longer it will take you. However, without improving the result because the focus is not limited to the essentials. If you pre-date a deadline in the calendar, you will gain additional correction time.
10. pressure from others
Involve those around you. As everyone knows, a sorrow shared is a sorrow halved. It’s not just teamwork that makes procrastination more difficult; if you tell colleagues and friends about your plans, you create an external source of pressure and thus a new incentive.
11. don’t lie to yourself
Be honest with yourself.Are you just making up an excuse to put something off, or is something else really more important right now?
12. prioritize
Distinguish between what needs to be done and what is important. Use a list to plan in advance which tasks have the highest priority and therefore need to be done first. However, stick to this plan as well.
13. break planning
Stay realistic in your task planning. Don’t take on too much and schedule breaks. Also, use these breaks to exercise regularly. Yoga, jogging or Pilates are great for escaping stress.
14. recognize your own successes
Consciously remind yourself of your successes and strengths. This is more effective than spending your energy on fighting your weaknesses.
15. welcome tasks
Accept work as a part of your life. Try not to think of your job as just a chore, but embrace the opportunity to actively create it. Trick your mind into thinking that even the most boring tasks are insanely interesting.
