We’ve all been there. You have a big project or task you need to complete but you just can’t seem to get started on it. No matter how many times you tell yourself “I’ll start tomorrow” or “I work better under pressure anyways,” the deadline inevitably creeps closer and that familiar sense of dread sets in... You know what happens next. Yet, you very likely (barely?) deliver on your deadlines, but are rarely truly happy with the quality of your work. Procrastination kills the joy of your professional life. Not because you hate your job, but because you hate yourself as a result of it.
Yes, you miserable little procrastinator. How many times have you used the petty excuse along the lines of “I did it only in 2 hours. It would’ve been better had I put more work into it”.
But you never do. You keep losing to people who are half as smart as you but actually have the discipline to put some elbow grease.
So, let’s get to it, shall we?
What is procrastination?
Procrastination is the scourge of every creator (freelancers, writers, and remote worker are most at risk) trying to thrive in the digital era. It chips away at your self confidence and happiness. It likely hampers your career. It makes you miserable. It ultimately makes you doubt your skills and hate yourself.
Procrastination is a spectrum
The good news is everyone is suffering from some defree of procrastination. It’s not a binary state. Like ADHD, procrastination (most likely) is a spectrum. Everyone is doing it to some extent. Some people just procrastinate on other things than you.
Procrastination is a form of addiction
Procrastination is like addiction, alcoholism specifically. It makes you feel good for a while, but miserable in the long term.
Fighting procrastination is like meditation
Fighting the urge of distraction and procrastination consistently — and coming back to the task at hand — is like meditation. It takes focus, but is incredibly satisfying once you master it.
Procrastination is a problem with starting, not doing things
Procrastination is commonly attributed to laziness. But it’s not true. Procrastinators’ problem is with starting things, not with actually doing them. Many procrastinators are actually quite hard-working once they get going.
I know you, you little procrastinator
You think you’re so special and could achieve everything if only you wanted. At the same time, you have probably convinced yourself you’re a basket case of procrastination that needs a special treatment.
This is not true. The fix to your procrastination problem is more universal than you might expect. Here’s how I know it: I bet you’d answer yes to at least three of these:
- You consider yourself a very creative person. You may even be an expert in your niche.
- You often overestimate how long a specific task might take to complete.
- You remember times when you were completely engrossed in work and burned the midnight oil, completely forgetting about the world around you. You remember enjoying the things you did, and probably take pride in some of your past work. It just rarely happens these days.
- Once you start, you’re unstoppable and you tend to enjoy work sometimes.
- You think nobody suffers from procrastination as much as you do.
- You spend inordinate amounts of time on social media, but actually enjoy little of it.
You are not alone. Yours truly is a master procrastinator. But he knows how to fight the condition. That’s why he has come up with some ideas to help you. Here are some tips to stop procrastinating even when nothing else seems to work:
Tomorrow is today, only later
Many people who procrastinate operate under the assumption that there will always be a “later” or a “tomorrow” to get things done. This mindset essentially treats time as an infinite resource, imagining it to stretch like a rubber band that never snaps. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Contrary to what we may tell ourselves when procrastinating, tomorrow isn’t a distant future where we will suddenly have more time, energy, or motivation. Tomorrow is today, only later. It’s literally just a few hours away, and the time will pass quicker than we often realize. If you’re not willing to take action today, there’s little reason to believe we’ll be more willing to act tomorrow.
Routines save the day
Routines consist of pre-decided actions that are to be performed at specific times. This predetermined nature takes away the element of choice or decision-making when it’s time to act. There’s no room for questioning whether you feel like doing the task at hand — you simply do it because it’s part of the routine. Decision-making isn’t just mentally taxing; it also uses up your willpower and cognitive resources. In psychology, this is known as reducing “decision fatigue.” Having to make fewer decisions on what you should be doing next allows you channel that energy into actually doing the tasks at hand.
In other words, eliminating the need for decision-making helps bypass the mental debate that usually leads to procrastination.
Stop bumming time off your future self
Procrastination as a form of self-harm. You’re essentially borrowing, bumming, or actually stealing time for your future, more productive self. You keep deluding yourself that the tomorrow you will be more rested, creative, and eager to start hammering out the text first thing in the morning.
It’s not going to happen. I know it. You know it.
You are essentially like an alcoholic asking for spare change. You don’t even believe your promise too much. By putting things off to tomorrow, you are making life harder for yourself. Be a friend of yourself. The more you can get done now, the happier you will be tomorrow. And trust me, the future you will be very grateful.
Pre-commit to finishing
Here’s a funny idea to make procrastination actually hurt: make a public commitment or bet with a friend that you will complete a specific task by a certain time. Knowing you’ll lose money or face humiliation if you don’t follow through can be a powerful motivator.
But if you’re not ready to bet money on your productivity just yet, shame will do for now. For example, if there’s something you need to submit in just a couple of hours, don’t say to your manager: yes, I will do it. Instead, tell this person you’ve already done it. Now, you have to actually finish before they find out you haven’t really started.
Try this for size: Yes, Peter, I’ve done it. I’m just adding some finishing touches.
There is no way back now, is there?
Your willpower is a limited resource
Let me start this one with a analogy to a cool feature found in Garmin sports watches: Body Battery. Garmin’s Body Battery is a meter which represents your energy levels throughout the day. It aims to offer a comprehensive look at your overall well-being by taking into account factors like stress, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep, and activity. A higher number indicates higher energy levels or reserves, and a lower number suggests fatigue or the need for rest.
Why the reference? I just wish something like that existed for every procrastinator’s treasured resource: willpower.
A procrastinator must realize that willpower is not an infinite resource — it diminishes as your day goes on. Think of it as a battery of sorts that starts at full charge each morning. Every decision you make, whether it’s choosing what to wear, what to eat, or how to respond to an email, draws a little from this willpower reservoir. By the end of the day, you’re running on willpower fumes, making it even more tempting to delay or avoid difficult tasks. Therefore, procrastination hits the hardest in the evening. And when you are at your freshest and your willpower tank is full, it’s the best time to confront your biggest challenges.
In other words, do (or start) hard, big things first thing in the morning before you fall into a procrastination hole. This approach is known as “eating the frog,” a term inspired by a quote often attributed to Mark Twain: “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”
Exercise and rest well to better fight procrastination
Productivity is pretty much like exercising in the sense it takes some rest to build muscles to fight procrastination. But your resting should be 100%. A YouTube binge in front of your screen won’t cut it.
In the realm of productivity, the exercise analogy holds significant weight. Much like you can’t expect to build muscle without giving your body time to rest and repair, you can’t anticipate achieving peak productivity without proper breaks. However, the quality of those breaks is just as important as taking them in the first place.
Whether it’s the television, your smartphone, or your computer, screens have a way of keeping our brains engaged rather than relaxed. This is not the kind of rest that will help you fight procrastination and improve your productivity and boost willpower. Resting in front of a screen often means you’re consuming information, responding to stimuli, and making micro-decisions — like whether to click on that next video or read that next article. These activities might not seem strenuous, but they prevent your cognitive muscles from recovering to their full extent and jumping back into work fully refreshed.
Motivation is a myth
Don’t wait for motivation to come. It’s a myth. Chasing motivation is belief in the kid’s fantasy that you should only do things you enjoy. Rather, motivation is the outcome of deliberate focus and hard work.
The notion that we should wait for motivation to strike before we tackle important tasks is a widespread but flawed idea.
Mark Manson, author of “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck,” argues that the conventional wisdom of needing to feel inspired to become motivated, and then finally to take action, is flawed. In essence, many people think the chain of productivity works like this:
inspiration — motivation — action
According to this traditional viewpoint, you need to be inspired first before you can get motivated and ultimately take action. This is a fundamentally wrong approach. Manson flips this commonly held belief on its head. He posits that action isn’t the result of motivation but the cause of it.
action — motivation —inspiration!
In other words, you don’t wait to be inspired to become motivated to then take action. Rather, you take action, which in turn leads to motivation, which then often results in inspiration.
His argument is grounded in the idea that action is both the cause and effect of motivation. When you take action, even if it’s a small step, you achieve something. This achievement, no matter how minor, can inspire a sense of accomplishment and generate the motivation to continue. This, in turn, can create a feedback loop of action-motivation-action, potentially leading to inspiration and more significant accomplishments down the line.
So, according to Manson, waiting for inspiration to strike can be counterproductive. Instead, taking small steps or actions can kickstart a cycle that will lead to motivation and potentially even to inspiration. This perspective is particularly useful for people who find themselves stuck in a cycle of procrastination, waiting for the “right moment” to start doing something meaningful.
Tasks are boring, yes. But so is YouTube when you watch it for too long. Every task can become a little interesting when you give it a chance.
Avoid long deadlines like fire
If you’re a card-carrying member of Procrastinators Anonymous, shorter deadlines might actually be your best friend. You see, longer deadlines are like catnip for procrastinators. They offer the tantalizing illusion of ample time, whispering seductively that you can “do it later” or “start tomorrow.” But here’s the cold, hard truth: The more time you have, the more time you have to procrastinate.
You may have heard of Parkinson’s Law:
work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.
When you have a longer deadline, tasks somehow seem to inflate like an air mattress, becoming far more complex and time-consuming than they initially appeared. But when you’re up against the clock, you have no choice but to prioritize, trim the fat, cut the procrastination bs and get straight to the point.
Another benefit of shorter deadlines is the quick turnover between completing one task and starting the next. This helps you keep your momentum going. When you have a long deadline, however, the gratification of completing the task is deferred, which can sap your motivation. But when you’re knocking out tasks left and right due to shorter deadlines, you’re continually rewarded, boosting your morale and enthusiasm for the work ahead.
Rewards don’t cut it
You might hear this anti-procrastination advice everywhere: Offer yourself a tempting reward. Promise yourself a Netflix binge or a tasty treat as an incentive for finishing a dreaded task. Make sure the reward is something immediate you get right after completing the task.
Sounds like a plan? No, and here’s why.
Advanced procrastinators have a broken reward system. They are impatient. They know they can easily just start the Netflix binge right now. They won’t keep it for dessert after a job well done.
Here’s the hard truth: finishing the task is the sweetest reward for a procrastinator— not Netflix, not YouTube, and certainly not a Reddit rabbit hole. Procrastinating may be fun for a while, but only bringing things to a close gives you genuine bliss and splendor.
Remote work may not be for you
Remote work has its set of luxuries: flexible hours, no commute, and the freedom to work in your pajamas. However, for many, this setup has also led to a skyrocketing rise in procrastination. When the physical boundaries between work and home blur, so do the psychological boundaries that help us focus. The comfy couch that once served as your weekend sanctuary is now a tempting respite during work hours, the TV is just a remote click away, and let’s not even talk about the endless pit of distractions that is your smartphone.
Remote work often lacks the structure and social cues that an office environment provides. In an office, the presence of busy colleagues and supervisors can serve as a social contract of sorts, subtly pressuring you to stay on task. When working remotely, that psychological accountability is reduced, making it easier to give in to procrastination.
Your home is designed to be a place of relaxation and leisure, filled with distractions that can easily divert your attention away from work. When the environment itself is triggering procrastination, it can be challenging to dig your way out.
Bottom line: haul your a** to the office.
Just start
Stop overthinking and just start whatever you need to do. Do it now. Once you start doing something, it can actually become enjoyable. It’s hard to enjoy something you haven’t started doing.
There is legit math to support this bold claim:
100% of the tasks you haven’t started are never finished.
100% of the tasks you have started have a chance of actually getting done.
In fact, it’s a paraphrase of the quote: “You miss a 100% of the shots you don’t take,” often attributed to hockey player Wayne Gretzky.
Procrastination is just worrying about things and the outcomes instead of actually doing stuff. Yes, we both know you probably can’t write this post today, because you’re reading a random guys post on Medium. But you definitely can write an introduction and an outline with some links and examples, and resolve to flesh it all out later, right?
So, yes, it’s all about momentum. Momentum is everything. In fact, let’s forget the ages-old adage “memento mori” for a moment. Instead, repeat to yourself these new words of wisdom: “momentum more”. Brand it into your brain. Make it a tattoo. Make it spell on your doormat: More momentum spells more work done.
It’s silly, but it’s probably the most powerful advice a procrastinator can get: once you get past the first 10 minutes (whatever: 2 will do just as well), continuing to work gets much easier. So ignore your urge to procrastinate and jump right in.
Break it all up
Can’t bring yourself to start that big project? How about doing just a tiny part of it? If it’s an article, how about a title? First line? An outline? A collection of useful links?
The key is to do something — anything — that will move you closer to your goal. Write the first sentence of your report. Don’t hope to get shredded overnight. Do one push-up for starters. Read one page of that thick manual.
Often, the hardest part is just getting started. Again, it’s about momentum. But momentum starts with a first step. Once you’re in motion, it’s easier to stay in motion.
Use anti-procrastination tools
The irony of modern life is that the very screens that are often the source of procrastination can also be the means to end it. Technology is the enemy of productivity ? Far from it. In fact, there’s a plethora of software tools designed specifically to combat procrastination and boost your focus and efficiency.
Brain.fm
Brain.fm (use this link for a 7-day trial and an 86% discount on your first paid month) is a web and mobile application that offers AI-generated music designed to help you focus, relax, or sleep. The platform provides a collection of audio tracks curated to improve cognitive functions and mood, with specific tracks designed to aid concentration, productivity, and relaxation.
Brain.fm can help you combat procrastination and enter a state of deep focus. The AI-generated music is designed to enhance concentration and minimize distractions, thus making it easier for you to start on tasks you’ve been putting off. The application provides an environment conducive to work, allowing you to concentrate better and complete tasks more efficiently.
Freedom
Freedom (use the 50% discount code SEP2023) is a website and app blocker that helps you reclaim focus and productivity by blocking distracting websites and apps across all your devices. The tool allows you to schedule focused work sessions during which distracting digital elements are eliminated, helping you to maintain concentration for extended periods.
Freedom directly tackles procrastination by removing the digital temptations that often lead to time-wasting. By blocking access to distracting websites and apps, it helps you to maintain your focus on the task at hand. This can be particularly useful for those who find themselves habitually checking social media, news, or other sites when they should be working. The tool can be customized to fit your needs, allowing you to block specific sites and apps or the entire internet, giving you the “freedom” to concentrate on what truly matters.
Bonus: Prove me wrong, I dare you
If you’re still skeptical about whether these tips to beat procrastination will work for you, here’s the kicker: they do. And I challenge you to prove me wrong. Commit to rigorously following my advice for a month. Make a note in your calendar to come back to the comments section after that month and declare, “I’ve tried all these tips and they’re BS.”
I’m willing to bet you won’t. Why? Because, subconsciously, you know they work.
Still not convinced? Let me share a story of a Polish superstar YouTuber, Krzysztof Gonciarz (check his amazing YouTube vlogs here), who was skeptical about the benefits of jogging and exercise. Just a decade ago, he was your typical nerd creator — unhealthy-looking, a bit overweight, always busy, forever stressed, and not really keen on physical exertion. One day, he decided he’d had enough of people talking about the transformative power of exercise. So, he set out on a sort of “perverse plot” to prove them all wrong. And he went all in. He started jogging every day for a month. He was so sure he’d hate every minute of it, that it wouldn’t make any real difference in his life.
Guess what happened? Not only did Gonciarz lose 15 kg (ok, no idea how much really, just a ballpark), but he also discovered a newfound sense of energy and mental clarity. He became happier, more focused, and his career soared. Today he regularly runs marathons and is a poster boy for healthy lifestyle. What started as an experiment to prove the futility of exercise turned into a complete lifestyle change that positively impacted every facet of his life.
So go ahead, try to prove me wrong about procrastination. I dare you. Take these tips and put them to the test for a month. Just like Krzysztof Gonciarz, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
Happy adulting!
If you liked the tips, buy me a coffee to keep me going, thanks!
Bonus: Some great books about procrastination
The productivity skill is like a muscle. You’re not born with it. You build it over time. If you don’t know where to start, seek inspiration in some books that helped me.
Eat That Frog
“Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy should be each procrastinator’s staple. It offers practical advice on time management and productivity. The book revolves around tackling your most difficult and important tasks first, metaphorically ‘eating the frog,’ to make the rest of your day more manageable and productive.
Procrastination Takeaway: It challenges procrastination head-on by advising you to prioritize and complete your most dreaded tasks first thing in the morning, clearing the way for easier tasks and a more productive day.
Deep Work
Written by Cal Newport, “Deep Work” emphasizes the importance of focused, uninterrupted work to achieve remarkable results.
Procrastination Takeaway: Newport argues that multitasking and surface-level work are forms of procrastination that prevent you from delving deep into tasks that matter.
The War of Art
Steven Pressfield’s “War of Art” explores the concept of “Resistance,” a force that prevents you from pursuing your creative endeavors.
Procrastination Takeaway: Pressfield identifies procrastination as a manifestation of Resistance, a mental block to be fought against in the pursuit of creative and meaningful work.
World Without Email
Also by Cal Newport, this book delves into the inefficiencies and distractions caused by modern communication tools like email.
Procrastination Takeaway: Newport suggests that the constant influx of emails and messages promotes procrastination by encouraging shallow work and breaking focus.
So Good They Can’t Ignore You
Another Cal Newport book, this one dismantles the passion hypothesis and advocates for skills and mastery.
Procrastination Takeaway: By focusing on building skills rather than chasing passions, you have a clear path of action, which reduces the chances of procrastination.
Turning Pro
A follow-up to “War of Art,” Steven Pressfield’s “Turning Pro” discusses the transformation from amateur to professional in your work ethic.
Procrastination Takeaway: Pressfield argues that professionals don’t procrastinate; they commit and produce consistently.
Flow
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s “Flow” explores the ‘optimal experience’ — a state of deep focus and engagement.
Procrastination Takeaway: Being in a state of flow leaves no room for procrastination, as the task at hand becomes intrinsically rewarding and engaging.
Dopamine Nation
Dr. Anna Lembke explores the science of pleasure and pain, examining how our habits and behaviors are influenced by dopamine.
Procrastination Takeaway: The book suggests that the instant gratification received from distractions (like social media) can fuel procrastination.
Digital Minimalism
Cal Newport examines how a minimalist approach to digital tools can improve well-being.
Procrastination Takeaway: Newport argues that reducing digital clutter can cut down on distractions and thereby minimize procrastination.
Do the Work
This book by Steven Pressfield serves as a field guide for overcoming Resistance and getting things done.
Procrastination Takeaway: Pressfield provides actionable steps to confront and defeat procrastination as a form of Resistance.
Essentialism
Greg McKeown’s “Essentialism” advocates for the disciplined pursuit of less but better.
Procrastination Takeaway: By focusing only on essential tasks, you eliminate the possibility of procrastinating on non-essential activities.
Motivation Myth
Jeff Haden debunks the myth that motivation is a magical force that arrives at random.
Procrastination Takeaway: Haden claims that real motivation is built through taking action, thereby diminishing the pull of procrastination.
