Procrastination is one of the biggest problems in this modern world and it has been there since the dawn of civilization. Numerous historical figures like Leonardo Da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Herodotus, Eleanor Roosevelt, and many others have always pointed out how procrastination is the enemy of results.
"You can not escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today"
If you want to be a business leader someday then it is important to master the habit of procrastinating or delaying work. Well, everyone knows that procrastination is harmful because no one wants to run away from their responsibilities.
There is no pride in delaying work unnecessarily but still, most people are suffering from this. Procrastinating any work might dissatisfaction in the short term but it will make you suffer in the long run.
One common thing about procrastinators is that all of them have to pay the price of procrastination. A study which was published in the American Psychological Society journal discussed the cost of procrastination which is:
Depression
Irrational beliefs
Low self-esteem
Anxiety
Regret
Procrastination is not just a child's behaviour but it is a sign of undisciplined nature. Many researchers have compared the habit of procrastination with the habit of consuming alcohol and drugs.
Procrastination is a major problem in the youth of this world as they struggle in completing their work. Procrastination has synced into the system of our youth and it cannot be shaken easily.
Every time you have a goal or an idea, it begins with enthusiasm but gradually it fades away.
Whenever you start working on any idea then things like distractions, other opportunities, failure, and negative self-talk will get in your way. And the results will always be the same, you never get anything done.
Procrastinators enjoy putting in work rather than working on it until the pressure of submitting or deadline forces them to work.
According to this, if you want to beat procrastination you need self-discipline and self-motivation of doing that particular task. Qualities like self-regulation, self-control, and willpower are often overestimated but they are the real key to success.
We all are geniuses and great leaders like Nikola Tesla, Steve Jobs, and Elon Musk in our minds, but when it comes to working tend to procrastinate it. You cannot avoid delaying work if you have been a long-term procrastinator.
Yes, it is difficult to step out of your comfort zone but remember that your real growth is outside of your comfort zone.
The truth is: Procrastination has nothing to do with what you're trying to do — small or big, it can wait until later.
There is a moment between the starting and ending of a task that most experts called "the slope of procrastination" when you get into one distraction and that's where you lose your productivity.
For example – you start working on a task, you are motivated and fully focused but then you think "Let's check my Instagram feed or let me reply to this person."
Then you think "I should watch one episode of Stranger Things then YouTube videos" At last you always end up saying that "Oh what a waste of time, this will be the last time I am doing this."
So if you want to beat procrastination you need to avoid all this, simply don't get into that single distraction. It might sound very simple but the execution is much harder.
We often overestimate our willpower that we can resist distractions but unfortunately, we are not that mentally strong. If you can realize this you are already better than 90 percent of the population because most people never understand it.
The best and only way to beat procrastination is to eliminate everything that distracts you until you are working, get into a mental zone of working and it will make your life easier.
Remember that you are in a fight with yourself and to get rid of this harmful habit of procrastination you need to understand that "nothing will help you if you don't have the inner drive to improve." People usually over complicate simple things, therefore, they are easily confused.
To complete any task, you need to have a strong "Why". If you have a strong reason then the most annoying tasks become bearable. So before you begin any work, wait for a while and think why you are doing it and remove every distraction and you will find yourself more productive.
