Putting off important tasks in favor of leisure or less significant activities is occasionally fine. However, if it becomes a habit and reaches a point where it is hindering your success, then it is time to actively put a halt to it.
Procrastination does not always involve highly important duties or obligations. Sometimes you find yourself buying a book and telling yourself to read it over the weekend yet months passed and not a single page has been turned. It can also be a simple home project, like transplanting those flowers or repairing that rocking chair. Just imagine how grave a situation you can be in if you put off a work assignment leaning on a month's deadline, then your boss suddenly asks for what you have done so far. You can lose a job, a business opportunity, or a relationship.
The good thing is you can remedy procrastination and avoid having the bad habit embedded in your system. Here are some guidelines to help you cure procrastination by assessing the root causes of the habit.
Cause No. 1: Pile Up
The most common reason why people procrastinate is that they see a long list of things to do and dread facing them. You see the laundry basket full, the dogs filthy, the grass in the garden all grown, and the sink full of dirty dishes. One look and you would rather go lie on the couch and watch television than face the problem. The thing is, you can avoid the problem from happening if you wisely manage your daily activities. Set a schedule for every task and spread them across the week. Doing small tasks will not seem like work at all, and this applies to your projects on the job too.
Cause No. 2: Undefined Goals
Do not look at tasks as just mere actions that you should do today for its immediate result or you will more likely take them for granted. Take a step back and visualize how they can be means to a better end in the future. You do not take a work assignment just to please your boss now. It will greatly become a basis of evaluation whether they will let you stay on the job in the next few months or years. To help you set goals, find a mentor to guide you through the process. People who have had the long experience know a better way to start and the best ways to finish projects because they have committed their mistakes and know how to avoid them. Take a lesson or two from a great mentor to push you to take deliberate action now.
Cause No. 3: Lack of Self-Esteem
When you do not have the tools of the trade, feelings of fear and inferiority will grow in you and drive you away from opportunities. Procrastination is often the result of not facing challenges because you feel inadequate and unknowledgeable. The bright side is you know what is causing your fear and that already works in your advantage because you know what to remedy. Take short courses or attend lectures that will provide you with the knowledge. Further, have a sense of accountability if a project does not succeed just because you were afraid to challenge yourself.
