Five things you should know to stop you from procrastinating
12 May 2016
Everyone puts things off in life.
1. No one is born a procrastinator
Procrastination is a learnt behaviour, which means you can learn to stop procrastinating! Rather than saying 'I am a procrastinator', try saying 'I am a person who procrastinates a lot'. This way of thinking will put some distance between you and the behaviour so that you can start to make changes.
2. You are effective at some things
The difference between the things you procrastinate over and
the things you do effectively are the thoughts you have about them. Think about
the things you enjoy doing; your hobbies and pastimes. What do you think when
engaging in them? When we are excited about something and motivated by it, we
think in the 'Can do' frame of mind.
When we put things off and procrastinate, we are thinking in the 'can't do' frame of mind. Try drawing upon factual evidence that proves you can do what you are avoiding and watch your behaviour change. For example, 'I am struggling with my revision but I have struggled like this before and managed it so I can do it again.'
3. Preferences are not absolutes
There are a number of unhelpful thoughts that can lead to
procrastination, if we believe them to be
true. Do you tell yourself things such as 'I need to have a tidy desk/room
before I can study', 'I can't study when I feel too stressed, I need to relax
first', 'I don't know how to start it perfectly so I shouldn't do anything'?
These thoughts represent preferences of the conditions you would like to have to start working but they are not absolute truths. Think of them as telling only half the story and finish the sentence by following it up with an alternative. ''I don't know how to start it perfectly but I can write what I know and come back to that later.'
4. Feelings change
Sitting and having to study can make you feel a range of uncomfortable
emotions; annoyance, boredom, fear, anxiety. Try thinking about how you will
feel once the task is complete. It is likely that those emotions are things
such as relief, pride and happiness.
Know that by completing the task you can feel these things and aim for that emotional experience.
5. The bigger picture
It can be useful to think about the bigger picture when you
are struggling with a task. Why are you doing this at all? What is your aim? If
you can link the here and now task to the future goals you want to achieve, it
can make it easier to stop procrastinating.
The next time you feel your attention moving away from your work on to something else, focus on finishing university with a degree and realise that the assignment in front of you, or the hours of revision you need to do, are just a small step in moving towards the bigger goal.
Links
Dr Sonia Greenidge, UCL Student Psychological Services