The new millennium brought about new problems we had to somehow deal with. Some of them we dealt with successfully, others not as much. The problem that most people are still facing today seems to be procrastination. In fact, it’s always been a big issue for most – people procrastinate when their attention is drawn to other things. So, what is it that actually causes it?

Procrastination is everywhere. Take the internet, for instance. If you have a job that requires you to use a computer, then you’re immediately exposed to the danger of falling into the ‘social media trap’ – spending your working hours on Facebook and Instagram instead of doing what you’re actually paid to do and delaying it until the last minute. Dilly-dallying is also present when dealing with other kinds of tasks – it’s most often associated with studying, and students are, obviously, known as the greatest procrastinators of them all. Below, I’ve provided some tips on how to avoid these traps and become more productive at work.

Find Out Why You’re Avoiding Work

Postponing work is not simply being lazy – it’s intentionally avoiding work despite having the energy to do it in time. In addition, procrastination involves constant concern about the work that needs to be done while devoting all your efforts to something completely irrelevant. There are plenty of reasons why people do this – some are scared of not finishing their projects on time (Yet they leave less time for themselves to actually do it – makes zero sense, I know.), while others are simply not interested in finishing work or even get angry at the thought of actual work being done. There may even be some cases where people are afraid the finished job will not live up to the expectations (either their own or perhaps their boss’s). Once you figure out the real reason behind your unwillingness to get to work, it will be much easier for you to find the solution to the problem. 

Identify your Procrastination Pattern

When we procrastinate, each of us creates specific patterns. In order to recognize them, you first need to familiarize yourself with them. For example, you might always feel the need to clean your room before you begin with work. Or, maybe you tell yourself, “I’ll finish this episode and then I’ll start.” Both of these are two very common excuses for people who simply don’t feel like doing their work. However, everyone finds their own ways of justifying postponing work for hours on end. Think about these patterns the next time you avoid your tasks.

Avoid the Patterns That Delay Your Work

Now that you know your reasons as well as the patterns, you need to use those against themselves – whenever you’re interrupted by your own thoughts telling you to catch up on the latest episode of The Mandalorian, try to ignore it and add it to the very bottom of your to-do list (watching TV shows once you finish all your work is much more satisfying, trust me). Avoiding these intrusive thoughts will probably be extremely difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll have done a tonne of work and worry less.

Set Realistic Goals to Motivate Yourself

You need to imagine what you’ll be able to achieve once you actually focus on your work. Look at it like a butterfly effect – you do your work with time to spare, you’ll both have more time for yourself and your executive is very likely to notice your improvement. However, you can always try with either intrinsic or extrinsic motivation as well as the negative and positive kind. 

Tips and Tricks to Avoid Procrastination

These are some tricks that could help you overcome your procrastination problem. Why not try some of them out?

• Self-control. Make a list of websites that often disturb your work performance and restrict your access to them. This way, you will not be able to meet your impulse needs to surf Twitter, Facebook or any other social media page that you tend to waste your time with. 
• Productivity Apps. Add events and deadlines to your Google calendar to help yourself remember important dates. Find an app that works like a planner and organize your day with its help. Sometimes doing work is more fun when you’re able to check off the tasks you’ve already done. 

• Outsourcing. Find suitable outsourcers who will take care of your papers, essays, renewals, and other work that takes too much of your time to do on your own. Of course, this does require extra money, but if you feel you need it, it may be of huge help.

Procrastinating is like falling into a black hole. The perception of time changes and there seems to be no way to climb out of it and focus on work. The techniques above might help you increase productivity, but in the end, it’s up to you and how strong your willpower is.