Some ideas to shift your mindset away from procrastination

“I’ll do it later”—a common response when we are facing work we may not want to do. Procrastination is one of the most common concerns people talk about in school. How do I motivate myself to get things done in the way I “should”: early, ahead and with ease?

As we procrastinate, we may have many critical judgments about ourselves that make us feel awful. We know we shouldn’t procrastinate and that we feel awful about procrastinating, but here you are, scrolling instead of doing. But why? Procrastination is a method to manage emotions we don’t otherwise know how to manage. It’s a (not very effective) coping skill. Think about the times you procrastinate—what are you feeling? Bored? Frustrated? Unable? Overwhelmed? Many of us recognize that we would be far more efficient and have more time if we didn’t procrastinate. Let me say it another way: procrastination has nothing to do with time management; it’s about avoiding the feelings we don’t want to feel.

Unfortunately, the inherent relief we get from those unwanted feelings is enough for us to continue choosing procrastination. We get stuck in a loop where we avoid the unwanted feeling, this avoidance results in relief and when we start to notice that unwanted feeling creep in again, procrastination is there to save the day. Of course, the task doesn’t usually disappear with procrastination and, ultimately, we will have to finish it.

We often experience an expansion of those unwanted feelings (plus more) when we do finally get to the task, and we offer ourselves excuses and other avoidance strategies to deal with the whole package.

Well, then how do I make changes to end my procrastination addiction? Here are some suggestions to begin to shift this habit:

1. Forgive yourself. You are hard-wired to be present-moment-reward focused. This soothes the part of the brain that seeks danger or threat. Thanks to human history, you are somewhat programmed to procrastinate. So, take a deep breath and offer yourself small moments of self-compassion that this may be a challenge that is difficult to overcome.

2. Make your distractions harder to access. If you can easily pick up your phone and find yourself lost in the time-suck of TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat, consider making your phone or these apps more difficult to use. Turn your phone off, delete the app for times you need to be productive or utilize other tech that may help.

3. Start small. If you are overwhelmed with the many tasks you have to complete, consider choosing one and start with one problem, sentence, paragraph, etc. You will often find the “starting” action is enough to get you moving.

4. Utilize your resources. Seek out support with the libraries or The Study, connect with your professor and consider talking with a clinician at the Well-Being Center. You don’t have to be stuck with procrastinating on your tasks. It will take intentionality, choice and self-compassion to overcome the inherent nature to choose to do something less rewarding in the short-term to achieve long-term gains. Phone apps such as Opal or Forest may help you avoid the apps on your phone that lead to greater procrastination and help you prioritize your must-do tasks.