I believe procrastination is just a natural side effect of our overdeveloped brain. We're designed to go from one thing to another without a moment's thought.
However, in our modern age of technology, we've become dependent upon it and as a result, procrastination has evolved into a lifestyle. As a writer, I find that it's hard to turn off my brain and do nothing, especially since I live in an industry where most of us are freelance or freelancers.
So how do we break the cycle and overcome this problem? The key is to focus on what matters and stop worrying about the rest. Here are some of the main causes of procrastination and how to tackle them.
- Being Too Busy
Being too busy is probably the biggest cause of procrastination. Most of us need time to recharge our batteries so that we're not constantly running on fumes. But if you're constantly trying to avoid the task that needs doing, you'll always be busy.
- Losing Perspective
As humans, we're naturally inclined to forget why we started the task in the first place. And as soon as we do, all of the pressure comes flooding back. This is particularly true of big tasks. If you're trying to write a 500-word blog post, it's easy to lose perspective.
- Lack of Focus
This is another side effect of being busy. Our focus shrinks as we try and fill our schedule, but once we start focusing, the lack of action in front of us becomes even more obvious.
- Not Seeing Results
When we procrastinate, we subconsciously convince ourselves that it's OK because we haven't achieved anything. But the reality is, we haven't achieved anything unless we're actually working.
- Focusing On The Wrong Things
Sometimes you won't know what you want until after you've finished your task. For example, the only reason I ended up writing this blog post was because I accidentally deleted my drafts folder. And once I did, I had no choice but to start all over again.
- Perfectionism
Procrastination is always related to perfectionism. The more time you spend on a task and the more detailed it gets, the more likely it is that you'll finish it sooner rather than later. But because you can never finish a task completely, it always leaves you with the feeling of "I should've done more".
- Time Is Money
Money isn't everything, but time certainly is. If you're working for free, it's unlikely that any employer will be happy with you. However, if you start your day without knowing whether you're going to get paid or not, your mind will always wonder whether it's worth starting something new.
- Confusing Effort With Success
The more you struggle to complete a task, the greater the chance that it will actually succeed. But if you're not doing anything at all, then you're obviously
Never put off to tomorrow what can be done today.