It is part of human nature to procrastinate when an urgent deadline looms, or when important personal changes need to be made. Unfortunately, delaying decisions or actions until a future time can easily become a habit, and a negative influence on mental and physical health, self-worth, personal relationships, and even overall reputation. Remedies for procrastination help reveal and counteract this behavior.
Even though this personality trait is common, not all people can be considered true, hard-core procrastinators. Only around 20% of the world population makes a practice of consistently putting off most everyday tasks or obligations, even when doing so may be personally detrimental. The other 80% occasionally use delaying tactics, temporarily convincing themselves that ignoring an issue seems like a good idea.
Procrastination often arises from a fear of personal failure, or from the dread and anticipation of an unknown outcome. More commonly, whenever some people feel unsure, bored, or vaguely threatened, the automatic response is to employ diversionary tactics instead of tackling a problem immediately. Rather than easing the pressure, this reaction often increases feelings of anxiety, guilt, and even feelings of panic.
For some people, the mental routines surrounding procrastination can be altered by changing ingrained thought patterns. When dealing with any detrimental habitual behavior, admitting the problem actually exists opens the door to resolution, and can ultimately lead to greater personal effectiveness and efficiency. Simply acknowledging the problem is not helpful, however, unless accompanied by real action.
A good place to begin is by creating simple, easily measured goals for each day, with a specific time set aside for each task. Try to avoid generalized or vague goals such as spending more time with family members. Without simple, direct steps to take, even noble projects become bogged down. Having a viable sequence of simple, short-term goals not only encourages a prompt start for any job, but also a strong finish.
An individual plan of action often takes the form of a clear mental description of each segment of a task. Paying monthly bills on time becomes simpler, for example, if there are definite steps that define precisely how to begin. This provides internal motivation to complete the job on time, and helps to reduce the discomfort and anxiety often associated with this unpleasant job.
Disorganization is also common among procrastinators. One solution is to write down a definite daily schedule, listing everything from doctor appointments to dog-walking, and checking off each one when completed. For those who experience problems misplacing important documents or items such as keys, devise a special, personalized effort to place them in the same location each time, and then reward yourself for success.
Becoming aware of your own unique, personal motivations is key to understanding how to deal with this issue. When the urge to delay does strike, mentally review a job in small blocks or increments, and think about the ultimate rewards you will get from completing it on time. The best remedies for procrastination involve self-understanding, and conquering it can lead to a more satisfying, less stressful life.
Even though this personality trait is common, not all people can be considered true, hard-core procrastinators. Only around 20% of the world population makes a practice of consistently putting off most everyday tasks or obligations, even when doing so may be personally detrimental. The other 80% occasionally use delaying tactics, temporarily convincing themselves that ignoring an issue seems like a good idea.
Procrastination often arises from a fear of personal failure, or from the dread and anticipation of an unknown outcome. More commonly, whenever some people feel unsure, bored, or vaguely threatened, the automatic response is to employ diversionary tactics instead of tackling a problem immediately. Rather than easing the pressure, this reaction often increases feelings of anxiety, guilt, and even feelings of panic.
For some people, the mental routines surrounding procrastination can be altered by changing ingrained thought patterns. When dealing with any detrimental habitual behavior, admitting the problem actually exists opens the door to resolution, and can ultimately lead to greater personal effectiveness and efficiency. Simply acknowledging the problem is not helpful, however, unless accompanied by real action.
A good place to begin is by creating simple, easily measured goals for each day, with a specific time set aside for each task. Try to avoid generalized or vague goals such as spending more time with family members. Without simple, direct steps to take, even noble projects become bogged down. Having a viable sequence of simple, short-term goals not only encourages a prompt start for any job, but also a strong finish.
An individual plan of action often takes the form of a clear mental description of each segment of a task. Paying monthly bills on time becomes simpler, for example, if there are definite steps that define precisely how to begin. This provides internal motivation to complete the job on time, and helps to reduce the discomfort and anxiety often associated with this unpleasant job.
Disorganization is also common among procrastinators. One solution is to write down a definite daily schedule, listing everything from doctor appointments to dog-walking, and checking off each one when completed. For those who experience problems misplacing important documents or items such as keys, devise a special, personalized effort to place them in the same location each time, and then reward yourself for success.
Becoming aware of your own unique, personal motivations is key to understanding how to deal with this issue. When the urge to delay does strike, mentally review a job in small blocks or increments, and think about the ultimate rewards you will get from completing it on time. The best remedies for procrastination involve self-understanding, and conquering it can lead to a more satisfying, less stressful life.
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Locating workable and effective remedies for procrastination is not as hard as you might think. Install productivity software on your desktop to eliminate your time wasting habits.
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