I will do this later

“You may delay, but time will not”

I can’t even remember the amount of times I have said this in the past two weeks and delayed this blog. We do this often, I will do the assignment later, I will submit the file later, I will clean the room later, I will exercise later and so on and so forth. It would have been more helpful if we did the actual work instead of putting time to say that we will do it later. But, easier said than done. We could decide how to work on this but we will discuss it later maybe.

In fact, no. Just give your five minutes to read this and maybe it might help you save the last moment hustle or even save your time by finishing earlier and get the things done in a better way. Here are few exercises that can help you reduce procrastination:

- Make a to-do list - Consider including a due date next to each item to help you stay on track.

- Take it slow - To make your chores seem less onerous, divide the items on your list into tiny, doable steps.

- Determine the cautionary signals - Pay attention to any procrastination-related ideas you may have and try your best to fight the impulse. Force yourself to work on your task for a few minutes if you start to consider putting it off.

- Reduce distractions - Turn off any distractions that are the biggest distractions for you, whether they are Instagram, Facebook updates, or the local news.

- Give yourself a high-five - Congratulate yourself for completing a task on your to-do list on time, and then treat yourself (small treats work too)

There needs to be an understanding as well regarding why you might be procrastinating rather than just considering it to be a mood or sheer ignorance. And it also needs to be kept in mind that it can be worked upon and productivity can be increased. It can occur naturally due to fatigue, laziness, lack of interest in the task, hence leading to delay. But as it has been said, something is better than nothing. So even if we do bits of the task initially, it might actually help us to complete the task on time and get the work done if not early but on time.  

NOTE - There could be certain underlying psychological conditions as well which could be leading to procrastination way too often, it is recommended to consult a professional for better ways to deal with it.