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The habit of putting things off until the last minute. procrastination

MOSCOW, September 11 - RIA Novosti. The desire to put things off until later is a sure sign that they can not be done at all. About what else lies behind the habit of delaying the performance of duties until the last moment and why to-do lists for the day can significantly reduce performance, psychologists and psychoanalysts told RIA Novosti.

Procrastination (from Latin pro - instead of ahead and crastinus - tomorrow) is a concept in psychology that denotes a tendency to constantly put things off and responsibilities for later. Psychologists note that its cause is not laziness, which only accompanies it, but other phenomena that sometimes require specialist advice.

The first reason is the lack of personal interest

"We have a very serious problem of including motivation. Besides, I would not say that activity is an absolute value for our domestic mentality. Why do something? Why? A motivational deficit is a big problem. You have to want something , to be inspired by something, something must take place in the soul in order for an inspiring and captivating goal to appear, ”explained Andrey Kopyev, associate professor at the Faculty of Counseling and Clinical Psychology of the Moscow City Psychological and Pedagogical University.

If you don’t want to do something, psychologists advise you to answer the question for yourself: “Do I need this?” If not, and at the same time, the case can be transferred to someone or even abandoned, then it is better to do so, so as not to feel remorse later for poor-quality or untimely work done.

The second reason is the fear of failure.

Psychologists note that behind the desire to delay the execution of some business until the last moment, there may be a fear of one's own failure. Children do not want to study and do homework when they do not understand the material, adults are afraid of their duties when they lack qualifications.

The solution to this problem is quite simple: in the case of a child, parents should work with him or hire a tutor for this, working people should find a way to improve their skills to the desired level.

The third reason is internal conflict

Psychologists about what the desire to become beautiful can lead toThe modern ideal of beauty - painful thinness plus enlarged parts of the face and body - has left the catwalks and glossy magazines. About how this ideal affects the minds of young girls and mature women, what threatens the pathological desire to follow the artificially created image of a beauty, experts told RIA Novosti on International Beauty Day.

The most serious reason for procrastination is associated with a person’s internal conflicts, various anomalies and disorders that he himself may not be aware of and therefore needs the help of a specialist.

“It is likely that in the unconscious there is some kind of active process of psychological defense, and for some reason what needs to be done causes anxiety, rejection. The person does not really understand why, but cannot force himself. The third topic is almost endless, because that there can be any number of these forms of resistance. It is rather a symptom of an internal conflict, "explained psychoanalyst Dmitry Sklizkov.

trait of success

"Over the past 20 years I have had to work with a lot of very successful people, and if we talk about the psychological trait that distinguishes successful people from not-so-successful people, it is the ability to think and immediately start doing. Do not doubt, do not think about whether I need it or not, whether I will succeed or not, ”said Sklizkov.

No special effort is required to develop this quality in oneself. All you have to do is set a desirable and motivating goal for yourself. If it exists, and there are no psychological disorders, it will be easy to get rid of procrastination: you will need to rationally allocate your time and actions.

“For example, books and courses on time management are a very sensible and correct thing. But we must remember that it helps only a certain circle of people who do not have existential and motivational issues, a tendency to melancholy and depressiveness,” recommended Kopyev.

The daily to-do list trap

Psychologists remind that making to-do lists makes sense if a person keeps a clearly set goal in mind and remembers that all things work towards its fulfillment. For a list for one day, it is advisable to highlight mandatory minimum, for example, two things, and then praise yourself if the third was completed on top of that.

“A person must clearly understand what he wants and what his values are. Then he will be able to single out stages for himself, and each step taken will be just learning. In all other cases, making a to-do list and any time management can become a way of self-rape and bringing yourself to psychosis," Sklizkov concluded.

Let's not be cunning: each of us is familiar with procrastination firsthand. Most are even able to courageously admit that from time to time we intentionally (or not?) delay making an important decision that can affect our lives. It could be a trip to the dentist, a big or small task waiting to be done, or a simple house cleaning. Today we will try to find out in what situations one should be on the alert and what can help in the guerrilla struggle against this unfavorable quality for a person.

Let's start without delay.

1. Determine if you really need to do it

Perhaps the reason for your procrastination lies in the absence of a good reason to take action. A job that you can’t stand, or something else that you didn’t like from childhood, which you always wanted to get rid of, is from a completely different category, which does not include dreams and real goals.

In such situations, I would advise first of all to approach the assessment of the upcoming task critically: why waste time on something that is decidedly not to your liking, if there are many other tasks that are a pleasure to take on?

2. Conduct a small "reconnaissance in force"

Once you figure out what tasks are idle, take one of them and do a small part of it to get an idea of the level of complexity of the execution. Based on the impressions received in the process, decide whether you need help.

Often we overwhelm ourselves with thoughts about how many things need to be done, and then we cannot move, imagining an endless list of tasks: there are many of them, and the worker, that is, you, is alone. This approach is obviously wrong. But what if you give a pressing issue, say, 15 minutes or half an hour? It is likely that you will get a taste, thereby moving off the ground.

3. Listen to yourself. And do the opposite

The best friend "I'll do it tomorrow" - "I don't want something." If rebellious moods grow in the soul, they must be fought with the same decisiveness and toughness as with international terrorism. After all, if you follow your desire to do nothing, what will happen next? Correctly, nothing.

So, before you take on something that cannot be avoided, try to tune in to new way: Meditate, take a walk, or do whatever works best for you.

4. Order First

The environment around you can successfully both promote procrastination and help in the fight against it. Take a quick look at your desk, home decor, or any other place where you have to work.

Surely not everything around you is in a state of perfect order, so find the strength to tidy up: get rid of the garbage, put everything in its place so that both the eye will be happy and the work will be argued.

By the way, after a little cleaning and I think it's easier. See for yourself.

5. Accustom yourself to the thought: now it will always be like this

As a rule, the first steps in anything, whether it be sports or new responsibilities at work, are always difficult. Probably the simplest example would be a situation in which each of us found ourselves at least once in a lifetime. Remember magic button Snooze on the alarm clock? I bet you may not know what this English word means, but you absolutely know how this button works: there is nothing easier than pressing it and sleeping peacefully on.

So here it is it is forbidden succumb to this kind of temptation, listening to your inner voice, calling to put all things on the back burner. Forget about the rules of etiquette when he once again sounds in your head: cut off his tirade in mid-sentence and do what you must.

6. Tell a trusted person about your important decision

It can be your business partner, wife or best friend- Yes, anyone, the main thing is that he was in the know. State your intentions to this person with key points, dates, and deadlines. Ask him to control you as an experiment.

It may very well be that your ally in the struggle for productivity and yourself needs help and additional motivation in life. Therefore, we urge you to be honest with each other: gently but decisively point out the places that, in your opinion, require special attention. And act.

7. Don't Let Yourself Be a Victim of Circumstances

Have you ever wondered why the expression "being a victim of circumstance" is so popular? Why do stories from the mouths of losers gather crowds of sympathizers? The answer is simple: people want to be sure that there are always those who are weaker, more unfortunate, more unfortunate than themselves.

Let's be productive: digging into your own problems won't help you find solutions. Chin up! Try to dispel the gloom, convince yourself: "I'm fine." Then everything should work out.

8. No apology accepted

In general, you should apologize as little as possible. To apologize is, in fact, to forgive oneself, that is, our main enemy. If you forgive yourself everything right and left, in the end you will become stupid and begin to live, guided only by instincts and natural needs. Is this life?

There can be infinitely many reasons to agree with yourself, following the path of least resistance. Eradicate in yourself the slightest germs of this bad habit.

9. Learn to focus in a short time

If you want to be successful, learn to manage your time. Start small: train yourself to be focused for the small amount of time it takes to complete a given task.

Having mastered this technique to perfection, you can begin to long term planning. As my favorite poet said, "big things are seen from a distance."

10. Listen to Indian Mantras

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Even if you are not a frequenter of ethnic festivals and have never thought about a trip to Nepal or Goa, pay attention to the national music of the country of elephants and curry sauce. Mantras are positive attitudes, listening to which and meditating, you can find peace and tune in the right way. The first thing to learn is to control the breath. When it is within your power, you can begin to comprehend more complex states - concentration on what you need.

By the way, there are many mantras. You can experiment and choose the one you like and works.

11. Leave your comfort zone

Our eternal enemy is the inner voice. If you allow it to sound, it will subtly convince you that it is right. And we know for sure that in most cases he is wrong. Try to distract yourself from it by any means known to you.

Most often, it occurs in those moments when we tend to doubt our abilities. Therefore, if you are not sure whether you will reach the end of the path, try to drown out the words of doubt with positive attitudes: “I can, I will get there, I will do it.”

12. Visualize goals. Represent Success

Visualization is a powerful tool for achieving goals. It has been proven time and again that this technique helps to kill procrastination in the bud, motivating you to succeed.

Looking to the future helps you focus on your final goals and how achieving them will affect the quality of your future life. Get a "wish board" if you want to succeed as soon as possible.

13. Give yourself some trouble

Or a lot, as long as it takes. What am I talking about? The fact is that suffering and various kinds of grief are also sources of motivation: the feeling of disorder pushes us forward, and we change jobs, move, learn something new.

Having reached a certain point of awareness of a situation that one does not like, a normal person begins act. So, if you are still sitting still and prefer not to think about the problem, then everything suits you, not otherwise.

In general, you are the same wizard who can help you cope with everything. As the wise Mahatma Gandhi taught us, if you want a change in the future, become this change in the present.

14. Who dares wins

Curb your fear! Fear of something is the surest accomplice of procrastination. Just tell yourself: "No, I'm not afraid of anything, I will succeed." Repeat this often, write it down on a piece of paper and hang it in a prominent place - we already talked about the benefits of visualizing thoughts in point number 12. If you manage to gain control over fear at least once, then it will continue to work.

How to do it? Talk to yourself - everyone has done it at least once in their lives. So why not make a good, healthy habit out of it? Alone with your thoughts, you can not pretend and not look for excuses for your negative traits: fear, laziness, unwillingness to change something. Try to identify your problem areas and start to deal with them.

15. Work on self-discipline

To be honest, the choice is often not so great: either gather all the will into a fist today and embark on a path of change, or reap the bitter fruits of disappointment in the foreseeable future. Leaving important life issues for later is too easy and, alas, completely ineffective.

Many people know the proverb "Sow a thought - you reap an action, sow an action - you reap a habit, sow a habit - you reap a character, sow a character - you reap a destiny." Charge yourself with the right thoughts, acquire good habits, because everything is in your hands.

In general, each of us is nothing but a collection of habits and patterns. You can train yourself for absolutely everything. Use this feature of human consciousness to your advantage!

16. Scales must be correct, and deadlines must be foreseeable.

It's easy to make promises, isn't it? Many songs have been sung around the world on this topic and even more words have been said. The same applies to deadlines, deadlines, as it has become fashionable to say now. It takes at most half a minute to assign them; it can take weeks and months to complete.

How to proceed? Let's think strategically: imagine that as a punishment for disrupting your work schedule, you will be deprived of the opportunity, say ... to drink coffee for a month! Not a very happy prospect, is it?

17. Declare war on perfectionism

In fact, there is absolutely nothing good in it. First, let's look at the definition. Perfectionism is the belief that the best possible outcome can (or should) be achieved. It would seem that nothing is wrong, but, thinking in a similar vein, we are infinitely moving away from the true goal, which is to get the job done - get sh*t done as they say across the ocean.

The main mistake that many tend to make is the substitution of concepts. Perfectionism has nothing to do with high quality. No matter what anyone tells us about this, the answer will be the same: time is money. Learn to manage it in the same way as an experienced commander manages his army.

18. Don't Forget to Reward Yourself

Sometimes we miss the reward for a job well done. We must not forget about encouragement, because this is one of the most powerful sources intrinsic motivation. That's why it's so important to celebrate your victories, both big and small. Arrange an extraordinary day off, please yourself with a purchase that you have long dreamed of, feel the joy of triumph!

In the end, the fight against procrastination is not easy. As Jim Rohn, a famous American public speaker and business coach, said in his book Vitamins for the Mind:

We must all experience two kinds of pain: the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. The difference is that discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons.

Are you prone to procrastination? What and why do you tend to put off over and over again? Share with us your opinion and successful experience in dealing with adversity!

The habit of procrastinating. How to overcome procrastination.

Time ... It seems that there is so much of it, and that the whole life is ahead. So many people who do not want to rush to live think so - and it is completely in vain, because no one can know what will happen to us tomorrow. What awaits a person in the future is a riddle that a person solves only when this future comes and becomes real. However, by letting the situation take its course and not thinking at all about shaping a wonderful future, we often create an unenviable present for ourselves.

Hello dear readers. Today I invite you to consider a very serious problem many potentially successful people who never become successful. Moreover, it is precisely because of this problem that a person loses all desire to achieve at least something worthwhile in his life, and this despite solid intellectual and physical capabilities. Alas, only some people who are faced with this problem see it as a problem - the rest simply believe that this is not a problem at all, but an ordinary habit that does not affect the results of their activities. So, we will talk about the habit of postponing everything for later - procrastination.

We very often put off important things for later, explaining this by the need to do “a lot of important things” at the same time. However, what then appears as the cases that we call important? As a rule, this is watching a television program, checking Email, a walk in the park, brewing another cup of tea, rest after rest, etc. Of course, some of these cases are vital, but not when a person has passed all the critical deadlines for completing a report, preparing for an exam, etc.

It is quite normal if a person is engaged in a business that is not important here and now, due to the presence of a certain need, the satisfaction of which can improve a person’s condition and give him the necessary vitality. For example, while performing a task that is most important to a person, a person may become distracted and:

Brew strong tea to compensate for the lack of caffeine in the body, leading to a sharp decrease in efficiency;

Free up 20-30 minutes of time (but not half a day, as procrastinators do!) in order to take a walk in the park and breathe fresh air, fill your body with vital oxygen, and also relax your soul from accumulated fatigue and everyday bustle;

Go online and check your email, because the person is waiting for a very important message (and not just “sitting” in the mail or social network to write another “Hello. How are you?");

Go to the store to purchase an important thing for yourself or receive an important service (and not just to pass an hour or two);

Lie down to rest in order to restore strength (and not because there is nothing else to do or laziness to do anything);

Watch an information program that tells important information for a person, or a football match of your favorite team, after which a person will be able to start an important business with renewed vigor (but not watching the next football match of teams that a person hears about for the first time).

A person who at least once decided to postpone an important matter until later begins to develop the habit of postponing important issues, which subsequently results in trouble at work, loss of trust of loved ones and colleagues, financial losses and missed opportunities, etc. Such a person, throughout the entire period of the task allotted to him, in every possible way delays time, spending it on absolutely unnecessary things, and when a person realizes that all possible deadlines have passed, he either refuses to complete the task, or tries to complete it for an unrealistically short term. It is no secret that both in the first and in the second case he will fail.

Procrastination can cause feelings of guilt and despair, an incredible loss of productivity and self-confidence. When a person spends his energy on secondary matters, his feeling of anxiety constantly increases, he understands that such actions will not lead him to a positive result, but continues to waste his time uselessly. When there is very little time left, a person begins to carry out the task with all his strength, but it is already too late, and these desperate attempts only kill the remnants of faith in success in a person.

Let's take a look at the main causes of procrastination together:

1. Fear of failing. Fear of failure, of course, is the primary cause of procrastination, because if a person were not afraid of anything, he would simply take on an important task and calmly bring it to the end. But it’s not like that - unpleasant thoughts constantly revolve in the head of many people prone to procrastination - “what if I don’t succeed?”, “maybe I shouldn’t take on this business?”, “I don’t have enough qualities to achieving success in this matter”, etc. The fear of failure is especially dangerous for people who are accustomed to always do everything right and not upset anyone. If a we are talking about studying, these people always strive to get the highest mark, and are afraid of a different outcome for themselves. These people are called perfectionists, and more than anyone else, they are prone to procrastination. If a person is used to always doing everything right, but at the same time he is not 100% sure that he will achieve the desired result, he will make every effort to delay the completion of the task. And when only half an hour is left at his disposal, the person begins to understand that he has nowhere to retreat, and he tries to correct the situation, but all in vain. A perfectionist will not tolerate not only failure, but even the thought of it, and in vain, because he loses the opportunity to learn from his own mistakes, gaining important knowledge.

2. Human inability to prioritize and act on them. Such a person either has a lot of tasks that he tries to complete at the same time, without thinking about the degree of importance of each of the tasks, or he does not single out any tasks in his work and prefers, taking the position “what will be - that will be”, to go with the flow of life . A person simply does not have an understanding of which of the tasks is the most important and capable of providing the desired result, and therefore he performs, first of all, tasks of little significance, for which a person spends a lot of energy and, when he comes to complete a really important task, a person simply does not enough energy to carry it out.

3. Unwillingness to overcome obstacles. On the way to the goal of each person, obstacles await - and this is a fact. However, the procrastinator is well aware of how much effort he will have to spend, and decides to just let the situation take its course, and instead of moving towards the goal, he spends his time on empty activities - viewing mail, computer games, etc. Of course, giving up on a goal is much easier than being willing to sacrifice time and energy to achieve it. And for sure, living in a virtual, invented world is often more pleasant than in reality, but do you need such a life? The meaning of life is in constant development, and where there is no development, there is degradation. If instead of learning new important information and master the skills that will be a solid foundation for your future success, you will waste your precious time doing nothing, you, thereby, consciously decide to take the path of degradation. Just don't be surprised after that why others succeed, and you have remained at your starting point. Make up your mind to overcome all the necessary obstacles, and start doing it right now, while you have the resources to do so. necessary time and strength.

4. Emotional starvation. It is emotional starvation that is one of the main reasons for the habit of putting off important things. To achieve success, a person often has to perform monotonous monotonous work throughout the day. And, even if a person likes what he does, monotonous work can take a lot of vital energy from him, as it requires endurance and constant concentration of attention on the goal. Naturally, a person prone to procrastination quickly gets bored with monotonous work, he forgets about the goal and decides to “unwind” and rest, thereby delaying the deadline for completing important work as much as possible. And how most often does a person prefer to “disperse”? Of course - through the main time wasters - surfing the Internet, checking e-mail, playing computer games, talking about nothing on the phone, watching the next TV show, the next optional snack, etc. By these actions, a person “kills two birds with one stone” - gets rid of emotional hunger and effectively shirks work. However, in the future, a person begins to like this idleness more and more, which, in fact, is not surprising, because lying on the couch is much more pleasant than wasting energy and overcoming obstacles on the way to desired result. All this leads to only one thing - during his stay in a passive state, a person misses many potential opportunities, and also begins to reproach himself for being inactive when he had a real opportunity to change his life for the better.

5. Desire to show your independence. Any movement towards the goal is connected with the need for a person to sacrifice his own freedom. A person becomes literally dependent on his goal, devoting his strength and time to achieve it. Goal-oriented person perfectly understands the need for such a “sacrifice”, and therefore does not allow himself to be distracted by extraneous things until the goal is achieved. However, most often, sooner or later, an inner voice begins to say to a person: “Just look at what you have become! You have become an absolutely dependent person who is not free to do what he wants. After all, you were born free - so enjoy your freedom! Finally leave this work and go and rest.” To which a person who wants to show his independence replies: “But it’s true! How much can you work hard for a result that will be achieved no one knows when? You have to think about yourself too." As a result, a person puts off all important things, and begins to show his independence - to live for his own pleasure. But at the same time, a person also forgets that the desire to prove one's independence and the desire to achieve a goal are two absolutely opposite things. In the end, a person who strives to seem independent spends all the opportunities for success and becomes truly dependent, because he does not manage to realize anything he has planned in life.

6. Fear of novelty. Often, in order to effectively overcome all the obstacles on the way to the goal, a person is required to change his actions, model and stereotypes of behavior, mode of work, etc., which is quite difficult for many, because any significant changes cause fear in a person. A person often does not want to change anything in himself at all, he is already satisfied with everything in himself. But at the same time, a person understands that without the changes that so terrify him, success cannot be achieved. That is why, not daring to change and, at the same time, being unable to abandon his goal, a person simply begins to switch to activities that are not related to achieving the goal, wasting his time in vain.

7. self-restraint. Very often a person puts off doing an important thing until later due to fear ... of success. Yes, paradoxically, but many of us are afraid to be successful, do not dare to do everything in our power to stand out from the crowd, fear criticism, envy and hatred from other people. In other words, a person is afraid to show himself better than other people. Nothing will help a person achieve success in any business until he copes with his internal limitations. He must realize his right to be the way he is - even if in fact he is better and smarter than all people on earth.

8. Unclear life goals. If a person has not decided what goal he is going to achieve in his life, he will not know the answer to one of the main questions: “Why am I doing this? What will I achieve as a result of my actions? A person living without a life goal begins to doubt the importance of any task, and therefore he does not strive to move on to its implementation. Moreover, a person without a goal quickly falls into depression and begins to feel tired from everything that happens in his life.

9. The need to do the job you hate. If a person does not like everything that he does, he will do everything in his power in order not to start unloved work for as long as possible.

Well, with the reasons forcing people to postpone things important for achieving success for an indefinite period, we figured it out. Now is the time to name the main ways to deal with procrastination:

1. If you are overcome by the desire to leave an important matter and move on to an activity that does not bring you benefit, or simply to the desire to put the matter on the back burner, you are better off take a little break and walk down the street in the fresh air. This walk will give you self-confidence and desire to succeed. Do not forget about good rest and good sleep, excessive fatigue has not helped anyone on the way to the desired goal.

2. Learn to plan your time. Only with planning skills can you make your work productive and of high quality, as well as increase your own efficiency. Having a clear, realistic plan will prevent you from doing things that are not related to achieving the ultimate goal, and, accordingly, you will not have the desire to postpone things for later.

3. Develop a strong character and willpower. It is willpower and a strong character that will allow a person to remain true to his goal even when the desire to give up and accept the current state of affairs reaches its maximum. The best way to develop your willpower is to exercise. Daily morning exercises are a must. Do it with discipline every day at the same time, which will allow you to also be disciplined in completing important tasks.

4. Change your attitude towards time-consuming and, at first glance, difficult tasks. Very often, a person tends to delay the completion of an important task from the point of view of achieving success solely because this task frightens him with its laboriousness. A person simply does not believe that he is able to complete the task, and does not understand at all where to start. In order for the task not to scare you with its impracticability, break the process of its implementation into certain stages, and after each of the stages take breaks in order to restore your vitality. Also, do not forget to reward yourself in some way after passing through each of the stages of the process, so that throughout the entire process of achieving what you want, you do not forget that after completing the task you will find a worthy reward, and it is worth spending effort and time to receive it.

5. Declare war on the true cause of procrastination - fear., which fetters your will and paralyzes the desire to take the initiative. The most common fear a procrastinator experiences is the fear of failure. He is frightened by everything unknown, he has not previously encountered such a task, and now he is afraid that one wrong action can nullify all his efforts. It also happens that a person, on the contrary, has repeatedly completed some important task, but at the same time constantly failed, and now, at the mere thought of repeating the task, these unsuccessful attempts to achieve success pop up in the person’s memory one after another, as a result of which the any desire to act in order to prevent repeated failure.

The fear of winning can sometimes be very difficult, but a person with a strong will and a burning desire to achieve success can do it. Consider briefly the main ways to overcome the fear of failure:

Take it as a rule: Each failure is not a loss, but quite the opposite - it is the acquisition of the necessary life experience. But if so, then it turns out that in any of the outcomes you win - either you will succeed and achieve your desired goal, or in the worst case, gain important experience and knowledge that can prevent you from making repeated mistakes. You need to take concrete steps to be successful, right? After all, you will be the winner anyway!

Always have a back up plan. In order to reduce the losses from the possible unsuccessful outcome of your attempts to achieve what you want, you should always stock up on a backup plan, according to which, in case of failure, you will act. This way, if your first attempt to reach your goal is not successful, you will know what steps you need to take in the future. If you have a backup plan, failure will not take you by surprise - you will be prepared for it, and therefore your further actions will not be panicky and chaotic, but calm and deliberate, which will significantly increase your chances of success;

Whatever happens - act! Never give up on action, even when it seems extremely difficult. most main reason on which a person begins to reproach himself in case of failure, is inaction. It's much better to fail ten out of ten and know that you acted and tried to make a difference in the situation. better side than doing nothing not to make a single mistake;

Use visualization actively. In the process of visualization, a person mentally imagines that success has already been achieved, and in bright colors he sees and feels everything that he would feel and see if success would actually be achieved. Best time for visualization - before going to bed. Sit comfortably, close your eyes and imagine how you are easily and confidently approaching your goal step by step. In bright colors, imagine that indescribable delight and sincere joy that you will experience after your goal is achieved. After that, in reality, your self-confidence will increase significantly, and with it, the chances of achieving the desired result will increase.

6. Do not hide from the problem, but honestly admit it. Whatever problem makes you do everything possible to delay its solution, you should honestly acknowledge its existence. If you just turn a blind eye to the problem and assume that everything is in order, in the end, this problem will become the main reason for your failure. When a problem is recognized by a person, he knows what to fight and plans specific actions and methods to achieve victory in this fight.

7. Take full responsibility for the result. I guess this is one of the most better ways fight the habit of putting off important things for later. When a person does not recognize his absolute responsibility for the result, he thinks: “Why should I do anything right now? Anyway, in case of failure, circumstances / bad luck / karma / neighbor Vasya will be to blame (underline as necessary). And here's the surprise - failure really happens to a person! As they say, who would doubt.

If you want to break the habit of procrastinating important things, you should understand that you and only you are responsible for the result of any business you organize. When you understand this, you will have something to lose, and you will do your best to complete the task on time and with exceptional quality.

8. If procrastination is due to the fact that you do not get any pleasure from your work, you should seriously consider change job.

9. Don't forget to take breaks. No matter how energetic a person you are, you should also rest between work in order to restore strength and again take up important tasks with enthusiasm. If you think that you are able to cope with a task of any complexity without any interruptions, sooner or later you run the risk of “burning out”, losing strength and the desire to move forward towards the intended goal. Ideally, in the process of work, you can allocate 5 minutes of time every hour in order to relax or get some fresh air. To do this, make it a rule - “5 minutes before the end of each hour of work, I set aside time for myself” - and strictly follow this rule.

10. Set tight deadlines for each task. If you have several tasks to complete in a day that can bring you closer to the final result, determine for yourself clear time periods for completing each of the tasks, and follow them. You don't need to plan that you will complete the "five tasks for today", because in this way you will definitely not complete them. It is better to plan like this: “From 9:00 to 10:30 - task 1; from 10:35 to 11:50 - task 2, etc.” In any case, each task must have its own deadline - the time after which the task has no right to be completed. Over time, by applying this advice, you will be able to perform a lot of tasks in a relatively short period of time.

And, whatever happens, remember that everything in this life depends on you, and therefore do not let procrastination take away your precious time, which you can use for the benefit of yourself and others.

In the first days of the new year, millions of people around the world are trying to change for the better. At the same time, there are probably already those who managed to give up and think that they will realize their plans next year. But why do people get into the habit of procrastinating? Why is procrastination such a common problem? It is especially difficult for those who have to study. Some even believe that procrastination is the main problem in education.

Postponing things for later

The desire to do everything at the last moment during study can negatively affect grades and undermine both physical and mental health of a person. Teachers can suffer from the same problem, because sometimes you just want to mind your own business instead of checking notebooks. Many people are studying from home these days, and procrastination is becoming a particularly acute problem. It is enough to press the button - and instead of an abstract, there is already a video with kittens or a social network page on the screen. Many people avoid doing the right things, even when they know perfectly well that they will have problems later. How to get rid of the habit of procrastinating? You need to learn to control your own emotions. When we put off an unpleasant task, we try to cheer ourselves up by trying to run away from responsibilities. It's like overeating or drinking too much, the habit of distracting yourself from the problem.

What do we have to do?

Procrastination is especially characteristic of impulsive, perfectionist people who fear failure. Most often, young people face the problem, because it becomes easier to control their emotions with age. Nevertheless, there is hope for everyone - you just need to follow the recommendations.

Step One: Practice Mindfulness to Control Your Negative Thoughts

If you use mindfulness technologies, you can figure out what you don't want to do without judging yourself for it, and then admit to yourself that the tasks need to be done and get to work. The main thing is the beginning, because then the first results appear and it becomes easier to move on.

Step Two: Divide the task into simple and manageable steps

One of the reasons for procrastination is that the goal seems too big and vague, which makes it difficult and unpleasant to strive for it. Therefore, the New Year's decision to "lose weight" or "write a book" needs to be formulated differently. Let it be the goal of "start running" or "think of names for the characters in the book." Each task can be divided into many small parts. When you see what steps you need to take in order to succeed, it becomes easier for you to overcome the fear of starting, and you forget about procrastination.

Step Three: Stop Punishing Yourself

You need to forgive yourself for weaknesses - the absence of guilt helps you no longer repeat your mistake. The more you blame yourself and the more angry you get, the more likely it is that you will never succeed.

Step Four: Build Good Habits You Already Have

For example, if your dentist tells you to floss and you're lazy, you should make the process part of your daily brushing routine. Place the floss right next to your toothbrush and use it every time you brush with toothpaste. So it will be much easier for you to get used to the process.

Step Five: Think About Your Future

When people are shown their artificially aged digital photo, people feel the urge to start saving money - it becomes easier to imagine their prospects. If you keep such a photo on your desk, your colleagues will look at you strangely. It is enough to think about the near future: just imagine how you will finish everything in tension at the last moment. You certainly do not want to create such a situation for yourself.

Step Six: Find the reason why you care about completing the task

Procrastination can be a reflection of deep existential issues and a lack of direction in life. We don't start a task if it seems boring and pointless. Remind yourself why you want to do what you want to do, how it fits in with your life ambitions. This tactic helps to defeat the temptation to get distracted and get to work.

Procrastination is psychological problem of a person, postponing things for later, as a result, they remain unfulfilled. At first, this problem does not seem global, however, this is not entirely true. Procrastination Syndrome is a habit that you just need to fight.

Do you need to stress?

Postponing things for later is a process familiar to everyone. However, if it becomes a habit and becomes a stereotype of behavior, it becomes a problem and is called procrastination. Her syndrome is fraught with a certain danger.

A person who is used to putting off important things for later, as a result, refuses them, which leads to degradation and the development of depression. Looking back, you can see a lot of missed opportunities. For the further realization of a person as a person, this becomes dangerous. We urgently need to take action. Otherwise, a feeling of chronic dissatisfaction with life will begin to devour you from the inside.

Don't expect to be able to stop procrastinating all at once and effortlessly. Positive results take place only if the maximum amount of effort is applied by the person himself. The habit of postponing everything until later will recede if its true cause is correctly determined, if you use tips and recommendations.

Where to begin?

In fact, postponing syndrome is not a disease. However, the desire to postpone things for later can provoke serious violations in human health. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to get rid of it. Before starting the process, it is necessary to determine the type of procrastinators to which the person belongs.

Tense procrastinator:

Fear of achievement. Some are afraid that later they will be required to do this all the time, some are afraid of losing friends because of this, there are also people who consider themselves simply unworthy of success. This type of setting should be changed to positive.
Fear of failure. Getting a bad result will be more painful than doing nothing at all. Another side of this type is well articulated by Abraham Lincoln: “It is better to be silent and seem like an idiot than to speak up and dispel the last doubts.”
Confrontation: "I can't be forced to do anything." In this case, you need to ask yourself who will be worse off if the deed is not done. Perhaps this confrontation is just a protest for the sake of a protest. Is it worth spending your whole life aggressively asserting your personal freedom, instead of bringing something useful to it?

Relaxed procrastinator;

Rejection separate species activity and the desire to avoid it. The way out will be a new attitude - the desire to put off unpleasant work is the choice of students and uneducated people.

There is no hiding from life's difficulties, sooner or later you will have to face them face to face. You can stop putting off unpleasant things for later by taking just seven steps. The recommendations should be applied immediately, because by putting them aside for later, a person will again plunge into procrastination.

How to get results as quickly as possible?

Any habit is developed within 21 days. We advise you to develop a certain business regime - to start business at the same hour. If you started on time, be sure to praise yourself, a little, slightly. To make it not so boring, develop a personal ritual of inclusion in work. After 21 days, most likely, the habit of postponing things for later will disappear, and a new, useful one will appear instead.

By the way, the reason for the delay may be the desire to do the job superperfectly. And the person begins to waste time collecting information. And you just need to get to work. According to the Pareto principle, 20% of the available information already provides 80% of the information necessary for work. And the rest is just a waste of time, since the missing 20% can only be calculated during execution practical work. To reduce the time of searching and processing information, the simplest plan will do, so there is no need to complicate everything.

Give yourself permission to be imperfect and you can start doing the work quickly. The best teacher is practice, its experience is invaluable. Having done something once, in the future you will do it much faster and better. Learn to enjoy the little things, encourage yourself for the work started on time and not put off for later.

Even if the result is not exactly what you expected, cheer yourself up - after all, you did it!