Procrastination: Wait For It.
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I’m not standing still, I am lying in wait - Aaron Burr, Hamilton: An American Musical
I’m sure many of you have reasons to procrastinate: fear of not reaching perfection, laziness, having too many tasks required of you, anxiety. Maybe you work better under the pressure of an approaching deadline? I’m sure there are many other reasons for you to procrastinate. Here is some of my advice to help you help yourself.
Make a shit-list
When you feel that everything starts piling on, make a list. Write down what you have to do, when it’s due and what kind of priority it should take. Then break it down further into mini tasks. Then treat the list like it’s your enemies and you have to eliminate them.
Breaking it all down will make it more manageable. Completing each task can help you feel more accomplished which can inspire you to do more and more tasks.
Ignorance is bliss
Sometimes you need to take things off your own plate. Once you're full, you're full. Sometimes you need to leave scraps on your plate, say thank you for the meal, and call it a day.
If one of your tasks includes something that can be considered unimportant, ignore it. Many people procrastinate because they feel they have too much to do, so they just do nothing. Removing some of the stuff you feel you need to do can lead to a higher rate of productivity, which can then lead you to complete the tasks that you ignored in the first place.
Treat yo’ self
Setting yourself rewards can help. Complete a task, have a cookie. Complete a task, have a ten-minute cuddle session with your furbaby.
Looking forward to completing the task can help you actually complete the task. Make sure that the reward fits the task that you are completing. If your task is to empty the garbage beside your desk, don’t reward yourself with a night off, playing video games. Yes, I’m aware I’m calling most of you out.
Take a break
Don’t overwork yourself. Nothing will get done if you run yourself into the ground trying to get everything done. Know your limit, work within it.
Set yourself time-based limits to get your tasks done, then take a break. Don’t confuse this with giving yourself rewards. Work for an appropriate amount of time, evaluate what you have completed, then go do something that has nothing to do with what you were doing. It can be just as detrimental if you leave your set tasks, but keep them in your mind the entire time. Thinking about it can have the same effects as doing it. Out of sight, out of mind, and let yourself recover.
Just do it
Don’t hate me for this one, I know it’s easier said than done. At the same time, you need to get your shit done, so do it. Give yourself some tough love, kick yourself in the ass, and get it done.
Half the battle is just getting started. Generally, once you get started, you’ll just keep going. A snowball of productivity.
Remember that this advice is just from my own experiences. Some of it may work for you, and some of it may not.
In the end, the most important thing is to get yourself being productive.
It’s not always that easy, and I know that.
Don’t be an Aaron Burr, be an Alexander Hamilton.
Hamilton doesn't hesitate. He exhibits no restraint. He takes and he takes and he takes and he keeps winning anyway. - Aaron Burr, Hamilton: An American Musical
Kurt Thuot
Kurt is a second-year student at Algonquin College. At 24, he aspires to be many things, but most notably, not broke. He likes long walks on the beach at sunset and pina-coladas in the rain. He also likes cliches, puns, and bad jokes. In reality, he hopes to be an editor, or do anything working with books.
