Procrastinate much? You’re not alone!

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#9 | 17 February 2025

Procrastinate much? You’re not alone!

We all procrastinate on occasion. While it’s a universal problem (with varying degrees of impact on individuals), there’s no single solution to overcoming procrastination. We all need to figure out what works for us.

Becoming more aware of your procrastination and having a few strategies in your toolbox can help you get on track.

Beware of “productive” procrastination.

Are you constantly working but never get around to doing that one thing? Try to recognize when this is happening. Gretchen Rubin says, “Working is one of the most dangerous forms of procrastination.”

Whether it’s housework or another business task, doing any work can feel justified. However, as long as you have an unfinished task hanging over your head, you still have a problem.

Notice what you’re really avoiding. 

What is it about the task that makes you put it off? Timothy Pychyl, author of Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, says you’re more likely to delay doing tasks that are:

• Boring

• Frustrating

• Difficult

• Ambiguous

• Unstructured

• Not intrinsically rewarding (you don’t enjoy it)

• Lacking in personal meaning

Once you know why you’re avoiding a task, you can work to address that problem. If an assignment is boring, how can you make it more interesting and fun? Could you pair the task with a favourite snack or a new location like a coffee shop? Could you ask for clarification when you’re unsure what to do? Can you find and connect with a higher purpose for completing the task?

Remove distractions.

If your ability to resist temptations on your phone or computer is questionable, you may need to try something stronger than your willpower. You could put your phone in another room or use an app that locks you out of your favourite apps or websites for a set period. (Examples: Cold Turkey, Opal.)

Get someone else involved. 

Depending on your situation and the task, you could: 

• Ask for help

• Delegate the task

• Hire someone to do it

• Get an accountability partner

• Try body doubling or co-working

Set a timer.

There are a couple of ways to use this strategy:

• Let yourself do something else first, but only for a limited time. And, “if you’re going to procrastinate, do something you enjoy” is a tip from Your Best Advice of 2024 in The New York Times. (Coincidentally, my go-to is Spelling Bee from NYT Games. I’d say Wordle, but that’s done first thing in the morning!)

• Commit to working on the task for a short period. How much time can you tolerate? You’re free to stop when your timer goes off, but (fingers and toes crossed) you might keep going after the hurdle of starting is behind you.

Go through the motions.

In his article, How I Tricked My Brain Into Being More Productive, Ali Abdaal suggests warming up to any task by moving through all the little actions you need to do ahead of the task. By the time you’ve done all that, you may as well keep going.

Do nothing. 

Try this unique approach: Don’t allow yourself to do anything except the task you need to do. You can do the thing or sit there and do nothing. You might tackle the undesirable task out of sheer boredom!

Understanding procrastination can help you beat it. I hope these ideas are helpful to you!

I’d love to hear what you do to stop procrastinating. Reply to this email anytime and let me know. On theowlsedge.ca, subscribers can log in and leave me a comment.

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More tips and sources:

• Gretchen Rubin offers 5 tips for fighting procrastination in her article, Are you procrastinating?

• The 4 Causes of Procrastination According to Research by Nick Wignall

• 5 Research-Based Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination by Chris Bailey