Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

What's the best way to stop procrastinating?

17 Answers
Last Updated: 11/11/2019 at 10:10pm
Perfect therapy for people who need help. I would like to say, I never can imagine it could be possible to heal people like that
Ta Tania
5 star rating
Moderated by

Danielle Johnson, MSED, Community mental Health Counseling, LMHC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Sometime situations and feelings can be so strong that we struggle to function. You are not alone! My practice is flexible and open-minded and tailored to your personal needs.

Top Rated Answers
Hameidolol
January 14th, 2015 7:01pm
The best way to stop procrastinating is stop over analyzing situations and different options . Just do it , and remember that at the end of your life you regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did .
Altdorf
March 21st, 2015 8:29pm
Set yourself little goals to start, and also set yourself time to relax, no matter how stressful things are. Part of why people tend to procrastinate is that the task seems insurmountable; but chipping at it often makes you realize how manageable it actually is.
sereneSunset35
April 16th, 2016 11:59pm
It's critical that you first identify *why* you're procrastinating, because procrastination comes in many forms for most of us, and, depending on the form, the ideal solution is different. See if any of the following statements resonate with your situation: 1. The task I need to do is boring and uninteresting. I'd much prefer to do something else. 2. I don't see the point of the task, I will not feel any reward in completing it. 3. There's something else really exciting in my life and I'd honestly rather be doing it than anything else right now. 4. I know this task is going to be very taxing (physically, mentally, or emotionally) 5. I fear that I may not be able to successfully complete this task. 6. I have trouble articulating why I'm unable to get rolling on this task; no rational explanation seems to explain my hesitance. For many of these cases, the answer lies in discipline. It's not fun to think about, but cultivating self-discipline is perhaps the single most powerful way to get more out of your life. If you felt that 1, 2, 3, or 6 applied to your situation, it's highly likely that you would benefit from cultivating discipline. I won't write a manifest on how to do so, as there are heaps of information out there on the subject, but basically, strengthening your discipline comes down to strengthening your ability to control...yourself! Enough mental discipline will give you total control over your mind and actions -- by that I mean, you'd have the ability to 'just do it' in spite of disinterest, lack of reward, or presence of strong distractions. You would simply 'override' those feelings. Many people will say 'just do it' without recognizing that this process of overriding our primitive emotions and desires requires a certain 'level' of discipline, and that those without it can't 'just do it.' Being able to just do it is about growing your self-discipline. So for now, I recommend just a tiny bit of procrastination in the form of doing a bit of research about discipline, willpower, and how to take concrete steps to help yourself procrastinate less (without having to 'just do it' all at once). Cultivating discipline and willpower in, even in small ways (like not having a cookie you dearly want, or forcing yourself to do some extra practice problems in your school textbooks) will accumulate over time to give you the control required to stop procrastinating in those particular contexts. As for 4, the best I can recommend is to ask for help from family or friends if applicable, if not, consider asking for a friend to just hang out with you while you do the task, acting as a shoulder to lean on. It's likely that you've overestimated the task and underestimated yourself, but if you need reassurance to get through, just working *in the presence of* (not necessarily 'with') others can do the trick. Finally, 5, well, this is rather easy. Whether or not you're capable of completing the task, procrastinating and believing that you can't is sure to cement the negative outcome into reality. On the other hand, zealously pursuing the task with optimism and a strong belief that you can succeed gives you the highest probability of doing so. My favorite quote of all time is from Henry Ford, who said "whether you believe you can or you can't, you're right." Elegant way to put it :) Hope some shred of this ends up helping somebody out there!
Anonymous
November 11th, 2019 10:10pm
I find a good way to avoid procrastinating is to break off chunks of a task and plan to do just a bit at a time. You can set a timer for 15 minutes and allow yourself to stop when the time is up and take a break. This makes it seem more manageable and less overwhelming. If you are procrastinating doing something you are nervous about, I find it is always better to get it over with rather than make myself suffer by thinking about it. Sometimes thinking about doing something is actually far worse than doing it. You will also feel satisfied and relieved when your task is complete.
PvtPrarireGrass
January 13th, 2015 1:22am
The best way I've found is to find the very first task you have to do as part of a bigger task. Commit to 5 minutes total, and find just the next smallest task that will make progress.
Mtan0045s
June 18th, 2019 7:48am
Write down your to-do-list, stick it to the wall in your bedroom or your laptop. Always remind yourself to stay committed to what you believe in. Live up to your values, not others. if you procrastinate, do not beat yourself up, because, you have your reasons. However, do not give in to your mental illness, you own them You have the right and the strength to overcome. if you feel lost or feeble, get your hommies or get help from listeners available online at 7cups. We are here to support. Procrastination can be addressed like every other mental health issues.
Arakhthanda
October 23rd, 2017 4:53am
Do your tasks early and to plan ahead of schedule. One of my most preferred method is to put all of the homeworks that you see a connection with one another, in your own magickal way, that you can not only do them effectively, but also make a transition through each and every subject with its corresponding homeworks. Try that approach and you will not only get done with your homework, for example, but also it will get rid of your procrastination as well.
Anonymous
February 6th, 2017 9:56am
The only way to stop procrastinating is by being mindful of what we are up to. We procrastinate because we like the idea that we are going to be perfect with our work from the next day. We like to paint rosy pictures of a perfect future. But as soon as the idea of giving up your work comes to your mind, all you need to do is block that thought. You can choose some stock phrase for yourself. For eg., when I feel that I am procrastinating, I close my eyes, take a deep breath and say to myself "It's a wrong thought, It's a wrong thought, It's a wrong thought."It really works!
mywhispersscreamed3201
August 22nd, 2016 3:00pm
Give yourself a goal time limit. Set time aside in between work so you can relax and between time limits. When you reach a goal, your brain releases endorphins and you remember the good feeling when you finish rather than the hard work. You are more likely going to stick with the goals when you feel good about what you'd did. Another thing you could try is having a time schedule and sticking to it. Make I cant you Have plenty of time to finish projects so you do not get even more stress about not being able to get done.
Holmes54
August 15th, 2016 4:39am
Making a busy schedule for yourself and keeping busy in following it strictly and promptly will fetch a lot.
kindheartedNatural99
June 13th, 2016 4:32am
The best way to stop procrastinating is to try to stop telling yourself "later" and just do it before you get engrossed in something else.
Greatlistener87
April 12th, 2016 6:07am
Make a decision and just try it out. Procrastinating is just a way that you protect yourself so that you can't get hurt. But it also stops you from finding out what will happen if you do what you procrastinated to do in the 1st place.
Anonymous
February 1st, 2016 7:26am
Try going through what you have to do in your head, and make yourself think that if you finish that work now, you'll have more time to do what you want afterwards.
Anonymous
January 25th, 2016 9:19pm
When you realized your procrastinating. Stop. Then do something productive with your time. Like work
Cathy92
July 14th, 2015 9:15pm
Work on a basis of small goals and milestones, rewarding yourself each time you achieve something meaningful! Try not to set unrealistic goals or be too harsh on yourself, but maybe if you have reading to do for school then you could eat a biscuit every time you finish a chapter, and call your best friend for a chat when you get through the whole book!
Clissyy
June 9th, 2015 3:12am
Remember your goals! Write a list as to what you need to accomplish and why- everytime you accomplish something from that list, you can cross it off, and it's honestly one of the best feelings ever! :)
goldenMelody92
February 9th, 2015 1:40pm
Set goals for yourself and reward yourself with a little something every time you achieve a goal. The goals don't have to be too big or too demanding. The smaller and easier the goal, the more confidence you'll gain in yourself !