Let’s be honest: procrastination can be pretty tough to overcome. That is why so many young men find themselves stuck without any improvement. But just because we’ve been struggling with this habit for years doesn’t mean we can’t break free! There are plenty of ways to stop procrastinating! It’s going to take some effort, with a little bit of will power and a lot of self-discipline.
In this post, we’ll cover some of the reasons why many young men continue to procrastinate, why procrastination is bad and offer some tips on how to overcome procrastination. So gents, start taking control of your life, and don’t put off reading this article!
You know the feeling all too well. That nagging sense of guilt and anxiety, eating away at you as you slowly but surely put off the task at hand. You tell yourself that you’ll just take a five minute break, but before you know it an hour has passed and you still haven’t started.
Next, you tell yourself that you’ll do it tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes, and before we know it, we’ve wasted another day or week and even months. Eventually, you find yourself with a long unsurmountable list of tasks that need to be done. You will try to get the most urgent task done but even then it doesn’t feel good as it should. This is the thief of time we call procrastination, and if left unchecked it can quickly become a chronic habit. Before long, it acts like an addiction that cycles through your daily life.
But don’t worry, there is hope. Procrastination can be overcome with consistency, effort and self-discipline. If you’re ready to break the dirty habit and take control of your life, read on for some helpful tips.
There is a reason why Edward Young says “Procrastination is the thief of time” in his poem. Precisely because it literally makes you waste away the precious hours and days that you can use to make something of yourself instead of lazing around indulging in your vices. To others, time represents money, opportunities to be gained and conquered, experiences to be made and even the currency of our lives. In a way, by wasting all that time, you are letting all the opportunities float away.
Think about it, every single one of us has a limited time on this Earth. It is exactly because our time is limited is why living live to our fullest has value and something that should be strived for. On top of that, multiple studies have shown that procrastination plays a part in eroding your self-confidence, discipline and worsening your mental and physical health over time.
By now, you should be convinced that procrastination is bad for you. But if that’s not enough, here are some more reasons to help you get your butt in gear:
First, conquering your procrastination habit will make you more productive. When you don’t put things off, you’ll get more done in a shorter amount of time. This means you’ll have more free time to do the things you enjoy!
Second, overcoming procrastination will make you more organized. When you’re always working ahead of schedule, you won’t have to scramble to meet deadlines at the last minute. Not to mention, you will avoid building up a huge pile of tasks that needs to be done,
And finally, since you don’t have to constantly worry about unfinished tasks or stressing about your work schedule, you’ll feel more relaxed and contented. Your stress levels will decrease and you will experience a better balance in your life.
The funny thing is we all know what it feels like to be in the grips of the procrastination habit. It’s that nagging feeling that we should be doing something, but for some reason we just can’t make ourselves do it. We keep putting it off and we know that’s bad. But, why do we continue to procrastinate? Well, mostly it is due to our laziness or low self-esteem. Other times, the task feels too difficult and we are afraid to acknowledge our shortcomings and possible failures.
So how do we begin to overcome this habit? It is easy. The very first step is to acknowledge that you have a procrastination problem and to pinpoint the specific reason why you, our dear readers, procrastinate. Unfortunately, this is an answer you have to search for within yourself. Only by understanding the root cause of your own procrastination can you then make a plan to break free from this addiction and take control of your life!
After recognizing that you’re procrastinating, be honest with yourself and identify the ways or excuses that you use to put things off. My personal favorite is; “I will get to it after this next episode”. Once you know what your triggers are, you can start developing strategies to avoid or overcome them.
Firstly, it is important to make a list and schedule of the things you need to accomplish. (Tip: Break your tasks into smaller parts). It should look something like below.
A physical list helps a lot in keeping you in track. The best part is that you don’t even have to use the good old pen and paper. Your smartphone already has access to plenty of scheduling apps that can keep track of your progress.
Secondly, it is important to take a break in between periods of hard work. Sometimes five minutes is more than enough to reset your focus and mindset.
Additionally, instead of thinking of your vices as merely distractions, use them as rewards to motivate you further. For example, if I complete Task A to C on my list, I would get a 30-minute break to watch my favorite show on Netflix. However, do not over-reward yourself for every little thing you complete. It is important to keep everything in balance. Taking too long of a break will cause you to fall back into the cycle of procrastination.
Thirdly, while you should not over-reward yourself, it is important to value and appreciate the small victories that you achieved. Every time you complete a task, your brain releases dopamine, a hormone that gives you happy vibes. Take the small dopamine spikes in your blood to feel good about yourself and add it to your working momentum (a.k.a. entering the Flow State). Eventually, without noticing, you will complete your tasks in no time easily.
Lastly, it is all about consistency. Working hard for one hour everyday may seem small but if you put in the work, put in the hours everyday, you will nurture a positive habit of consistent hard work. You will find yourself being able to focus more and less lazy, thus eradicating procrastination. Check out what Simon Sinek has to say on the power of consistency in the video below.
And that’s all you need. Most importantly, be patient and don’t give up! Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t overcome your procrastination habit overnight either. Only with time and dedication, can you break this dirty habit.
Here are a few more tips you can put into action;
In the end, all you need to do is change your mindset. Stop focusing on the time wasted over the years from procrastination. Start looking at this as an opportunity to evolve and become a better gentlemen.
Follow us on Instagram where we share the best quotes for modern-day gentleman!
Here are the right answer on how many watches should a man own. There is no definitive answer, as there is no golden rule as to how many watches should a man own and have in his collection.
Communication is a natural and essential part of everyone’s life, whether you are extroverted or introverted. Some of us sound confident and charming amongst family and friends but timid as a mouse in a different setting. The real question is, How do you speak like a true gentleman?
Procrastination is the thief of time. How so? And more importantly, young gentleman, are you a chronic procrastinator? If so, how do you break the cycle of procrastination and start getting things done?
