4 Tiny Habits to Break Your Procrastination

“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” — James Baldwin.

I always knew that I wanted to write a book. I have loved writing all my life and figured it would be easy. As I got closer to completing the first few chapters, I started finding reasons not to work on the book It was always so easy to put it off until “later.” When I submitted my first draft to the editors and got their feedback, my procrastination became ever more pronounced. 

We all occasionally put off doing something. When waiting becomes a habit and pattern in our lives, it becomes a problem.  

I don’t feel like …

I don’t want to …

I’ll do it tomorrow…

With the demanding and busy lives that many of us women have, these phrases naturally come out of our mouths sometimes! Especially when faced with a challenging task to be done. 

Procrastination happens to everyone, even those who are highly productive. Throughout my life, like many business owners, I have been known to suffer from procrastination. In the last few years, however, I have made great strides in overcoming this behavior.

In my journey to become a more productive person, I began to gain the ability to recognize procrastination and the excuses that would creep up from time to time when a deadline was looming. Learning to beat procrastination using a calculated approach that included understanding why I procrastinate. Then, applying strategies to overcome and beat it!  

Procrastination is more than just poor time management or laziness. It often comes from negative emotions that keep us hostage from taking action. People put things off because they’re not in the right mood. Then they distract themselves with other tasks. Then when they realize their avoidance, feelings of guilt arise for wasting so much time.  Your mood worsens because you feel guilty. Your task deadline gets closer. The cycle makes you feel worse.

This continual loop of self-destructive behavior can only be broken when you discover what is causing you to procrastinate.

Most of us experience guilt when we procrastinate. We know what we should do and what’s in our best interest, but we struggle to follow through, becoming our own worst enemies.  

The trick to beating procrastination is recognizing the habits and patterns that cause you to procrastinate and making changes that stop the behavior, even if difficult at first. 

Here are some reasons why you procrastinate and how it can be harmful. I want to dig deeper into recognizing your procrastination habits and patterns and finding ways to halt them.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

Fear of failure

• Many people procrastinate because they are afraid of failing. They may feel that if they don’t try, they can’t fail, so they put off taking action.

Lack of motivation

• When people don’t feel motivated to do something, they may procrastinate instead of forcing themselves to take action.

Overwhelm

• When faced with a large or complex task, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and unsure where to start. This can lead to procrastination.

Perfectionism

• People with high standards may procrastinate because they want to do things perfectly. They may feel it’s only worth doing something if they can do something perfectly.

Distractions

• In today’s world, many distractions can lead to procrastination, such as social media, TV, and video games.

Shortly after completing my book, I knew that I wanted to continue to overcome my procrastinating tendencies. After reading the book Tiny Habits by Dr. BJ Fogg, I became a certified Tiny Habits Coach with the goal of stopping procrastination in its tracks.  

The Tiny Habits method is a simple and effective way to break bad habits and create new, positive ones. Developed by BJ Fogg, a behavior scientist at Stanford University, the method involves starting with small, easy-to-do habits that can be built upon over time. Here are the steps to using the Tiny Habits method to overcome procrastination:

How to Use the Tiny Habits Method to Overcome Procrastination

Step 1: Identify the Task You Want to Complete

The first step in using the Tiny Habits method to overcome procrastination is identifying the task you want to complete. This could be anything from writing a report to cleaning the house. Once you have identified the task, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps.

Step 2: Choose a Tiny Habit

Next, choose a tiny habit related to the task you want to complete. This should be something that is easy to do and doesn’t take a lot of time. For example, if you want to write a report, your tiny habit could be to write one sentence. If you want to clean the house, your tiny habit could be to put away one item.

Step 3: Anchor the Habit to an Existing Routine

The next step is to anchor your tiny habit to an existing routine. This means choosing a time and place to make your tiny habit that is already part of your daily routine. For example, if you want to write a report, you could write one sentence after opening up your computer for the first time in the morning. If you want to clean the house, you can put away one item whenever you walk into a room.

Step 4: Celebrate Your Success

Finally, celebrate your success every time you complete your tiny habit. This could be as simple as saying “Good job!” to yourself or doing a little happy dance. By celebrating your success, you reinforce the habit and make it more likely that you will continue doing it.

Over time, you can build upon your tiny habit and make it bigger and more challenging. For example, start by writing one sentence and gradually increase to writing a paragraph or a page. By starting small and building up gradually, you will find that you too can overcome procrastination, leading to confidence in all areas of your life. 

To learn more about my methods or book a complimentary coffee call, visit: www.goconfidentlycoaching.com

About the Author

Name: Julie DeLucca-Collins

Professional Title: CEO of Go Confidently Coaching and Services

Bio: Julie DeLucca-Collins is the Founder and CEO of Go Confidently Services, the host of the popular Casa DeConfidence Podcast®, and her weekly Radio Show Confident You featured on a global talk radio network. As a Business and Life Strategist Coach, Julie helps women business owners launch or grow their businesses, get clients, be productive, and achieve their dreams.

Website: www.goconfidentlycoaching.com

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