How to overcome procrastination? 

How to overcome procrastination is one of the most common questions in one’s life. In a world that’s constantly encouraging us to be active and productive, postponing work or not being able to do it seems wrong like you’re not doing your best. But if you can’t concentrate because your mind keeps slipping away then you probably don’t think that what you’re doing is really that important. And it’s okay. 

But for the practicality of the matter, right now you just need to get the job done, and the sooner you finish studying/reading, the better. Think of why you are doing this specific task at this precise moment. It will help you pass the exam. It’s necessary for you to have this particular knowledge, etc. If you keep these reasons in mind, you’ll be giving a real purpose to the assignment. Thus, it will be easier to get it done.

Overcome procrastination with giving yourself 5-minute breaks after every 1-hour period of work. This way, you avoid overwhelming your own mind. Stay hydrated for the sake of your brain. Concentrating for a long time drains the energy from your body and both water and a healthy diet help with that.

Overcome procrastination also with “to-do” lists

If you keep putting off some chores, try writing “to-do” lists by order of priority when starting each day. Then proceed to focus on one chore at a time. Tick them off when you’re finished with each one.

Focus on each word while you’re reading. Train yourself to keep track of the sentences. Observe how they are connected with one another. If your mind slips away, stop reading. Go back and try again. There’s no point in keep reading if you’re missing half of it.

Is there something in your head that just won’t allow you to concentrate? Maybe you’re not supposed to be reading right now. Take a walk, go for a run, grab a bite, meditate or do some yoga. Give yourself time to think about what is troubling you. Then maybe you will be able to read better.

Take control of your own thoughts

Keep your thoughts well organized. Make mental folders of subjects. When an idea comes to your head to distract you, classify it into a folder. Say, “This goes into the “Work” folder”, for example, or the “Personal” folder, or any other subject you got. An alternative to this mental exercise could be writing the thoughts on post-its and saving them for later.

When trying to overcome procrastination the most important thing is that you’re capable of taking control of your thoughts. That’s not an easy task but if you keep working on it, you will soon be able to concentrate whenever on any task you wish.

If you found this post interesting, I invite you to read “What are the pros and cons of procrastination?”

Also, want to read more advice from an experienced Fail Coach? Then browse through our category “Life Coaching” and take a day off, because you’ll find plenty of interesting reading material.