We are all familiar with procrastination: one way or another, each of us has gone through it. Starting to write a term paper, washing a mountain of dirty dishes, finishing an important work report - sometimes it’s so difficult to start doing such things. We are accustomed to thinking that we often put off the most unpleasant things, because it’s true: what could be pleasant about dirty dishes? But this doesn't always happen. Taking an English course or starting to exercise - sometimes these things are much more difficult to do than washing the dishes. This is because procrastination ( which we have already written about before ) concerns not only unpleasant matters. People tend to put off important things, which can be not only unpleasant, but also difficult (as it seems to us) to complete. When a task becomes of great importance in our head, the little inner perfectionist is afraid to start it. This is why many people find it difficult to start learning new things, including programming. In this text, we have collected tips for those who want to start (or continue) training, but keep putting it off.
Just start
This advice may sound like bullying. How to start if I can't? But here it is important to understand that the first step is the most difficult. If you've ever had to push a broken car, you know what it's like. Once you get the car moving, pushing it becomes much easier. After the first step, it becomes easier to get involved in both the work process and the learning process. And some even plunge into the notorious “ state of flow ”, when it is difficult to tear yourself away from an interesting task.
Deal with Fear of Failure or Fear of Success
Procrastination may not be due to laziness, but rather due to fear. The two most common fears associated with procrastination that are potentially holding you back are the fear of failure and the fear of success. But to realize what fuels your procrastination, you will have to take a good look at yourself. If everything is more or less clear with the fear of failure, then with the fear of success it is somewhat more complicated. Success brings things like financial abundance, being in the spotlight, feeling good, and so on. If you don't feel like you deserve success and everything that comes with it, you will sabotage yourself and the things that can lead to success.
Manage your energy, not your time
An important concept of time management is that you not only manage your time, but also consider your energy levels. No matter how disciplined you are, you will have very productive days and less productive days. In the same way, you have peak productivity hours and less productive hours throughout the day. Here are a few things you should consider in terms of productivity:
Push yourself when you are at your peak productivity (often the morning and afternoon hours) rather than when your energy levels are low.
Get some sleep or take a walk if you feel tired, and then get to work right away.
After a period of hard work, take a break and recharge your batteries.
If you are emotionally irritated, calm down first and then get back to work or school.
Accept that sometimes you just can't be productive, and that's okay. We are just people, not robots. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Take regular breaks throughout the day (walking, doing stretches, hugging people) and long breaks at the end of the week. On other days you will be much more productive.
Perform other, easier tasks until your energy level is restored
What usually happens when you procrastinate on a task? For example, remember how you procrastinated when you were at university? You probably first checked the refrigerator to see if there was anything tasty left there, then looked at social networks, and so on. Perhaps you were still tidying up your desk, talking with your classmates about coursework? These are useful, but not urgent matters. If all else fails, you can use procrastination as a source of motivation to complete other important tasks. The main thing about this concept of fighting procrastination is that you don't waste time on stupid things, but instead do other important work that is easier to take on.
Improve your lifestyle to get more energy
If you don't have enough energy, it's okay to procrastinate. Lack of energy can be caused by overwork, burnout and temporary exhaustion, but can also be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. If you have a really bad diet and don't exercise, small changes can make a big difference in your productivity. Here are some recommendations to improve your lifestyle:
Get enough sleep (7-8 hours), it should be quality sleep.
Eat a healthy diet with plenty of green vegetables, healthy fats and low sugar.
Eat several small meals throughout the day to keep your insulin levels stable.
Avoid unhealthy snacks.
Train several times a week.
Drink enough water.
Make sure perfectionism isn't holding you back
Perfectionism may be the reason why you constantly procrastinate. Cognitive distortions can contribute to procrastination. Here are a few examples of such distorted thoughts that interfere with action:
All or nothing thinking: I have to do this perfectly or I won't do it at all.
Overgeneralization: I never do this type of task correctly, so why will this time be any different? It's better if I don't do this at all.
Hasty conclusions: in any case, I will not receive any reward for completing this task.
Minimization: This is another unimportant task that I have to do when someone else could easily do it.
Labeling: I'm a lazy person, if I always procrastinate, why shouldn't I procrastinate on this task too?
Specifically, all-or-nothing thinking leads to perfectionism, and perfectionism leads to procrastination. The solution to combating cognitive biases is something called emotional accounting . This psychological approach offers three exercises that work with negative attitudes.
Use strategies to combat procrastination
Procrastination is a deeply ingrained behavior pattern. You can't break it overnight. Habits only stop being habits when you stop practicing them, so try these strategies:
Forgive yourself for putting things off. Research shows that self-forgiveness can help you feel more positive about yourself and reduce your likelihood of procrastination in the future.
Promise yourself a reward. If you complete a difficult task on time, reward yourself with a treat.
Have someone check on you. Pressure from like-minded people can help. If you don't have anyone to ask, use online tools like Procraster , which can help you self-monitor.
For those who need a “magic kick” to study regularly, JavaRush has come up with a kick chart that works in the course’s mobile application. You can manually program the kick manager for the required days of school - it will remind you when it is necessary. The kick schedule initially includes the option of reminders for every day and weekends. There is also a “Forget to study” button, which is needed if you decide to take a mini-vacation.
Rephrase your self-talk. The phrases “need” and “should,” for example, imply that you have no choice in what you do. This can make you feel helpless and even lead to self-sabotage. Use the phrase “I choose”: it implies that you yourself make the decision to do something.
Minimize distractions. For example, turn off social media.
Tackle difficult and unpleasant matters first. This will give you the opportunity to focus on the work you enjoy most for the rest of the day.
Help yourself get organized
If you're procrastinating due to disorganization, here are six strategies to help you become more organized:
Keep a to-do list. This will prevent you from “conveniently” forgetting about unpleasant or overwhelming tasks.
Set goals with time limits. Setting specific deadlines for completing tasks (essentially, deadlines) will help achieve your goals.
Use apps to manage tasks and time. There are many apps that can help you stay more organized, such as Trello and Toggl .
We are interested to know how JavaRush students cope with procrastination? Do you have your own methods of dealing with procrastination? Tell us about them in the comments :)
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