19 Tips to Beat Procrastination and be Less Lazy
This post has some easy and practical mindset tips to beat procrastination and be less lazy in daily life.
Let’s be honest, we’ve that looming deadline, the mounting to-do list, and yet, somehow, we put off crucial tasks, with a simple ‘I’ll do it later,’ syndrome.
I know this feeling intimately, because putting off tasks or procrastination, as it is called, has been a persistent struggle for me.
Research shows it’s incredibly common, and there are multiple factors leading to procrastination like time management, navigating fear, anxiety, and even our own perfectionism.
In this article, I’ll share 19 practical tips on how you can break the procrastination cycle, improve productivity and be less lazy.
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How To Beat Procrastination and be Less Lazy
1. The Root Cause: Why Do We Procrastinate?
Procrastination is often a complex interplay of psychological and emotional factors. Here are some primary reasons, see how many do you identify with.
Fear of Failure
Research indicates that individuals with a strong fear of failure are more likely to procrastinate on tasks where they perceive a high risk of failure.
“What if I’m not good enough?” This thought process can lead to avoidance.
For example, a student might delay writing a paper because they’re afraid of getting a poor grade.
Perfectionism Paralysis
Perfectionists often set unrealistically high standards believing that if they can’t do something perfectly, they shouldn’t do it at all.
This happened to me so many times where if I couldn’t do something perfectly, I’d over analyze everything.
Lack of Motivation
Sometimes, we procrastinate simply because we’re not motivated to do a task.
This can be due to a lack of interest, a feeling that the task is meaningless.
For example, someone might procrastinate on filing paperwork because they don’t see the value in it.
Overwhelm and Anxiety
People may procrastinate on large, complex tasks because they don’t know where to start or be anxious about things going horribly wrong.
For example, you might procrastinate on planning a large event because the number of details involved can be overwhelming for you.
2. Practical Tips to beat Procrastination and Laziness
Here are easy and practical tips to combat procrastination and how to implement these into concrete action.
Find Your “Why”
Understand that each thing you do contributes to the bigger picture of what you want to achieve.
When you see the connection between your daily actions and your deeper values, those tasks become more meaningful.
Suddenly, “doing the dishes” might not just be about a clean sink, but about creating a peaceful and organized home.
Just begin
Often, the hardest part is simply beginning. Seriously, just start. Even if it’s just one tiny step. Get rolling, keep going.
Break large tasks into smaller micro tasks
Break down large projects or big tasks into small micro tasks to make to more manageable, each time you complete one you feel a sense of progress.
James Clear in his book Atomic Habits recommends to start small and set smaller goals.
Create a to-do list
Make a to-do list to get a head start for the next day. Don’t overstuff your list, select 1-2 big tasks that you have been putting off.
Self-evaluation
For beating laziness it’s important to note your progress. Use journals for self-evaluation by writing how productive your day was.
3. Identify Procrastination Triggers and Patterns
To beat procrastination find what triggers it. By paying attention you can start to see when and where you’re most likely to procrastinate and take steps to avoid those.
Start recognizing patterns.
💡When do you usually procrastinate?
💡Is it on certain types of tasks?
Spot your distractions
💡What distracts you when working? Phone, social media, or email etc.
Know when you are most prone to procrastinate.
💡 Are you more likely to procrastinate in the afternoon or late at night?
Eliminate Triggers with a Productive Space
By paying attention potential procrastination triggers, you can create a productive environment to minimize distractions.
Steps like silencing notifications, closing unnecessary browser tabs, and even physically moving your phones out of reach, can help you create the space needed for productive work.
4. Identify High-Impact Activities
High-impact activities are those tasks which require effort, but these have the biggest positive effect, create the most significant results and move you towards your goals.
Focusing on these tasks ensures that you’re spending your time on things that truly matter, rather than working aimlessly.
Identify high-impact activities by asking yourself:
💡 What tasks will contribute most to my goals?
💡 What tasks, if completed, would have the biggest positive impact?
💡 What tasks will create the most significant results?
5. Time Management Techniques to Work Efficiently
Here are some popular time management techniques you can choose from to utilize your time wisely and be more productive.
1️⃣ The Two-Minute Rule: If a task can be completed in two minutes or less, do it immediately. This prevents small tasks from turning into a daunting backlog.
2️⃣ The Pomodoro Technique: Work in focused intervals of 25 minutes, followed by short 5-minute break to prevent burnout.
3️⃣ Time Blocking: Scheduling specific blocks of time for particular tasks for focused work and reduce distractions.
4️⃣ Set Realistic Goals and Deadlines
- Set realistic goals with smaller, achievable targets that you can build upon.
- For deadlines, be honest about what you can actually accomplish, within a time-frame.
- Have some buffer time for unexpected delays.
6. Apply the Kaizen Technique To Beat Laziness
The Japanese technique of Kaizen involves making small continuous changes in your life each day to improve yourself.
These tiny improvements may seem insignificant, but when you reflect back you can see significant positive difference in your personality.
Tips To Apply The Kaizen Technique
Example, suppose you want to be a good writer, here’s how you can improve your writing skill with the Kaizen Technique.
💡 STEP 1. Start by setting aside 15 minutes each day to focus exclusively on writing.
💡 STEP 2. Write 5 sentences each day.
💡 STEP 3. To help you become a better writer, reserve 10 minutes each day for reading books.
💡 STEP 4. After 7 days increase the reading and writing time by 2 minutes each.
7. Organize Your Workspace
A disorganized workspace hinders focus and productivity.
Declutter by removing unnecessary items and establishing a designated place for everything you need. Keeping essential tools within reach.
Essentially, an organized and dedicated workspace allows you to tackle tasks with ease.
8. Eat That Frog
This basically means tackle your hardest, most dreaded task first thing in the morning.
It provides a sense of accomplishment and reduces the burden of procrastination.
Imagine a particular unappealing task is like a big, ugly frog you have to swallow. If you do it right away, the rest of your day will feel so much easier.
9. Reward yourself
We all need a little pat on the back sometimes, right? So celebrate when you get something done.
Give yourself a little treat for being productive and be proud of yourself.
Maybe it’s watching an episode of your favorite show, grabbing a coffee, or just taking a few minutes to relax and do something you enjoy.
The idea is to make your work enjoyable and keep the motivation on.
10. Embrace Challenges
Every challenge you conquer makes you a little bit stronger, a little bit more capable, so see challenges as opportunities rather than hindrances.
Imagine you’re learning a new skill, like playing an instrument or coding.
You might give up midway or you can say, “This is tough, but I can get better with practice!”
11. Learn from Mistakes
Your mistakes become your best teachers. Instead of beating yourself up about messing up, you take a step back and ask, “What can I learn from this?”
Analyze what went wrong, figure out how to do it better next time, and keep moving forward. So bring some positive changes in your mindset.
12. Reframe Negative Thoughts To Positive Outcomes
Reframe your negative thoughts from what could go wrong to what could go right.
By doing this you train your mind to see the positive outcomes, which reduces the anxiety leading to procrastination.
For example, instead of thinking, “I’m going to fail” you can reframe it to, “Even if it’s tough, I’ll gain valuable experience.”
13. Treat Yourself with Compassion
Practicing self-compassion is essential for overcoming procrastination and building a healthier relationship with yourself.
It’s about treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding you’d offer a good friend who’s struggling.
Replace self-criticism and instead of berating yourself for procrastinating, acknowledge the difficulty and keep the motivation on.
14. Visualize Success
Visualizing success means creating a mental image of yourself achieving your goals this it helps you in actually working towards your targets.
Don’t just picture the finish line; imagine yourself working hard, taking tough decisions, and finally succeeding.
Make it a regular practice and really feel the emotions.
Combine it with positive affirmations to build confidence.
15. Focus On Your Diet, Exercise and Sleep
It might seem like a simple thing, but focusing on diet, exercise, and sleep habits has a huge impact on your ability to fight laziness and procrastination.
When you’re well-rested and fueled with nutritious food, and with a healthy body, you’ll be able to prioritize tasks and make better decisions.
16. Have Streamlined Routines
Decision fatigue is a real energy drain, and it’s a major culprit in procrastination. To combat this have streamlined routines by planning ahead.
For instance, lay out your clothes the night before, or practice weekly meal planning and prep so that you’re not standing in front of your closet, or staring into the fridge, wondering what to wear or what to eat today.
This free up your mental space for the more important decisions of the day.
Speaking of important decisions, tackle those in the morning. Your brain is freshest then, and you’ll make more efficient choices.
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17. Find an Accountability Partner or Group
Have a support system for your goals.
Knowing someone is checking in on you can be a powerful motivator.
It’s harder to skip a workout or avoid a task when you know you’ll have to explain yourself.
Share your progress and challenges with others to keep up the momentum.
18. Stop Unhealthy Comparisons
Most people get demotivated and suffer from low self-worth when they see their friends or colleagues are doing well in life as compared to them.
Self-doubt is something we all go through but don’t let it stop you from achieving what you want. Turn these negative feelings into inspiration and work on your goals
19. Seek Professional Help For Chronic Procrastination
If you find that procrastination is consistently disrupting your work, relationships, or overall well-being, it might be time to seek professional help.
Sometimes a dip in energy levels also causes procrastination and is indicative of a serious health issue.
For example, diabetes and depression can cause chronic lethargy, which may impact your work.
Look out for signs like
💡 Constantly missing deadlines.
💡 Avoiding important tasks even when you know it’s hurting you.
💡 Feeling overwhelmed or anxious to tackle tasks.
💡 Physical symptoms like headaches or stomach aches due to stress from procrastination.
Wrapping Up, Beating Procrastination and Laziness
Conquering procrastination is about building a healthier relationship with your tasks and yourself.
Be patient, celebrate your small victories, and don’t be afraid to seek help when you need it.
By incorporating these tips you can create a less stressful approach to getting things done.
So, go ahead, pick one or two strategies that resonate with you and start today.
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8 Comments
Sandra Joseph
Great topic and tips. I’m learning how to confront my fears and “just do it” when I start feeling lazy. Love how you covered all bases with mental and physical health. A lot of time my feelings of laziness is a reminder that my iron is low so I try to be consistent with eating foods and taking vitamins that will increase it. 🙂
Suktara
That’s a really good tip, iron deficiency dips the energy levels glad you mentioned this important fact. Thanks for reading.
Lanae Bond
Laziness can prevent you from reaching goals and succeeding. I think that is why I try to keep up with a schedule that way I can get things done.
Suktara
Me too it’s difficult to eliminate laziness altogether and scheduling really helps. Thanks for reading.
Nancy
I know laziness can get the best of me sometimes. I love these tips – especially with them making the person feel empowered. It is important to know your limits. I agree with taking note of the different components of your health while having a robust routine. Thanks for sharing all of these tips!
Suktara
Laziness can get the best of everybody at some point I think it also helps to know when you are most productive. Thanks for reading!
theGlobeTrevor
I wouldnt label myself as lazy, but i definitly have a procrastination problem ?
Suktara
I am lazy as well as the queen of procrastination. Thank you for visiting!