Procrastination: Avoid Additional Stress by Getting Things Done Now

“Procrastination makes easy things hard, hard things harder.” — Mason Cooley

Procrastination is a common problem. It’s all too tempting to put off an unpleasant task until some later time. However, procrastination can resemble addictive behavior and can be extremely problematic. The more we procrastinate, the more stress we typically create for ourselves. Here are some tips to help you avoid procrastinating:

1. Start small—Just commit to taking one small step. Usually, you will find that it is not as bad as you expected, and it will be relatively easy to keep going. If you are procrastinating because the task feels overwhelming, breaking it down into smaller, easier steps makes it feel much more manageable.
2. Confront negative beliefs—If you are telling yourself things such as, “There is no way I can do this,” or “I know that this will be awful,” your thoughts will be working against you. Instead, try saying “I will get through this,” “I will finish it in time,” or “It won’t be that bad.”
3. Reward yourself—Give yourself a treat once you have completed the task (or just a part of it), or allow yourself to engage in an activity that you enjoy.

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