# End Procrastination Now: Ten tips



## David Baxter PhD

End Procrastination Now
By Rachel Mahan, _Psychology Today Online_
02 Sep 2008

_Some 20 to 25 percent of us are chronic procrastinators. Ten tips to getting on with what's important._ 

I procrastinated on this article. There. I said it in front of God, my editors, and everyone reading this. But I'm not alone. Most of us have been guilty of procrastination at some point. And about 20 to 25 percent of us are chronic procrastinators, says Joseph Ferrari, a psychologist at DePaul University in Chicago. Some people procrastinate because they believe they need a rush, some feel paralyzed by perfectionism, and others simply don't want to do the task. Chronic procrastinators may need behavioral therapy, but for the other 80 percent: Don't put off reading these tips from experts like Ferrari and Timothy Pychyl, a psychologist at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada and a blogger for _Psychology Today_.


"I work best under pressure" is a familiar refrain, but research suggests that this isn't necessarily true. Ferrari and colleagues have found that chronic procrastinators actually get less done when working under a time constraint compared with "non-procrastinators." And chronic procrastinators make more errors. If anything, people who procrastinate leave little room for error. Shopping early for a dinner party allows enough time to look elsewhere for better produce or matching napkins. 
We all know that distractions are often too welcome. "We give in to feel good," says Pychyl. It may feel good right now to check Facebook, but we often discount future gains. In experiments, people choose the more immediate reward when given the choice between now or later. But, it will probably feel better in the long-term to finish that research paper. 
Here's one way you can make it more attractive to complete a project before deadline. Celebrate! Normally, people are punished for turning in projects late. And, of course, no one is rewarded for finishing early. "We don't give the early bird the worm any more," says Ferrari. So, next time you finish your taxes before April 15, plan a party with friends?this also can help with tip 7. 
Don't underestimate how much you can get done in 15 minutes. Waiting for a doctor's appointment? Bring along envelopes to be addressed. Honestly, you can do many things in 15 minutes. Set a timer and tackle a dreaded task. You could also try to change the way you approach a chore. Think: "I have the opportunity to do this again." Rather than: "Do I have to do this again?!" 
"Just do it" should be your slogan. If you get to work on time, your attitude about the job will change. Once you start, it won't seem so bad. In addition, research from Kennon Sheldon at the University of Missouri-Columbia has shown that we feel good when we make progress with our goals. And when we are happier about goals, we achieve more. Indeed, it's a not-so-vicious cycle. 
The well-worn advice of making a list may not be helpful for everyone. Ferrari says that we don't procrastinate because we don't know how to make lists. Psychologists don't entirely understand all the reasons we put things off. Still, it might be good to break down a big project into small, bite-size pieces, like book chapters. Be honest about a task that's been looming on your list for weeks. Either do it now, or admit that it will never get done and strike it from your list, suggests Pychyl. 
Make your goals public. Telling others what you plan to do will hold you accountable. Make a pact as a favor for a friend and yourself. As many people have found, it's a lot easier to get out the door if you have a jogging buddy. Disappointing yourself is one thing, but disappointing a friend is a whole other matter. 
Don't beat yourself up about past procrastination. Some people "awful-ize" and are convinced they are horrible because they've procrastinated, says Ferrari. Yet, people who forgive themselves are less likely to procrastinate on the same task in the future. Forgiving yourself often means you make a promise to change your future behavior, according to research from the University at Buffalo and The State University of New York. 
If you find yourself straying from a job, Pychyl recommends getting to know your flags. When you inch the mouse toward the check-mail button, be aware. Instead, stay focused on what really needs to get done. John Perry at Stanford University has written an essay on his strategy, called structured procrastination. He structures his to-do list to exploit his tendency to do anything except a necessary task. At the top of the list is something that seems important and pressing (but?here's the secret?it isn't), so he ends up doing all the other things on his list to avoid that one thing. He knows his flags and even uses them to "acquire... a reputation for getting a lot of things done," he writes. 
People may procrastinate doing things they don't enjoy. While we all have to do mundane things, such as dishes and grocery shopping, life is much more enjoyable if we have a meaningful career. It may take some soul-searching. For instance, experts recommend that you sit down and make a list of the times when you felt truly happy. Then, think about how you can make a career out of them; see a career counselor for help if needed. After all, says Pychyl, "this is your life, why don't you want to get on with it?"


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## David Baxter PhD

Thread split to http://forum.psychlinks.ca/just-chat/20054-twitter-public-works-military-intelligence-and-stuff.html


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## unionmary

In my 23 year marriage (which came to an end 2 years ago)  the one thing (well that is an exaggeration, there were a few more, I am sure)  I was thankful to my ex for teaching me, was the Art of Procrastination. 

There were so many little things needing doing, i would get in a tizzy about.  Problem solved, I learned procrastination from the best of them.   If the Queen is not coming for a visit, I really can't be too worried about the dust bunnies under the bed, i don't have allergies, and I live alone.  Tomorrow IS another day, and I fully intend to be here!


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## Meg

I make myself star charts 

I'm at the point with my research where I have decided that no amount of cognitive restructuring is going to help me get the job done when I don't feel like doing it.  A purely behavioural intervention was called for, I felt!  It's actually working quite well.


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## Daniel

Motivation and Procrastination: Just Keep Swimming | Psychology Today

...In previous work, Kruglanski and Higgins have identified two distinct motivational modes that they call the _locomotion_ and _assessment_  orientations.  The locomotion mode is related to action.  When you are  in that mode, you are driven to do things in the world.  The assessment  mode is related to thinking about and evaluating aspects of your life.   When you are in that mode, you are focused on whether you are dong the  right thing...

In a few studies, the authors also examined potential reasons for  procrastination.  They found that the stronger people's locomotor  motivation, the less _distracted_ they were by other tasks that  might get in the way of completing a goal task.  So, the locomotor  orientation is really associated with getting things done.

The assessment orientation is related to _perfectionism_.  The  stronger people's assessment motivation, the more likely they were to  be concerned that they might have made a mistake.  That concern could  lead people to avoid completing a task.  

 The studies in this  paper were focused on differences between people in whether they  generally have a locomotor or an assessment orientation. 

  It is  also possible to create situations that affect these orientations.  Time  pressure, for example, often shifts people into a locomotor mode, which  is why students with a tendency to procrastinate often start projects  as a deadline looms. 

  Highlighting the way that projects will be  evaluated can shift people into an assessment mode.  That mode can  create anxiety.  Researchers have used instructions that people's  performance will be watched and evaluated by experts as a way of  inducing stress. 

  Future research should explore whether  situations that bias people toward a locomotor or assessment mode can  influence procrastination.


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## Daniel

Related article:
How to get more done--and in less time - Quartz


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## MHealthJo

Look like great articles! I'll read them later.


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## Daniel

“No person hands out their money to passersby, but to how many do each of us hand out our lives! We’re tightfisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers.”

~ Seneca


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