5 science-backed ways to overcome procrastination and get closer to the life you want

Procrastination derives from the Latin word procrastinare, which means ′deferred until tomorrow′. It′s irrational human behaviour because even though we know it′s in our best interest to act now, we delay unnecessarily. Believe it or not, a lot of the time, procrastination is a habit that occurs without us even realising. Habits are important to be aware of so that we can break free from them, otherwise the consequences can be very difficult to bear. According to research that asked people what their biggest regret was when they lost a loved one, procrastination regrets ranked the highest; the things they didn′t do with their loved one while they were still alive caused the most suffering.

So why do we do it? Research shows that procrastination is tied to being easily distracted, impulsive, and having low self-belief in your ability to follow through on what you set out to do. But there are steps you can take-based on science-to overcome procrastination and get closer to the life you want.

1. Learn to tolerate some initial discomfort

Many times, before we start to work on a task, we feel bored or a sense of dread. We want to get away from these uncomfortable feelings and the task that′s causing them. While this can make us feel better in the moment, it can affect us in the long term. When people begin to procrastinate on a regular basis, they choose instant gratification over distant rewards and future goals. Repairing their mood quickly and getting stress relief as soon as they feel uncomfortable becomes a priority. But delaying in order to feel good can have harmful consequences in the long term, because it can lead to regret, suffering and even mental illness.

If we want to overcome procrastination, instead of fleeing from uncomfortable feelings, sit with them for a bit. Identify the negative emotions that are arising in you as you prepare to work and just continue with your task. Anything unpleasant you′re feeling initially is temporary and dissipates. The more you learn to tolerate this transient discomfort, the more your self-control builds and you start to see yourself differently. You start to see yourself as capable. And this is the birthplace of motivation.

2. Choose the emotion you want to focus on

Another option is to choose the emotion we want to focus on. Even though we might be feeling annoyed or stressed when we sit down to work on a task, there are other emotions that we′re experiencing as well. We might have a desire to learn something new and become more proficient at something or get promoted at work; and no matter how small this desire is, it′s still there.

We all have an inner landscape of emotions that we′re feeling at any given time, and we can choose which emotion from this inner landscape we want to focus on. So instead of thinking how much we loathe beginning a project, we might tap into the wish to enrich ourselves mentally or professionally. This not only makes it easier to engage, but it makes doing the work more meaningful as we′re connecting with our values and motives.

3. Do it badly

A sure-fire way to overcome procrastination and become more motivated is to do it badly. You might feel paralysed to start working on something because you think that it needs to be done perfectly, or that you can′t begin because you′re not capable enough yet. So you delay.

Instead of waiting until you′re better prepared or feel like it, just dive right in. This not only applies to work, but anytime you have to make a decision in life. Doing it badly allows you to take action and makes it much easier to follow through, and you can always refine later. If you use this motto, you′ll start to notice that the aversion you′re feeling towards tasks changes into excitement and ease.

4. Act now and motivation will follow

At the heart of procrastination is the thinking that tomorrow, we will feel like it more. But studies show that we′re very bad at predicting how we will feel in the future. You know how it is: you decide to give up caffeine for example, but before you do this, you treat yourself one last time. And right after you′ve had your fix, you think that it won′t be so hard to stick to your plan, but as soon as temptation hits, you′re back to where you started. We often think that the way we′re feeling now will be the way we will be feeling in the future. When it comes to procrastination, we′re happy now because we′ve put off doing something, so we believe that these positive emotions will also be there tomorrow when we come back to the task. But this is never the case.

Knowing that we′re unable to predict or anticipate our emotions makes it easier to act now, because it can allow you to start on a task even though you′re not motivated. And ironically, when you start to do this, that is also when momentum builds. And when momentum builds, the seed of motivation begins to sprout. People erroneously think that they need to feel like it or be motivated before doing something, but it′s the opposite. Motivation follows action.

5. Cut the daydreaming

If you want to reduce the amount of time you spend procrastinating, cut back on mind-wandering and daydreaming. Nearly a third to half of our thoughts during the day don′t have anything to do with the task in front of us or what′s going on around us. We spend much of our time thinking about something else or mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds. But research shows that people who spend much of their time daydreaming have a harder time getting back to their goals and sustaining attention.

It′s also addictive-the more you daydream, the harder it becomes to control, and it′s even tied to depression. Often when we daydream, we direct our attention towards the self, unrealised goals, or think about an idealised self that doesn′t match up to how we are now. This leads to rumination, which can become fertile ground for depression. The antidote to this is to focus on the present moment-the task at hand or whatever you′re doing. This is the essence of mindfulness and it′s the essence of living.

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