How to Stop Procrastinating: 7 Easy Steps to Master Procrastination, Getting Things Done, Self Discipline & Overcoming Laziness

By Miles Toole

D you have a heap of paperwork lying on your desk, and you haven’t been able to finish it yet? Are you finding it difficult to figure out where to start and therefore you are constantly putting off things for later?

Everyone has goals in their life but overcoming the hurdles that come along the way requires courage and determination and procrastination is just one such hurdle. Contrary to popular belief, there are ways in which you can overcome procrastination and start getting things done today!

“How to Stop Procrastinating” will provide you with a catalog of ideas in a 7-step process that you can implement in your life and start reinstating the lost sense of self-discipline. The major reason behind procrastination is the feeling of becoming overwhelmed by all that is present in front of you, and this results from a lack of self-belief.

The solution to your problem is not that difficult. You need to develop a mindset and make some changes in your lifestyle that will help you fight procrastination and complete those tasks which have been lying idle for months.

YOU WILL LEARN:
• To identify the real reasons behind your procrastination habits.
• To organize your life so that you complete all your tasks on time.
• How to say no to things that are not going to add any value.
• To complete challenging projects with some simple strategies.
• Effective time management techniques to incorporate some leisure time in your daily schedule.

Many people have tried overcoming laziness, and in the end, they give up. This is because they were following the wrong strategies. You have to learn to remove your limiting beliefs and start telling yourself that you can achieve anything if you truly want it. To beat procrastination and become productive, these 7 easy steps will bring a sense of routine back in your life!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781716961335

Book preview

Toole

Introduction

Welcome to "How to Stop Procrastinating". The following chapters will discuss how you can deal with procrastination by developing some new habits. Procrastination is something that results from the decisions you take in your subconscious mind, and in order to get over it, you have to shed light on all the misinformation you have. People who procrastinate have piles of work on their desks or responsibilities that they have not dealt with until it is the last minute and they have no other choice but to start. And by the time they decide to start, it is already too late to complete the work on time which, in turn, creates stress and panic.

I have structured this guide in a step-by-step manner so that you can work your way up the ladder and beat procrastination. In the process of doing so, you will learn self-discipline and also learn several ways in which you can overcome laziness. Once you are aware of the different patterns in which you end up procrastinating, dealing with the problem will become so much easier. In this guide, I have stated clear solutions to every problem. Yes, it might seem overwhelming if you are just starting the fight against procrastination, but with every step you take, you will realize that it is not anything impossible.

Chapter 1: Step 1 – Stop Catastrophizing

Everyone has delayed a task for later at some point in their life. Some people pass off procrastination as mere laziness, but it is so much more than that. There are people who think that by procrastinating, they are avoiding distress in their life, but it is just the opposite that happens – they are creating more distress for the future. There is an increase in stress levels and performance starts to drop. But some even graver effects of procrastination are that it might affect your self-esteem leading you to criticize yourself at every point. And one of the biggest things that lead to procrastination is the habit of catastrophizing.

You must be wondering what catastrophizing is. People who catastrophize cannot handle even minor setbacks in a positive light. Instead, they immediately jump to the worst conclusions. An example should make it clearer as to what I am talking about. Let us assume that you have made some mistakes at work, which are quite minor. But you start thinking that you will be fired because of it – this is what catastrophizing is. Moreover, the process does not stop there. You think that you will lose your job because you were fired and then there will be no one to take care of your family. This pattern is endless and keeps running leading to extreme stress and a persistent feeling of worry.

Now, let us see how catastrophizing and procrastination are related to one another. When you catastrophize something, you actually start dreading what will happen. This toxic cycle of thoughts brings about stress, and that stress makes you delay your duties. For example, if you had an important task at hand that needed completion but you were catastrophizing that since you made a small mistake, the entire project is going to go down the drain. And so, you ended up procrastinating about it and kept deferring the project until the last day. But you could also have rectified your mistake and then finished the project on time. That is why in order to fight procrastination, you have to find ways of getting things done and in this chapter, I am going to explain to you how you can stop catastrophizing.

Stop Exaggerating

It is very easy for apprehension to turn into anxiety, and if you notice that happening with you, then you have to realize that you are catastrophizing. So, what you should do is