Ah, procrastination—an annoying gremlin that tiptoes into your life. It pulls up a chair, and convinces you that yes, you do need to play one more game on your phone before answering that one email. We’ve all been there. You sit there, staring at a task that’s been on your to-do list for days or even weeks. You tell yourself you’ll start right after watching one more video or checking social media one last time. And you never start, or you start too late and end up doing everything in a rush, completely stressed out.
Procrastination isn’t just a quirky habit or a sign that you work well under pressure. It’s not even, as your parents might claim, a sign of laziness. Procrastination is more like that flaky friend who promises to help you move but conveniently shows up after all the heavy lifting is done. Procrastination makes promises it never keeps: “You’ll feel more motivated later.” But when “later” comes, there’s no sudden burst of motivation—just you, the task, and added guilt for not starting sooner.
So, why do we do this to ourselves? And how can we get rid of it? Let’s find out.
Understanding procrastination
Like I’ve said before, procrastination isn’t about being lazy or lacking motivation. It’s more complicated than that. Think of your brain like a Wi-Fi router. Sometimes the connection between “I need to do this” and “I’m doing this” is strong. Other times, it feels like the signal is lost and you struggle to do the second step.
The reasons we procrastinate usually involve fear of failure or judgment, perfectionism, or feeling overwhelmed. These emotions make tasks feel harder than they are.
Fear of failure
“If you don’t start, you can’t fail.” This fear can be paralyzing, rooted in the anxiety of not meeting expectations—whether your own or others’. It convinces you that avoiding the task is safer than facing the possibility of not succeeding. Because if you don’t start writing that book you’ve been dreaming about then it can’t be bad. This way, you can keep dreaming about this book without having to do it. Even though sometimes you might feel regret and guilt over not starting.
Fear of judgment
“What if I’m not good enough?” Similarly to the fear of failure, the fear of judgment keeps you from starting. You anticipate criticism or disapproval from other people, even when it’s unlikely. To not be judged negatively by people you know, or complete strangers, you don’t do the thing you’ve been wanting to do. By not painting that piece you’ve been thinking about, you avoid the possibility of people thinking your work is ugly, even if you don’t have any evidence that this is what they think. (And even if they do think your piece is ugly, who cares? You have fun painting, and that’s what is most important. Plus, they don’t know sh*t. But that’s just my opinion.)
Perfectionism
“If it’s not perfect, why bother?” Perfectionists often set impossibly high standards. It creates a mental barrier and stops them from starting because the outcome seems unattainable from the get-go. You might think you should be the best dancer there is right from the beginning. The thing is you must start bad. You can’t immediately be good at something. Mastery takes time. You make mistakes and you learn from them. With consistency you also get better at things. Not only is being perfect impossible but it’s also incredibly boring. Where’s the fun?
Feeling overwhelmed
“I just don’t know where to start.” Sometimes your to-do list feels like an insurmountable mountain. The sheer volume of tasks can create mental fatigue before you even begin. It pushes you to seek comfort in distractions like Netflix or video games. You see the mountain of dishes in the sink and feel like it’s going to take so much time. It feels overwhelming and if you’re already tired or overstimulated then it’ll be even more difficult to convince yourself to start doing those dishes.
If you’re neurodivergent, with ADHD or autism, procrastination can be even more challenging. ADHD can make simple tasks feel overwhelming due to executive dysfunction, time blindness, and hyperfocus. One minute you’re casually interested in something, the next you’re deep-diving into Wikipedia pages while your laundry gathers dust. Autistic individuals may face sensory overload and difficulty with task-switching, making productivity even trickier. The need for structure and predictability can clash with the demands of flexible, dynamic tasks, creating an additional layer of challenge. If you’re neurodivergent, you don’t procrastinate because you don’t want to do things—your brain simply processes tasks differently. Knowing this, you should not at all feel ashamed of your procrastination habits, but find solutions according to what bothers you.
What should you do to?
Understand why you procrastinate and identify your triggers
Becoming aware of your own patterns of procrastination is the first step to overcoming them. Take a moment to reflect on when, where, and why you tend to put things off. Are there certain emotions tied to it? Certain times of the day when it happens more frequently? Self-awareness is a powerful tool.
Recognizing what sends you into a spiral of avoidance can help you take proactive steps. Whether it’s fear of failure, perfectionism, or simply a lack of structure, knowing your triggers allows you to prepare for them in advance rather than be caught off guard.
Use strategies that trick your brain into playing along
Your brain loves instant gratification, which is why long-term rewards often lose out to short-term distractions. Make productivity feel rewarding in the moment by setting small, achievable goals and celebrating each success.
The hardest part is always getting started. Think of it like pushing a stalled car—at first, it takes a lot of effort, but once it’s rolling, it moves more easily. Even if you only start with five minutes of work, that momentum can carry you much further than you expected. And the best part? Once you get started, you’ll likely feel relieved and even wonder why you didn’t begin sooner.
You’re not alone. Everyone struggles with procrastination at some point. It’s part of being human. But the difference between those who succeed and those who remain stuck is the ability to push past that initial resistance. No one is productive all the time, and that’s okay. The goal isn’t to be perfect—it’s to make progress. You should also be kind to yourself. Bellitling yourself over every mistake you make or every task you put off, is not going to help you. It’ll likely make you feel even less motivated, guilty and exhausted.
How can you identify your triggers?
Understanding your triggers is like shining a flashlight on what makes you procrastinate. It helps you understand why you do it and can guide you to strategies that will work best for you. Not every strategy will work on you. For example, making lists works for some of my friends, but for me it doesn’t. I’ll just lose the paper or forget to check the list entirely. I’ll even get distracted by other things I’ve remembered or seen while doing the beginning of the list. It’s all about figuring out what works best for you.
Emotional triggers can stop you from doing the things on your to-do list. They often stem from deep-seated beliefs about self-worth and competence. These self-limiting beliefs make the emotional hurdle larger than the task itself. It’s like standing at the base of a hill, convinced it’s Everest, when in reality, it’s just a speed bump. For example, someone who thinks “but I’m such a bad cook” while knowing they have to make dinner., will feel even less motivated. These beliefs will make the task even more challenging. Understanding them and overcoming them can truly help you to stop procrastinating.
There are also task-related triggers. They arise when large, complex projects feel overwhelming. But they can also include boring tasks that don’t hold your interest and make you feel unmotivated. Your brain craves novelty and excitement. “Washing dishes” or “organizing spreadsheets” doesn’t exactly sound fun to do. So, you’d rather turn to video games or reading, knowing it’ll be more exciting and you will have a good time.
A chaotic environment filled with distractions like your phone, TV, or clutter can scatter your focus, making it difficult to maintain mental clarity. It’s hard to concentrate when your workspace looks like the aftermath of a tornado. It is true that clutter and distractions like your phone or tv can make it much more difficult to get started. You’ll easily be distracted or feel overwhelmed. You can start by cleaning your workspace little by little and leaving your phone in another room or turning it off. That might help you set the right environment to get started.
Try this reflection exercise. Grab a pen and write down a task you’re avoiding. Ask yourself these questions: Why does this feel so hard? What emotions pop up when you think about it? How can you break this task down into smaller, less terrifying chunks? Sometimes, simply identifying what stops you from starting can deflate their power.
Strategies to beat procrastination
General strategies stop putting off the work
Procrastination is kind of like dealing with a stubborn toddler. You can’t reason with them using logic and facts. However, you can use clever strategies, a little bit of reverse psychology, and the occasional metaphorical bribe.
First, start small, like, ridiculously small. Tell yourself you only have to do the thing for two minutes. Starting is the hardest part, and once you’re in motion, it’s easier to keep going. Instead of “Write the essay,” start with “Open the document” then, “Find a title.” Tiny wins stack up and you’ll feel more motivated to do the rest once you’ve achieved a small part of your task. If you know you should wash the dishes, try doing just one or two plates stacked in your sink. You’ll find that once you start washing one, washing the rest will be much easier.
Finished a chore? High-five yourself, eat a cookie, or play for a while on your phone. Your brain loves rewards, even tiny ones, so make sure you use that knowledge to your advantage. Rewarding yourself can be a good motivator to get started and do the thing you’ve been avoiding. It can also be a good way to convince your kids to do their chores. It’s kind of like negotiation “Can you do the dishes for me? I’ll let you watch the TV for an hour.” Imagine, you need to do the laundry, but you’d rather play video games. You could reward yourself after doing the laundry by playing video games for a few hours. The trick is to get yourself to not feel too overwhelmed by the task and know that once it’s completed, you’ll be doing something you like.
Finally, track your progress, you can use journals or checklists to see how far you’ve come. Visualizing progress reinforces a sense of achievement and motivates you to keep going. For some, crossing off an item from a to-do list is very satisfying. There are also tons of apps you can use to do so. Habitica even makes it into a fun game, and it’s just one example of many. In Habitica, every time you finish a task you’ve decided for yourself; you win points. Your character can level up, you can win pets and go on quests. Using such tools can really help you visualize your progress and make a game of it too.
Strategies for people with ADHD
Now, if you have ADHD, some of the techniques I just shared won’t work with you because you’re wired differently. With ADHD, even seemingly simple tasks can feel insurmountable. Making a phone call can feel like climbing Everest. Filling out paperwork? You might as well try to decipher ancient runes. Your brain craves stimulation, but when a task doesn’t provide enough of it, the brain simply tunes out, making it incredibly difficult to start or sustain focus. It’s not that you’re lazy. It’s just that your brain has a harder time focusing on things it’s not interested in compared to other people. It’s neurological.
So, what helps? The trick is to work with your brain instead of against it. Visual timers like the Pomodoro-style timers make time feel tangible. It can turn the abstract concept of “time” into something you can see and track. It can help manage time blindness and create a sense of urgency, helping you stay engaged with tasks. Most people with ADHD work better at the last minute because this feeling of urgency gives your brain the stimulation it needs. So you can try to trick your brain that way.
Accountability partners work wonders—tell a friend about a task you need to get done soon. You’ll be more likely to follow through because someone else is expecting an update. You can even ask that person to get back to you after an hour to see if you actually washed those dishes or wrote that essay.
Task pairing can be another game-changer. Combine mundane tasks with enjoyable activities. For example, pairing laundry with your favorite playlist can transform a dull chore into a more enjoyable experience. The key is to create a dopamine boost that makes your brain want to engage with the task. Personally, I listen to an audio book while doing chores because that way my brain has something to focus on. I can listen to a book while folding the laundry and it’s a lot more fun and entertaining that way. I truly found that I procrastinated a lot less on my chores after I started doing this, so don’t hesitate to try it out.
Strategies for people with autism
For autistic individuals, structure is your best friend. Routines create predictability and reduce stress, providing a comforting framework to navigate daily tasks. Having a clear plan of action can minimize decision fatigue and make overwhelming tasks more manageable. You can tell yourself that everyday at 6pm you’ll clean your room for 15 minutes. After a few days, you’ll become more used to doing this and it’ll feel less like a chore.
Visual aids like checklists aren’t just satisfying; they keep you on track and help organize thoughts in a clear, structured way. You can try color-coded lists, step-by-step instructions, and visual progress trackers to make tasks feel less chaotic and more achievable.
It’s also incredibly important to scheduled downtime. Your brain deserves regular breaks to prevent sensory overload and burnout. Think of it as hitting the reset button to recharge your mental battery before jumping into the next task. If you don’t stop to rest you might burn yourself out and for the rest of the week, doing your chores will be increasingly difficult. You’ll find yourself procrastinating even more and panicking over doing so.
By embracing strategies that work with your neurodivergent brain instead of against it, you can create an environment that supports productivity without adding unnecessary stress. Most importantly, make sure to try out multiple strategies. As I’ve said before, some strategies will work with you and others won’t. That’s totally normal. You just need to find one or two strategies that work for you.
Strategies to beat procrastination
If you like reading books about self-improvement, here are some books you might like:
