Monday 28 June 2021

HOW TO OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION?

 I

HOW TO OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION?

How To Overcome Procrastination
image courtsey: https://pixabay.com/
                                              Temptation of procrastination !


In this article, I share with my readers my learning on the subject, observation, inferences drawn and implementation in practical life. 

And as per my policy, I never try to advise or suggest anything related to medical issues to my readers. In such cases, obviously, medical advice is recommended.

What is procrastination - my understanding

Let me share one incident I experienced in my working days.  I was next to the in-charge of the section. My senior was expected to inform  all the concerned about one important meeting scheduled for the week end. I observed that he was simply postponing the process of intimating the concerned about the schedule of the meeting on some or the other pretext.  I reminded him twice about the urgency of the matter. But to no avail. Time was running out. And the inevitable thing started threatening him. He rushed to me at the eleventh hour literally begging me to help him out in the situation.  

I did that, of course.  But it was very demanding situation for me compelling me to work late in the evening prior to the meeting.

This all happened because of only one reason - my senior was procrastinating the important task in hand with some or other excuse. And I was the sufferer.

Incidentally I later learnt that this tendency of mind is known as procrastination.


What exactly is procrastination?

Procrastination is the tendency to avoid unpleasant or stressful tasks that are often very important and replace them with less important, less stressful tasks.

Is procrastination a mental illness?

Procrastination itself is not a mental health diagnosis.

Psychological studies often associate procrastination with reduced mental health, higher level of stress and lower levels of well-being.

Effect of procrastination -poor performance- consequences of financial situations resulted from procrastinating important decisions.

(Source : Goodtherapy.org)


HOW TO OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION?


Why do we procrastinate?

Because we feel the task to be undertaken is difficult, challenging and moreover the fear of facing failure. Who wants to face failure?

Here I would like to quote the interesting case of my close friend who in our college days got attracted towards a beautiful girl in his class. He used to share with me his feeling towards her and often expressed his eagerness to propose her. But he needed advice of his best friends (at that time myself).  I expressed my inability due to no knowledge in such matter. But offered him my considered opinion that if he truly loves her and thinks that she also loves him, then he should go ahead and reach the conclusion of the matter once and for all. 

But as it happens, he went on postponing the process of proposing her. Till completion of our graduation, nothing happened. Then as usual, we took separate route in our respective life. And after a gap of five years, when we happened to meet in person, I came to know that he had missed the bus. He never really proposed the girl. All this because what he did - he procrastinated the proposal process.

But this is what the hefty price one has to pay for procrastinating.

Well, procrastination does affect our life in this way also.  And there can be so many aspects of our life which are likely to be affected by our tendency of procrastinating. And we may not even be aware of that.

How we procrastinate?

By opting to get engaged in a lesser important task.

What is the main cause of procrastination?

It is my observation that basically procrastination indicates lack of self confidence, enough knowledge of the related issue as well as unstable mind.

This inevitably leads to reluctance to engage oneself in new or routine but challenging tasks for the fear of failure or embarrassment likely to be faced.

The effective way is to build up, maintain, and increase self-confidence and acquiring knowledge of the related task.

For this purpose, one must-
  • understand meaning and significance of supreme values of life- freedom, peace, love, compassion, truth.
  • understand the meaning and significance of polarities in life - truth and untruth, justice and injustice, moral and amoral, ethical and unethical, right and wrong and so on.
  • be able to make right choice while making decisions.
  • be able to pay attention not to the peripheral  but the central issues.

Having developed the above awareness, one can concentrate on the issues being tackled and also develop self-confidence while in the decision making process. 


Thus, one will be readily prepared to accept the consequences of the decisions taken. 

And there will be no fear of failure or any disappointment. As one learns from own experience.  

And this builds strong foundation to accept day today challenges and tackle the same effectively with full confidence.  

Having the attitude of being a mature,  strong and responsible person is also  significant.  


HOW TO OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION?

Based on my own experience, let me share with you - 

I ensured that I do understand the polarities in values in day today life mentioned above.

This step gave me confidence and enabled me to make right choices wherever it was time for me to take decisions.  

Having strong foundation of making right choices and making right decisions in life, I was fully prepared to accept the consequences of my own decision making in life.  

This led to no hesitation on my part.  In fact I am always very eager to take in hand the task expected from me,  work on it and complete it efficiently in time.

This also enables me to read the circumstances and take appropriate action.

If we try to understand what is life and the constraints we have to face, we cannot ignore the significance of time in our life.  

Then there will be no question procrastinating any task expected from us.  

Because time once gone is gone for ever - cannot be brought back to mend our decisions. 

What is your experience?  And will you suggest your effective method of avoiding procrastination?

Let me know.

Next time......

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