You’re sitting on the couch an, upsettingly empty chip bag in your lap.On the TV is a series of hilarious shows that make it very easy to forget. Forget…Forget what? Oh, that huge English test the next day, the deadline for a 10 page essay, or the homework you’ve had for two weeks, but you knew you were going to do it at the last minute anyway. We are all guilty of this, the intentional putting off of responsibility, or procrastination. The truth is many of us could be much more productive if we knew how to stop this horrible habit. So, let’s look at the steps of being lazy, the things procrastination causes, and finally how you can change your life style to avoid this nasty addiction to the couch.
There are many different ways people procrastinate, but there are few steps I think hold true to almost everyone.There are three of them, the first:
“I have plenty of time!”
This is when you have an exorbitant amount of time. There is enough time to do your project twice if you wanted to, and you are quite aware of this fact. Because of this time you can relax, there’s nothing to worry about. You can watch a sitcom, eat a meal and a half, stare at your phone, or you can do all of these at once. This is how much time you have.
The denial
Denial. You have realized that you have a mere half hour before you have to get things done, but surely if you hurry you could get it done in 25 minutes. Right? You are finding excuses to avoid work. Eating is an important part of life that keeps us healthy so instead of work you eat another meal. You will be able to get it all done.
The Realization
Crap. That’s all you can think. The clock was ticking, and it ticked a good half hour past when you should have gotten things done. Did you do them? No. Panic is racing through your body. Now what do you do? You have disappointed everyone. You have epically failed without lifting a finger.
There are many downsides to this behavior. The first, and probably most obvious, is that you don’t turn in your work, and if you do turn in work it is not your best. This can make you lose jobs, get bad grades, or it can make people not trust you. When people don’t trust you, you won’t reach to the heights you feel you deserve. This point leads us to the next problem, you won’t like yourself.I have always found when I procrastinate I care less about the actual work missed, and more how it affects me as a person. Does this mean I can’t handle my bigger challenges in life, if I can’t get off a couch now? My self-esteem takes a huge dip and I forget of what I’m capable of. If you get into a slump of procrastination, just starting things can feel like a chore.You feel as if you’re getting nothing worthwhile done, but at the same time you can’t make yourself put in real effort. It can be very distressing.
This lack of effort can lead to depressed moods and a lack of confidence, but there are some things you can do to help yourself. The first thing I recommend is making structure for your day. With some plan it will be easier to stay focused on what needs to be done. Another way to get yourself moving is to have a reward.If you finish your essay maybe you can take a short break to watch a video or grab a snack.With this technique you will want to get your work done to reach your prize. Finally though, is just will-power. The hardest part of getting things done, is starting. If you get over that hump, know that it won’t be that bad. Know that in the end you will feel accomplished knowing that you have been responsible, you got your work done. Now you can relax, with no worries to weigh you down.
So, take these skills into the world. Don’t allow yourself to get into the habit of laziness. When you get used to getting things done it won’t be as hard, I promise. Now, get off that couch and get working!
