How to Stop Procrastinating & Why You Always Wait Until The Last Minute

“Hey, aren’t you going to work on your assignment?”

“Nah, it can wait. I actually work better under pressure anyway.”

If the person running away from their duties until the last-minute sounds like you, then welcome home friend! You and countless other people (including myself!) have mastered the incredible art of procrastination. Or so we think.

It’s been proven that about 20% of adults procrastinate regularly, and 80- 90% of college students are over-qualified, chronic procrastinators. And even though it may feel as if you’ve got a pretty good flow going only while the stakes are high, this actually isn’t the case! And I’ll explain why.

Here are five of the biggest reasons you drag your feet throughout the week and how to stop procrastinating and nip tit in the butt.

1. You’re afraid to fail

This is probably everyone’s secret fear without even realizing it. To some extent, everyone is afraid that they won’t live up to someone’s expectation; be it their parents, teachers, employers, etc. Or the unrealistic expectations that we often set for ourselves.

So how does this make us procrastinate? Well, the longer we put something off, the less likely it is for our failure to become a reality. Outta sight, outta mind. Procrastination gives you temporary peace of mind as you push back your duties causing more stress later on.

Solution: Try to remember that it’s better to try and fail, than to not try and never know what your capabilities. You will always fail if you never get started and try.

2. You’re not motivated

Maybe you feel like you don’t have any purpose in life, or like you’re just living and working to pay the bills. I totally feel you if you are one of those people.

Consistently working every day to not see much return can make you feel like your efforts are worthless; and your work is under appreciated. It sucks the life out of you. Plus, without a solid support system, completing your work feels fruitless.

Solution: Remind yourself why you’re doing the work you do. Place reminders and positive affirmations all around you. Set small daily goals to accomplish and surround yourself with people who love and support you. Remind yourself why you’re here. It’s for a reason.

3. You’re a perfectionist

OMG, guilty as charged! If you’re like me and you’re a bit of a psycho-perfectionist, our devotion to perfection is definitely to blame for many of the projects we’ve turned in late. Like this article! *nervous laughter* #virgoproblems

A perfectionist tends to wait until they’ve gathered all the needed material and is 100% confident that what they gathered will be A1 sauce. But in reality, this micro-management of every detail can have it’s drawbacks.

Solution: If you always wait for the right moment, it will never come. TAKE IT FROM ME. I had to write 10 page paper overnight because for the entire semester, I festered about with the silly details. Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity to present itself, make one.

4. You’re malnourished

Okay maybe a little dramatic here, but you catch my drift. If you don’t fuel your body properly, how can you expect it to perform exceptionally?

Even though some days we can party all night long on a diet of ice cream and Netflix; we need a steady supply of nutrients in order to run like a oiled machine. You ever tried an exercise routine without warming up and eating well enough before?… Exactly.

Solution: Make sure you’re getting good sleep every night and you drown yourself with water. Stop consuming processed crap and try more natural and nutrient-dense foods. Get in the kitchen for pete’s sake!

5. You’re a dreamer

If you really want to know how to stop procrastinating, you have to stop dreaming. Well, let me rephrase. It’s not that dreaming itself is bad. The problem occurs when that dream, never comes into pasture.

Most times when dreamers look to execute, they either don’t have the resources or they lack the organizational skills and drive to make that dream a reality. This usually happens because dreamers spend time “wishing on a star” or waiting for a blessing or a sign. But you could be waiting forever!

Life doesn’t always give us that yellow brick road equipped with tour guides to help us along the way. Sometimes, you gotta be your own guide and advocate!

Solution: All dreams take baby steps. So start by creating small daily to-do lists. These lists can literally be of anything you want to complete that day. And then, build towards your main goal. Btw, please don’t think I’m telling you not to have dreams and aspirations! But remember you can’t just be a dreamer, you have to be a doer.

So there you have it. You’re not just a lazy, couch-potato with no goals. Everyone’s got a reason for waiting until the last minute. We all make mistakes! But now you know how to stop procrastinating and get your work done. And look! You made it all the way through this post. You over-achiever, you. So proud of you.