Does the self-destructive habit of procrastinating affect your daily life? Once you’re stuck in this pattern, it becomes a downward vortex. Putting things off can prevent you from reaching goals and eventually erode personal and professional relationships.
It’s only human to put off the dreaded chore. An article published by Frontiers in Psychology defines procrastination as irrationally delaying tasks regardless of negative consequences. In other words, you know it will cause you trouble, but you put things off anyway.
Many people reverse the adage and never do today what they can put off until tomorrow. You might be able to delay some tasks without a problem, but many require your immediate action. If you get stuck in this bad habit, you’ll spend every day trying to play catch-up instead of reaching goals.
Eight Beneficial Life Changes When You Quit Procrastinating
The best time to stop putting things off is right now, not tomorrow. You’ll not only get more accomplished, but you’ll feel better about yourself. These are eight changes you’ll be happy to recognize in your life.
1. You’ll Have Fewer Regrets if You Stop Procrastinating
Remember the old saying that opportunity only knocks once? If you’re used to procrastinating, you think you’ll have another chance. However, the only thing that may knock on your door again is a lifetime of regrets.
When you stop putting things off, you take more chances. You’d rather try something and fail than wonder “what if” for the rest of your life. You’ll be braver and more spontaneous when reaching goals.
2. Others Will Trust You More Once You Stop Putting Things Off
Being a person of your word is essential if you want people to trust you. According to an article by Michigan State University, one of the most important aspects of relationships is trust. Family, friends, and colleagues know you’ll do whatever you say.
Unfortunately, procrastinating can make you less dependable. You have good intentions, but putting things off hinders your follow-through. Soon, you are stuck with a whole list of missed commitments and unhappy people.
People in your circle rely on you when you’re punctual, dependable, and finish your obligations. You learn not to overextend yourself, and procrastination won’t be as tempting. When others trust you, reaching goals can be more manageable.
3. Stop Procrastinating for Better Relationships
Procrastinating can create a significant wedge in any relationship, personal or professional. If your partner gets stuck with chores and other obligations you’ve been putting off, they’re bound to get frustrated. You can also risk your job if you’re chronically late on projects for supervisors and clients.
Does your partner often complain that you’re late for dates and miss appointments? They feel stuck with the feeling that you don’t respect or value them. Stop procrastinating and watch how your relationship will flourish.
4. You Can Nip Problems in the Bud
Everyone’s encountered problems and decisions they don’t want to face. By putting them off, you can usually make the situation worse. Procrastinating may help your anxiety, but it will not last.
Instead, determine that you will be proactive and not stall for time. Addressing an issue head-on may stop it from snowballing into a disaster. You’ll also be more decisive when you’re direct and stop procrastinating.
5. You Discover More Potential
Another roadblock procrastinating creates is that it hinders your potential. It can be intimidating to do something you’ve never done. You may lack self-confidence and think reaching goals is too complicated or impossible.
Putting things off can keep you stuck in a rut and prevent you from reaching goals. Once you break the habit, you can realize your potential and do things you never imagined you could. Why be complacent when there’s so much more for your future?
6. You Achieve More of Your Goals if You Stop Procrastinating
Like most people, you have a list of goals you want to accomplish. They can be both short-term and long-term. Maybe your list is in a journal, or you’ve posted it where you can easily see it daily.
Procrastinating on your short-term goals only makes achieving the long-term ones more difficult. Finally, you take a deep breath and complete something on your list. You feel so good that you welcome the challenge to achieve more of your dreams.
7. When You Stop Putting Things Off, You’ll Boost Your Self-Control
Procrastinating is an easy pattern to get stuck in before you realize it. You may have to push yourself to do dreaded but necessary tasks. You keep putting things off until tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes.
For example, how many times do you awaken in the morning full of energy and a list of things to accomplish? You don’t want to think about your list when you arrive home from work. Soon, you have a plethora of unfinished chores, and you can’t make yourself do them.
Does that sound like a familiar issue for you? Breaking the procrastination habit requires self-control. You discipline yourself to complete tasks on time whether you feel like it or not. When you boost your self-control, it benefits you in other areas of your life.
8. Stop Procrastinating to Have More Time for Yourself
According to an article by Southern New Hampshire University, self-care is essential for your well-being. It can improve your physical, mental, and spiritual health while lowering the risks of diseases. However, the greatest obstacle to proper self-care is a lack of time.
With all your home, work, and community responsibilities, it’s easy to put yourself last. You’re so busy caring for others that you procrastinate self-care. In the long run, it can harm your health and happiness.
Break the chains of procrastination and give yourself the kindness and attention you deserve. Make time every day for self-care, be it meditation, journaling, doing a hobby, or taking a hot bubble bath. You’ll have more time to devote to yourself and reach goals by not putting things off.
Habits to Help You Stop Procrastinating
Are you ready to kick this frustrating habit and start reaching your goals? It takes patience and determination, but you can do it. Here are some suggestions to consider:
1. Show Yourself Compassion
Now that you admit you have a problem, you’ve made an essential step to overcoming it. Stop beating yourself up over your procrastination habit and learn from your mistakes. If you fall off the wagon daily, pick yourself up and keep going.
2. Break Big Chores into Smaller Tasks
Many people put off doing a big job because it seems too overwhelming. However, it’s easier when you break the job into smaller tasks. As you complete each small task, you’ll have the whole chore done without dread and anxiety.
3. Use a Timer
Let’s say you’ve decided to take time in the evenings to declutter your closet. Use an old-fashioned kitchen timer or one on your smartphone. Work for fifteen minutes and then stop when the alarm rings.
You won’t feel as overwhelmed, and you’ll be less distracted. You’d be surprised what you can accomplish in as little as fifteen minutes daily. You’ll have a reorganized closet and a sense of pride in a well-done job.
4. Minimize Distractions
Distractions are surrounding one of the greatest hindrances to doing things promptly. You may waste time checking unimportant emails, surfing the Internet, or posting on social media. Perhaps you get stuck in a conversation with a chatty person on the phone.
Avoid these pitfalls by keeping your phone silent and staying off the computer while working. If your tasks are computer-oriented, stay off social media and other timewasters until the job is done. You may even consider earplugs if noise is distracting you.
5. Do the Dreaded First
People are more likely to delay complex tasks or those they don’t enjoy. It’s not very exciting to clean the garage or paint the eaves on the house. Inside chores like doing the laundry and washing dishes also aren’t very amusing.
Are there chores you need to do before you can do something you enjoy? The sooner you get them out of the way, the sooner you can relax and have fun. Do what you hate most first, and you’ll have the rest of your day for more pleasant things.
6. Reward Yourself
Yes, the reward is a job well done, but it helps to give yourself some incentives. For example, tell yourself that when you declutter and organize your closet, you’ll buy a new closet system to keep it that way. Another option is to go on a little weekend getaway when you get the front porch painted.
Final Thoughts on Life Changes When You Stop Procrastinating
Putting things off only makes your life more complicated in the long run. Once you conquer this bad habit, you’ll have a greater sense of accomplishment. Also, you’ll stop putting off joy and have it more abundantly.
