How to Beat Procrastination, According to People Who Beat Procrastination

“Arman, your procrastination article has been procrastinated on.”

I dreaded this early morning text from my editor that made me realise how I’d let the god of irony win, once again, despite making the conscious effort to file this story on the subject in advance. 

As seems to be the case with most, if not all, of us who have procrastinated on completing the easiest of tasks, variables beyond our control seem to jeopardise our goals. What variables, you might ask? Turning the alarm off in the morning without meaning to, assuming for the nth time that you have the superhuman ability to finish a task that takes more than two hours in just 30 minutes, deluding yourself into believing that time will somehow slow down closer to the deadline. The list is endless – each more unreasonable than the last. 

And yet, we procrastinate. 

For some, procrastination renders them completely dysfunctional, and they simply cannot bring themselves to begin or complete a task. According to a 2021 article in Forbes, “Psychologists have discovered that procrastination isn’t a time management thing but instead a coping mechanism.” 

The reasons for chronic procrastination are often deep-rooted and might require the support of a professional. Studies have investigated links between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and procrastination in undergrad students, even though procrastination is not acknowledged as an ADHD-related symptom. According to a 2010 article published in gradPSYCH, the magazine of the American Psychological Association Graduate Students (APAGS), there might even be some unintentional benefits of procrastination such as delaying a task to plan ahead. 

The same article cites a 2005 study published in The Journal of Social Psychology that differentiates between passive and active procrastinators – the former who delay tasks because of an inability to take action within a stipulated time, and the latter who delay tasks because they function better under time pressure. 

It can be argued that most of us tend to oscillate between being active and passive procrastinators on an almost daily basis. So, how does one manage procrastination? We asked the experts — people who successfully cope with it — how they do it. 

I remember how procrastination first hit me in school because I had to do the one thing I absolutely hated: studying. Since then, I’ve always believed that when you’re doing something you don’t like, you are already anxious about it. There is also a sense of seeking perfection that is tied into the idea of procrastination — you want to do things well, but you can’t begin because [of a fear of failure] and the work itself gives you no joy. For starters, you need to break the expectation that things have to be 100 percent [perfect all the time]. They don’t. Sometimes, even your 80 percent will do, [especially if] you have to work under a tight deadline. You can’t perform optimally all the time. This approach helped me cope with performance anxiety and regulate my expectation of perfectionism. 

It was also vital for me to consciously work with people I love and respect, and to do work that resonates with me. You will never take the time of someone you love for granted, at least [not] professionally. Sure, seven out of 10 times you might be able to pull things off at the last minute, but if you love your work and your manager, you will want to give it your all. 

Also, I learned in therapy that everything can’t suck in life. You can’t hate yourself, your craft, and your employer… because if that’s the case, procrastination is an impossible beast. Let’s say you truly love writing and the deadline to file an article is 6PM. You can start writing at 4PM and it’ll still be the best thing that you’ve ever written. You can probably afford to procrastinate in such a case. But if you hate everything, what’s the point? Part of it also stems from not feeling good enough about yourself, so you end up sabotaging yourself by procrastinating. I worked with my therapist to understand how my own anxiety and self-esteem issues were linked to procrastination. There are always deep, underlying reasons behind procrastination that must be patiently and mindfully understood.— Saniya Kumar, 25, creative strategist and art director 

I was diagnosed with adult ADHD last year. I’d struggle with even the most basic tasks, like putting a set of ironed clothes back in my wardrobe. Soon after, I started following the three-minute rule, wherein I’d immediately complete a task that requires less than three minutes of my time without even thinking about it. If I get bored even in those three minutes, I’ll ensure that I get back to [completing it] before [moving to the next] task. So, it’s important to set such time limits. 

The second aspect of my journey towards overcoming procrastination was identifying that I struggle a lot in the mornings. So, if there is a task that I’m prone to procrastinating on in the morning, I link it to another task [that takes a similar amount of time]. For example [just as I am about to begin the more difficult task], I put water on the stove to boil for tea, so by the time the water has boiled and the tea is made, the other task must also be completed. This adds accountability to your actions. 

Another way of adding accountability is not hesitating to ask for help from friends you trust. So, when there are tasks that I cannot afford to procrastinate on, I ask my closest friend to check up on the progress I’ve made after a certain time, having impressed upon them the gravity of the task. Even my boss is aware of the same and asks for updates – not in a bossy way – when it comes to important tasks. In this way, different tasks, depending on how urgently they need to get done, need different approaches to beat procrastination. Sometimes, timing a task to a steaming kettle will do, and at other times you might need that nudge from a friend or a boss who you don’t want to disappoint. 

Rewarding yourself after completing important tasks is also important. It helped that I started ADHD medications in consultation with my doctor. Often, the reasons are clinical and there are scientific and medical ways for treating them.” — Devansh Savernya, 23, creative writer 

We all know that procrastination takes a terrible toll on our mental health. There are so many things that lead you to it — your relationship with care and nurture and the influences around you. As a child, I had to work a lot harder and so I [tended to procrastinate] a lot more. For me, the first step in coping with procrastination was working towards becoming an entrepreneur, as it [involved] taking the plunge, pursuing my vision without caring about failing, and not being dependent on others. 

The second step was realising that though others would have my back and help me, that’s not always the case. We must realise that we’re often on our own and we cannot be overly dependent on others to fix things for us. 

I also learned the hard way that procrastination has a way of ruining the prime years of one’s life when opportunities come knocking on one’s door. It’s a regret I will always have about how much I could’ve done in those prime years. Sure, it’s never too late to do anything in life, but it is always too late when people value you enough to give you work and you let your demons win.

It’s also important to trust your gut instincts as far as your capabilities are concerned. Procrastination is a negative force that will make you question your talent for doing something, even in cases where you have already demonstrated your talent and have the [requisite] experience. Deep down, we all know we have it in us. Just hold on to that thought, believe in yourself, and take the plunge. That’s exactly what I did.” — Varisha Kampani, 34, publicist

What worked for me is listing all my tasks on the reminders app or the notes app. I then segregate each task priority-wise. The tasks that need your immediate attention need to be added in two places: the notes app and on the calendar for regular notifications. 

I realised that chaos is glorified in pop culture, but that it certainly doesn’t work for me. The trope of artists thriving in chaos and phrases such as “method to my madness” might work for legendary painters and [film director] Stanley Kubrick, but not for me. When your workspace is cluttered, you will get overwhelmed. I started by using the grouping tab feature in Chrome and other browsers where all the tabs can be collapsed under a broad header. This helped me declutter my thought process. 

I also actively resist the temptation to visit shopping sites or randomly surf funny dog videos, while working. If I want a break, I read informative threads on Twitter or LinkedIn — this ensures that I’m not mindlessly scrolling. Though, I must admit it also gives me a false sense of progress, so I [try to] use that time mindfully. Uninstalling Instagram on weekdays and installing it back on Friday night also helps. After all, when one is procrastinating one is often indulging in activities that aren’t nourishing.— Sachin Mishra, 26, partnerships and operations manager

I live with bipolar disorder and ADHD, which pushed me into doubting myself even more and [worsened] the procrastination. I realised that I was procrastinating as much as I was because I care about my work and I wanted it to be perfect. This quest for perfection led to delays. 

I begin by doing small things that help me. For example, I light a candle on my table as soon as I begin work because it’s a visual reminder that the work has indeed begun. I need breaks, so I work with a Pomodoro timer. [Based on the Pomodoro Technique], it is a time-management tool that helps with [dividing] one’s workday into 25-minute chunks, typically followed by five-minute breaks. 

A strategy that works for me is working on two or three tasks simultaneously, so that when I’m bored I can easily switch between tasks, as opposed to doing something mindless. To calm the voices in my head, I also listen to white noise.” — Meghna Prakash, 26, writer 

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