How to Stop Procrastinating

“I don’t feel like doing this right now. I’ll do it tomorrow.” How many times have you said that? Turns out, you’re not alone. As many as 25% of adults (and 90% of college students!) consider themselves to be procrastinators. Even high-powered CEOs of multi-billion dollar companies sometimes put things off for later. But if procrastination is getting in the way of achieving your goals, you might be feeling fed up and ready to make a change. In this episode, I’m digging into the reasons we avoid important projects, and sharing some science-backed strategies you can use to stop procrastinating—or at least do it with intention, so you can avoid the stress that often goes with it. Prefer a transcript? Here you go! What you’ll learn in this episode: Why you don’t actually work better under pressure (no one does). How to spot the triggers that cause you to procrastinate. Why getting clear on what procrastination looks like for me is the key to reducing it. How to structure your day to make procrastination less appealing. 11 reasons you might be procrastinating on a project. How to eliminate procrastination triggers ahead of time. How to trick your brain into getting started even when you don’t want to. Resources mentioned: Kayti Christian uses planned procrastination to get her most important work done. Anne-Laure Le Cunff lists eight procrastination triggers. (Sign up for her newsletter while you’re there. It’s worth reading.) Bill Knaus differentiates between productive stress and destructive stress.