We have all been at the mercy of procrastination. But how many of us have actually pondered over why we postpone doing things till a later date?
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Being aware of what causes procrastination can help you deal with it much more effectively. They say that you should know your enemy to be able to effectively counter and ultimately beat them. So, we’ve established some of the most common causes of procrastination. Here they are:
- Overestimation of one’s abilities
- Lack of focus
- Fear of failure
- Lack of interest
- Laziness
- Lack of knowledge
Overestimation of One’s Abilities
One of the most common causes of procrastination is the overestimation of one’s abilities. We tend to think too highly of ourselves and often postpone doing things till the eleventh hour. But no matter how clever one might be, it’s impossible to race against time and win. Therefore, we end up doing a shabby job or not doing it at all.
The best course of action will be to either schedule a time and date to complete the job or do it now and have time for other activities later on. Also, it’s very easy to exaggerate one’s talents because it feeds your ego. Therefore, the only way to seek a solution is to recognize that overestimating yourself can result in procrastination.
Lack of Focus
As a rule, its impossible to be productive without a sense of direction and focus. So, maybe the reason for your chronic procrastination is the lack of a clear goal? If that is the case, you should probably ask yourself, “Do I have goals that I care about?” By giving an honest answer to this question, you will be able to determine which course of action you should choose next. No matter what you do, we recommend that you set clear goals – that will allow you to keep procrastination at bay and prevent you from missing deadlines.
Fear of Failure
The third on our list is the fear of failure. It’s very unfortunate that we sometimes become the hindrance to our own progress. By succumbing to the “what if” mentality, we allow the fear of failure to consume us and end up falling prey to the procrastination monster.
It’s important to understand that failure is a necessary evil in every learning curve. It allows you to learn from your mistakes and is, therefore, something that shouldn’t be afraid of but rather embraced. Hence, you should put your best foot forward in every project you undertake and convince yourself that you will succeed.
Lack of Interest
It’s safe to say no one will invest their best efforts into something they have zero interest in. Ergo, it’s not surprising that people tend to procrastinate when they lack interest in doing something. However, the question you’ve probably never asked yourself is, ‘Why am I still doing things I have no interest in?’
You know the situation best, however, there are only two alternative solutions. The first one is to quit doing your current task and find one that interests you. The second alternative is to find ways to rekindle your lost interest, providing, of course, you used to be interested in what you’re doing now (job, your course of study etc.).
Laziness
Laziness is undoubtedly one of the leading causes of procrastination. And it’s hardly surprising, especially if we consider the fact that a lazy person lacks the motivation to work. However, it’s a trait that we all share. Let’s face it, we all get lazy sometimes. So how does one fight laziness? If left unchecked, it can lead to absolutely devastating consequences and derail your life in the long run.
The first thing you should do is recognize laziness as a problem. Once you did, you should find a worthy replacement for it, which in your case is hard work. To achieve this, you need to set yourself some long-term and short-term goals and work diligently to achieve them.
Lack of Knowledge
Lack of knowledge, especially amongst students, is also something that contributes heavily to procrastination. It’s a common practice among them to engage in other activities, such as watching movies and playing games and put off preparing for their exams until the eleventh hour. That, in turn, always leads to the same outcome, i.e., poor academic performance.
The only way out is to turn over a new leaf. Start by dedicating ample time and resources to your academic work.
In conclusion, procrastination causes nothing but stress and misery. Ergo, make it your mission to identify and eliminate the underlying causes of this pernicious habit.
