How to Stop Procrastinating

by Rochelle Melander

Are you a procrastinator?

Do you:

Wait for the right moment to complete a task
Forget tasks and appointments
Finish projects at the very last minute

You’re not alone. Twenty percent of people procrastinate.

But procrastination comes with a cost. People who procrastinate experience more frustration, stress, and anxiety than people who finish tasks on time. They also have to deal with the effects of delaying: missed deadlines and the loss of trust with editors and other writers.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can stop procrastinating.

Last week we talked about how knowing your Enneagram type can help you conquer your procrastination habit. Today I have three tools for you to help you stop procrastinating.

Confront Fear

Most people procrastinate because they are afraid. They worry they won’t be able to live up to expectations. But procrastinating can be scary, too: we worry about missed deadlines or disappointing other people. No matter which path we choose, fear lurks like a leftover Halloween ghost. That’s actually a good thing. If we might feel afraid no matter what we do, we might as well go ahead and just get stuff done. Trust me, the fear passes. (Reward or comfort yourself afterwards. You deserve it.)

Break Tasks into Smaller Steps

Big goals make our brain wiggle with anxiety. “How am I supposed to write a chapter?” To stop procrastinating and get stuff done, break each task into smaller steps. So, “Write chapter” might include steps like:

Choose topic.
Use a mind map to brainstorm ideas
Research one idea.
Write about one idea.

Schedule Time to Complete Tasks

The best way to get stuff done is to schedule time to do it. Set aside time in your calendar to complete one of the small tasks you have just created. Note what you’re doing, when you’re doing it, and where you will work. Now all you have to do is show up and do the work. Easy, right? Not so much. Read on for a tool to make showing up fun.

BONUS: Body Doubling

Imagine that your scheduled time to write involved hanging out with other people. Wow. That could be fun.

It is. For the past year, I’ve been meeting with an amazing group of writers 3-4 times a week. We get on the call, center ourselves, and then write. Afterwards, we celebrate. You’re more than welcome to join us—the first month is on me. https://writenowcoach.com/show-up-and-write-writing-circles/

(PS Show Up and Write Members get free or discounted access to webinars.)

If you need more support, the Writing Accountability Group is starting again this fall: