The Struggle of Procrastination

Ever wondered why many people set resolutions at the beginning of January but trash them after two months? Okay, I am talking about what I struggled with for a very long time; procrastination! Last year I purposed to finish my MSc programme, but lazied just a month after that resolution.

I had plans to save at least Kes 60, 000 ($500) by August to raise capital for a business I had in mind. By August I hadn’t even saved a coin, not because I had no money. The same year, I had purposed to buy sheep worth 50, 000, and fence a plot where I would use to rear the flock. All that went down into drain. Should I continue? Haha. When it comes to procrastination, I have a lot that I can talk about. I am an experienced procrastinator.

After procrastinating for years, I decided to take a different route in 2024. I saw a comment on X where someone said that successful people are not unique. They focus on one thing and put their mind there until they achieve it. That hit me hard because focusing on many things was the reason for my failure in the past.

Do these things to overcome procrastination

Focus on the process not the outcome. Appreciate the small steps that you make, even if it does not feel like you are making any.

Divide large chores into smaller ones to avoid feeling overwhelmed and putting them off. To make things less scary, divide them into smaller, more doable tasks.

Make sure your goals are clear and that each phase has a deadline. This instills a feeling of responsibility and urgency.

Reward yourself when you accomplish goals or reach milestones. This might inspire you and strengthen virtuous behaviors.

Occasionally, procrastination is a sign of more serious problems like fear of failing, perfectionism, or a lack of focus. By taking care of these underlying problems, you can more successfully overcome procrastination.

Read more about how to overcome procrastination here