The 10 Minute Strategy to Beat Procrastination

Chances are, you have left your homework undone while getting caught up in something else. Not something important but say, scrolling IG or randomly reorganizing your desk. You just...didn't feel like doing your homework. This is procrastination - voluntarily, purposefully avoiding a task that we can (and should) do.

We can all relate to this irrational behavior. We don't act even when it is in our best interest to get the task done. We can't get started even when it feels stressful to keep delaying. "Procrastination is failing to get on with life itself," said Dr. Timothy Pychyl, a professor of psychology at Carleton University and leader of the Procrastination Research Group.

So why do we procrastinate? And how do we beat procrastination?

We all procrastinate, even when it goes against our best interest.

Luckily Dr. Pychyl has a solution. Dr. Pychyl is the world's leading expert on procrastination and his book Solving the Procrastination Puzzle; A Concise Guide to Strategies for Change is supported by two decades of research. He shares 3 key insights into why we procrastinate and how we can stop.

1. Procrastination is actually a bad habit

First, Dr. Pychyl describes procrastination as a bad habit. This is an important distinction because procrastination is misunderstood to be about laziness, poor time management, and disorganization. Delaying schoolwork especially gets attacked as a sign of weak motivation and willpower. This misunderstanding only makes the problem worse. Why would anyone get started on a task if they think they aren't "enough" to handle it?

Procrastination is actually a habit. For example, putting off homework momentarily feels good. By putting it off, you escape the boredom or stress of completing it. Your brain considers that emotional boost as a reward for delaying. The next day, your brain will immediately remind you that it feels good to put off your homework. And so you do it again. Procrastination quickly becomes a habit because our primal brains are designed to feel good.

The great news is that habits can be changed.

Procrastination is tied to our difficulties with emotional regulation.

2. Procrastination is the habit of avoiding bad feelings

According to Dr. Pychyl, we put a task off because we do not know how to cope with the negative feelings tied to that task. "I don't feel like it" is actually “I don’t like how I feel when I do this.”

The best tips on beating procrastination often focus on breaking that emotional loop. One common tip is to lower the emotional threat of the task. Students can break a long activity down into short, easy steps. Or, students can look for ways to make the activity inherently more interesting and fun.

Another common tip is to find a replacement reward that is bigger and better than "not feeling bad." For example, students are advised to focus on their larger goals. Maybe your goal is to attend college and elevate your life in countless ways. The pleasure of achieving that goal might help you override the boredom or stress that makes you want to procrastinate.

While these interventions can certainly help, they might not break the habit of procrastinating. Remember, procrastination is not a one-time delay but a habitual response to the emotion triggered by an aversive task. Dr. Pychyll recommends a better activity that gets at the heart of the procrastination habit: implementation intentions.

There are research-based strategies that can stop procrastination.

3. Implementation Intentions

Implementation Intentions are concrete plans you make for your own behavior. They take the form of "IF (situation) THEN I will (behavior)" sentences. For example, "IF it is 4pm, THEN I will open Word and start typing." They must be written down. It will help to have a list on your desk as you work. Or, you can write them on sticky notes and attach them on your computer.

Implementation intentions work because they are conscious strategies that offer replacement actions or thoughts. Numerous studies have proven how effective implementation intentions are in helping people achieve goals, going over and above motivation. Implementation Intentions can be used for all of the mental tricks our brain will use to keep us procrastinating.

Examples of implementation intentions

• IF I find myself saying "I don’t feel like it now so I'll do this later," THEN I will stop and write down exactly which feeling I am avoiding.

  Instead of automatically putting off your work, this implementation intention stops you with that red flag phrase. Once we are conscious that we’re just reacting to a feeling, we can usually advise ourselves on how to keep going.

• IF I feel ______ when doing this homework, THEN I will tell myself to stay put and just finish it.

• IF my friends text me to go out, THEN I will put my phone on silent mode until I’m done.

• IF I get stuck on a problem, THEN I will contact an UPchieve coach for help.

High school students can use this 10 minute strategy to beat procrastination.

4. Your 10 Minute Strategy

Take 10 minutes and write down

• Your task

• The feelings you have about it

• The benefits or bigger reward for doing the task

• Common distractions or obstacles. This can be external interruptions (a message ping) or internal (negative self-talk)

• Set your implementation intention for every scenario

Then get started.

Dr. Pychyl says that this short pre-work reflection will make your work feel easier and easier. The dread you feel about a seemingly stressful, difficult, unpleasant task feels the worst when you are procrastinating. However, once you start, it is rarely as bad as we think. Then, your thoughts the next day are more positive. “I got started yesterday. I did a little yesterday.” Any progress helps people feel happier and more motivated. As you continue practicing interrupting your own emotional loops with implementation intentions, it will get easier to do.

By using this 10-minute strategy, you can soon beat your procrastination habit.

Final Thoughts

Ready to beat procrastination once and for all? Sign up for free tutoring through UPchieve today, and get your homework done quickly and efficiently. UPchieve is a nonprofit that provides online, on-demand tutoring for Title 1 High School students!