I read somewhere that one way to get rid of procrastination is to give yourself more to do. I questioned this at first, thinking about how I tend to do next to nothing when I have so much to do. But I was curious to see if it might work.
I'm generally a "busy" person. I have school work, employment work, friends to meet, appointments to keep, stuff to do. I'm also someone that doesn't put things off for too long. If I have an assignment due at the end of the month,you can bet that it will be in by the second last week at the latest. But I noticed I tend to drag my feet at times, doing nothing for days or making minor attempts at being productive. It's not that I wanted to be more busy, but I did want the feeling of getting something done each and every day. Therefore, I took the article's advice and gave myself more to do.
I started another blog, took another course, made more plans with my friends.
At first, I felt the same feeling of being overwhlemed and thus doing nothing. I also got very sick and couldn't do anything. With more on my plate, this only put me further behind making me feel stressed.
But somehow, without my notice, I was doing more and doing better at the things I was doing. I was too busy to put it off for another day. The strangest part was, I didn't feel exhausted. Tired, perhaps, but not dead from the weight of all the things I had to do.
I was puzzeled considering I was always busy. I always had things to do. I was always telling myself to get things done, making lists of task and forcing myself to get things done. There's no force now. I'm simply doing things.
I still don't know why it works, but it does. It's not as if I'm rushing around trying to do 10 things in a day, I'm doing maybe 5 and getting them done without complaining or dread, even tasks I hate. It's as if I pop the procrastination bubble before it gets too large and makes me lag for days.
My friends who aren't procrastinators, I notice have very busy scheduals. They usually have full plates and are juggling multiple day to day routines. They work, attend class, have several hobbies, volunteer and make time for their loved ones. It's as if the body gets programed to get up and moving when the mind keeps prompting it with more tasks. You find yourself completeling things you used to put off for days.
I'm not sure if it will work for everyone. I'm still surprised it worked for me. But if you tend to procrastinate, try giving yourself a few more things to do. This is not to say you should overload yourself. That isn't healthy. But within reason, add one of two more things to your things to do list. You may find yourself getting more done.
