Some people procrastinate more than others do, but everyone could really use some help in the procrastination area. Procrastination is not prejudiced, and people of all ages, ethnicities, and genders struggle with this issue. In the first post in this series, you learned if you are classified as a procrastinator and you learned about the symptoms of procrastination that you possess. After reading this post, I hope you walk away with a new outlook of how you can better avoid procrastination and get your work done more productively.

I’d like to review the six reasons people procrastinate and add helpful tips to avoid procrastinating to each of these reasons.

1. We are overwhelmed.

You might see a single project as a huge mountain that you have to climb, and you can’t even see the summit. But if you only view the hike as short increments of steps with a few breaks in between, you’ll be more inclined to start walking sooner. When you find yourself looking at the magnitude of a project, just break it down into smaller tasks to complete. Don’t continue to overwhelm yourself by only thinking about how much you have to do; just take the next step.

2. We don’t like the work.

As I discussed in my previous post, you’re less likely to get started on a project right away if you dislike the work you’re doing. According to Aaron Guerrero, a psychologist named David Premack developed the Premack principle based on behavioral reinforcement. The Premack principle is the idea that you will work on a project you dislike if you plan on completing a more likeable task after you finish the first project. To avoid procrastination, use this technique by assigning yourself work that you enjoy and only complete that work after you finish the disagreeable project first.

3. We don’t prioritize well.

Another reason people procrastinate is we don’t know how to prioritize and manage our time as well as we should. If you simply write out the tasks that you need to achieve and the amount it takes to complete each one, then you’d be on your way to scheduling much more manageable tasks. After making these lists, transfer what you want to complete and when into some sort of planner, and keep up with the planner. Whether it’s on your phone or in a book, a calendar is a great tool to help you avoid procrastination.

4. We struggle with decision-making.

When people don’t quickly and easily decide on elements of a project, they delay the project further. On her blog site, Gretchin Rubin discusses procrastination; she notes that many decisions about major projects aren’t as monumental as we make them out to be. A way that you can easily decide on issues in your project is by giving yourself a deadline to make a decision. For instance, give yourself half an hour to decide if you want to write a chapter of your dissertation at home or at the library. The quicker you decide on something, whether it’s a small step or a big step, the quicker you can continue working on your project.

5. We don’t want to fail.

If we go into a project with the notion that we’ll end up failing in the end, we’ll avoid starting that project. In this situation, try to stay positive and believe that you’ll finish the project not only on time but also well. It might be a good idea to list reasons why you’re doing this project in the first place, and think about the reward that’s waiting for you at the end. Again, if you see your project as a huge mountain to overcome, just take the first few steps, and you’ll see that it’s not so bad after all.

6. We get distracted.

One of the biggest reasons people procrastinate is the amount of distractions that surround us. For instance, we have more social media sites than we know what to do with, and those along can delay a project by hours, or even days. To avoid distractions, Gretchin Rubin suggests that we “[p]ut [ourselves] in jail”. By taking away all distractions, including technology, social interactions with friends or family, and other minor projects, we will have no choice but to work on our main project. Take a look at Kendra Cherry’s article about procrastination because she also discusses how to decrease the number of distractions you encounter.

Procrastination reaches across generation and culture gaps, but I want to focus in on students who are beginning their long dissertation or thesis journey, or perhaps students who are right in the middle of writing their dissertation or thesis. These tips may help you get on the right track to decreasing how much you procrastinate writing your dissertation or thesis each day.