Many people leave tasks undone to do tomorrow even though they know they should do them today. Many people convince themselves that it’s okay to delay doing a task and wait for when they are in a better mood, or when they have mustered enough willpower to do it. Unfortunately, there are usually repercussions or at least downsides to this behavior.
If procrastination has become a part of you and your habits, here’s why it is essential you take the steps to stop now.
You’ll Be Happier
You may not fully appreciate it, but procrastination is one of the major killers of happiness. It prevents you from being productive and positive. When you procrastinate, you miss out on a lot of opportunities, and you’re very likely not living your life to the fullest. When you feel good because you have done what you needed to do, doesn’t it make you happy? Of course, it does!
Your Emotional Health and Physical Health will Improve
If you procrastinate you are more likely to subject yourself to repeated and unnecessary stress. Chronic stress causes problems physically and emotionally. Stress is linked to cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. You may experience headaches, stomach pain, indigestion, and trouble sleeping. Stress also weakens your immune system and increases blood pressure. When you stop procrastinating, it can improve your health!
You Save Time (and Sometimes Money)
Procrastination makes you delay doing tasks. You can spend hours going over it, worrying about it, and planning a bit more on how to complete it. The problem is this is taking up your precious time. You are spending more time thinking about it than actually just jumping in and doing it. You may be allowing things to distract you, so you can delay it further. Eventually, you will have to do the task, so why not now? Don’t let your negative emotions stop you!
Delaying some tasks can also cost you money. For example, you may need to fix something before the repair becomes irreparable and costs you more to replace it. Or perhaps a little leak becomes a flood in your basement.
So before things get out of hand, it is best to address the tasks at hand and stop delaying further. You can save yourself time and money, which you can then use for other fun activities as a reward for getting things done!
Your To-Do List Is Smaller and You Are More Productive
Naturally, when you stop procrastinating, you get things done, so your to-do list is more manageable and not so overwhelming. You begin to become more productive, as you can tick off tasks one after another on your to-do list.
Not delaying things until the last minute will also mean that you save yourself from producing sub-par work, which will make you feel good about yourself. You will be able to allocate your time better and not have to rush in completing the tasks at hand. You will feel productive and happier with the results.
Final Thoughts
We almost all procrastinate in our own way, depending on the type of procrastinator we are. However, you must realize that procrastination, even in just one area of your life, can have serious consequences. For example, if you look like you are being lazy by your co-workers, are you likely to get that promotion you want? Or does your partner feel like nothing gets done by you so they are wishing and hoping for something or someone better?
Don’t let procrastination affect your or other people’s lives. Understand your reasons for procrastinating and find solutions on how you can deal with them. Once you stop procrastinating, you become more productive, you take care of yourself better, and you make the most out of your life, which will certainly let you enjoy it more.
