For example, Jack may like weeding and looks forward to gardening in the evening but to Mary, who prefers to read, keeps procrastinating when her husband asks her to clean out the garden and rid it of weeds. To Jack, tending to the garden is a pleasure and to Mary, she’d rather be doing something else.

It is through understanding and knowledge that we can change and stop procrastinating. Overcoming procrastination can help us become better people and we will learn that some tasks are cumbersome but necessary. By learning how to overcome our tendency to procrastinate, we will learn another skill or develop another characteristic – will power.

Understand that procrastination is very normal although a strange phenomenon. Human beings look for pleasure or things that make us happy and joyful. In the meantime, we run from or avoid things that make us feel unhappy or stressed. These are inborn natural feelings but the level of control each of us has over this emotion differs greatly. Some people, when confronted with a task that they dislike, will think to themselves, “I’ll do it tomorrow” or “I’ve got something urgent to do now. I’ll do this one later”. And to others, when confronted with a difficult task might think, “I’ll get this over with now” or “This is such a challenge. Let me get to it”.

Worse still, along with procrastination come the feelings of remorse, regret, realization, and a dip in self confidence. Once the wave of regret is over, that person may decide never to procrastinate again or resolve to be a better person. But if they don’t change the way they think, they will continue to push off the same task, in another way, the next time it pops on to their task list. And the process repeats itself.

There are many ways to stop procrastinating. Some of the methods include Yoga, meditation, journaling, keeping an organizer, or simply learning how to strengthen one’s resolve and will power. Instead of listening to yourself think when you are given a task you dislike, sit down, close your eyes and breathe. Clear your mind of your natural thoughts and think about something you like….for example, the ocean. Then imagine yourself doing and finishing up the task at hand. The finishing point is often what motivates us because we can’t wait to finish it – so, let the ending of the task or the result motivate us and push us to do every task that we dislike so much.

Another useful habit to adopt is to keep an organizer. Watching or ticking off each task you have listed down is very inspiring. At the end of the day, you might even sit around counting off the ticks and feel extremely proud of yourself!