Often, we waste our time lingering on things that are not important. Petty things take priority over tasks that are truly important. And then, as shown in this poem, we cram when the deadline approaches.
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Poem: The Time has Come
Time wasted, time lost
Watching, scrolling, waiting
Inspiration does not come
Nothing gained but a guilty feeling.
Words do not come easy
And distractions tempt and call
I postpone work altogether
Gleefully I give in and let myself fall.
Now the time has come
For me to get things done
Blank sheet stares back accusingly
I have nothing, not even a pun.
Cram, cram, cram time flies by
As I scramble to string words that rhyme
I focus and build momentum
Words come out like a windblown chime.
Work is done, I can then sit down
Feeling accomplished and yet exhausted
Never again to waste time I dare say
Build a good habit; it’s always best to get started.
Why do we procrastinate
Procrastination is the habit of putting off important tasks for an indefinite time. Even though we are aware of the consequences of procrastination, we continue to put it off. Because we cannot control our negative emotions.
These negative emotions include a strong dislike, difficulty, stress, and boredom. We postpone doing things that are not fun and interesting. Any task that appears challenging, hard, and demanding is like a warning sign that need to be avoided at all costs.
The following are some of the reasons why we procrastinate:
- The fear of failing. Failure to meet a requirement or achieve the desired result.
- Anxiety about being judged. We are concerned that our work will not pass muster.
- Uncertainty. Overthinking all available options in a stressful manner.
- Feeling overwhelmed. Getting daunted by the gargantuan task.
- The task is tedious.
But, whatever the reason, it is critical that we overcome our procrastination habits. Because, in addition to the emotional stress it causes during and after the task, it can also cause physical problems such as:
- Headaches,
- Lowered immune system,
- Insomnia,
- Stomach problems, and
- Heart problems.
How to overcome procrastination
To overcome procrastination, here are some suggestions you can try:
Mistakes are par for the course
Keep in mind that mistakes are unavoidable. They happen. What matters is that you do your best with the information and resources you have at the time.
Trust and believe in your abilities to complete the tasks at hand. If a task or project fails, view it as a learning experience.
With this in mind, go do what you need to do.
Be kind to yourself
Another important factor to remember when failure happens is to be kind to yourself. Do not beat yourself up. Accept that you have failed and may have disappointed others.
Then try again. Do not allow your past failures or mistakes to prevent you from achieving your goals and objectives. Instead, let them motivate you to succeed.
Break down the tasks
One reason for procrastination is the feeling of overwhelm. So you should break down this one big project into bite-sized tasks to avoid being overwhelmed.
Start small
In addition to breaking down one big project, it will also help to start with the smallest task. This is in order to build momentum and the confidence to take on the more challenging parts of the project.
Schedule it
Another suggestion to overcome procrastination is to calendar your important task. Put a block schedule on your calendar dedicated to the task alone.
And for that given time, be sure to eliminate distractions such as your mobile phone or notifications on your laptop or computer.
Make it interesting
One other reason for postponing a task for later is because it is boring stuff. Therefore, what you can do is to make the boring stuff interesting enough. How?
You should find a good reason why the boring task is related to achieving success. For a blogger, for example, the tedious part may be creating and posting content to various social media platforms.
However, if you remind yourself that these contents will help drive traffic to your website, you will be more inclined to create them despite the tedious process.
Additionally, you could also give yourself a reward for completing the tedious task. An extra hour of relaxed reading, for example, is a good reward for decluttering your home.
Seek help
Finally, you may find yourself procrastinating because the task at hand is beyond your abilities. In this case, it is always best to seek assistance early on. To avoid wasting time attempting to learn something on your own before the deadline.
Seeking assistance does not imply that you are inept; rather, it indicates that you are self-aware. And courageous enough to admit it to yourself. It also means that you are willing to learn and seek wisdom from those who are more knowledgeable.
Conclusion
To conclude, the poem describes how we allow ourselves to succumb to procrastination. Feel guilty, then cram to get the job done. Although we beat the deadline, procrastination is not a good habit to develop.
This brings us to the reasons why we procrastinate. These reasons could be fear of failure, fear of being judged, indecision, or overwhelm. Another good reason is that the task is tedious, boring, or uninteresting.
Whatever our reasons, we must overcome our procrastination. Not only because it affects other people, but also because it has a negative impact on our mental and physical health.
Please share your thoughts or ideas about The Time Has Come (A Poem On Procrastination) in the comments below. And if you liked this article, you might be interested as well in these articles:
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Outside reference/s:
Why do we procrastinate, and how can we stop? Experts have answers.