Lipstick Powder N Paint

By Karen Kwan

Do you have a tendency to leave things until the last minute, or constantly miss deadlines, even though these items have been on your to-do list for weeks? You’re not alone. Procrastination affects about 20 percent of the population, says Bruno LoGreco, a life coach based in Toronto. And if you tend to put things off, there are many reasons it’s worth getting this bad habit into check. “Your psyche knows when you’re procrastinating, and when you procrastinate, you experience anxiety and stress, which in turn can cost you physically – you may lay awake at night, for example – as well as emotionally and financially,” he says.

Before you try to complete the tasks you’ve been avoiding, it’s important to understand why you’re procrastinating so you can tackle the root of the problem, says LoGreco. This calls for greater self-awareness – so some self analysis is in order (someone who specializes in cognitive behavioural therapy can also, of course, help you along). Often, it’s hard for us to recognize where our problem stems from. LoGreco gives the example of someone who’s a thrill-seeker, who leaves things until the eleventh hour and then thrives on the adrenaline rush. “Someone like this truly believe they work best under pressure, for example, rather than recognizing they have a problem with procrastination.”

Once you understand why you delay completing things you need to get done, there are three key components to tackling your habit head on, says LoGreco:

Acknowledge what you have to get done. Recognize what the issue is you have to deal with.

Identify the effort required. “Sit down and figure out how much time you need to accomplish this task,” says LoGreco. It may help you to feel the task is less overwhelming if you break it down into smaller to-dos, such as researching the topic, creating an outline, writing the introduction, etc., in the case of writing a paper for school.

Just do it. Put in every ounce of energy you have and just tackle it, says LoGreco. “Often, once you take that first step, there’s a snowball effect and before you know it, you’re done,” he says. “Plus, you may come to the realization that your task is not as bad as you thought it would be once you actually start working on it.”