Everyone seems to be familiar with the term procrastination, but only a few know how much it affects them. Procrastination is not just a bad habit; it is the thief of time and a destroyer of goals. Procrastinators are in the habit of putting off important tasks until when it is almost too late. Not that they couldn't have completed the task earlier, but they spent their time on less important things that probably required less effort and attention. Procrastination is an inborn trait that rears its ugly head when we need to take a big step or make a big decision.
You may not know how damaging this habit is until your productivity drops and you see yourself missing out on opportunities that may never present themselves again. When you continuously procrastinate you hurt yourself and disappoint others. Feelings of regret are closely associated with procrastination. If you keep stalling out on important life goals, you will not make any substantial progress, and eventually, you will have yourself to blame for not making a move. Procrastination stops you from taking steps to improve your situation even when it is obvious that you are not happy with your present state. For instance, you may want to change career because your present job doesn't give you any form of satisfaction. You already know what you want for yourself but you think there is still time and you continue to live in mental misery.
Procrastination kills your sense of urgency, making you believe that you have all the time in the world. The reality however is that time waits for nobody, once it's gone, you can never have it back. For some people, waiting and putting off decisions means being patient. To them, if you wait, something better may come along. Well, patience and procrastination are two different things. A patient person puts in efforts and waits for the result, but a procrastinator gives excuses for doing nothing. Procrastination affects the quality of your work and lowers productivity. When you devote your time to a particular task, chances are you will do an impressive job. Sometimes, several tasks may be due at the same time, forcing you to work longer hours and rush over each task. When you rush over a task, you will likely make mistakes and deliver a poor job. No employee or client wants to hire or do business with an unproductive person. Another disadvantage of procrastination is the increase in stress. When an important task is left to the last minute, you find yourself acting restless any time you remember there's work to be done. But, if you get the work done at the appropriate time, you will have peace of mind. Procrastination also distorts your plans as all other activities will be kept on hold the day you decide to get the task done. If you keep pushing a task for later, you will have a shorter amount of time to complete it. Not only will you be putting yourself under unnecessary pressure, but you will also end up frustrated and angry. You must learn to manage procrastination so that you will accomplish great things. Self-discipline can help you cope with procrastination.
