How to Avoid Procrastination: Programmer’s “Worst” Best Friend

1K Blog Marathon: Day 25

It’s 3 in the afternoon.

You didn’t even start a single line of code.

What you did was search the web, watch YouTube, and browse Facebook, anything that can make you delay your project!

It’s not that you don’t feel the drive to write that program, it’s just that you are constantly bored, or something just pops into your mind.

Are you like this type of programmer that sits 8 hours a day and just do minor updates, or do less and less innovation in your system? I bet you are always hanging out with your “Best Friend” – Procrastination!

Being a “Professional Crastinator”

Whether intentional or not, the process by which you are delaying some task that you can do is called Procrastination. You already knew the deadline but you keep on doing something not related or simply doing nothing to progress in your work.

But let me remind you – I don’t know if you forgot it or really just avoiding the fact that this is an important task and that this may result in a bad consequence. And procrastination rarely helps you.

Your “Worst” Best Friend

Intentionally or even subconsciously, we procrastinate. Our brain is built to protect us from external threats and stress – so when task is handed to us, and we know the deadline is miles away, our brain will shut down all its productivity neural pathways and show us a picture of a cat.

We love to do mundane things “tomorrow” than today. We love to watch Netflix tonight while eating unhealthy food rather than doing the task due next week. And when the deadline comes…

Accessing 80%

…When deadline comes, you will see flying papers all around the office. It’s not thrown in the air, it is just you running back and forth like “The Flash” just to finish the task, cramming all you can.

It’s an irony that the brain, as the sole culprit in this problem, also gives us the solution. Our mind is very perfect for this job – it can unlock your full potential. You can tap into your inner intelligence, your brain will instantly catch words from air, and your adrenaline will give you immense power, giving you special abilities: like utilizing 80% of your brain.

When you cram, you feel the intelligence is overflowing, you can write a blog within 2 hours about procrastination ^_^

But…

But in reality, the intense energy you put into your instant task is half-wasted. Let me be blunt. You may finish your task in time, thanks to the coffee and energy drink last night.

But your code is crappy. Because you cram, you didn’t have the time to “uncomment” the sample output you make. You didn’t have ample time to test and find more bugs. You don’t even have the time to proofread your report before handing it to your boss!

This should STOP!

The time wasted in procrastination is time that will never be back. Those flying times, if used properly, could be used to fulfill our dreams. We could use that to learn more things, to do more. It’s not that we are not moving when we are procrastinating, but we are moving towards a useless matter. It’s like we are sleeping while eating – you can’t finish your food if you are in a slumber.

Better Friend

How to stop Procrastination? Simply!

Just stop.

Let me elaborate. This should begin with you realizing all the time wasted. It’s you deciding to end this and start doing important things, for your own good.

Stop analysis paralysis, just start jumping off the cliff.

Stop the “Mañana Habit”, or in Filipino “Mamaya na”, literally translated to “later” or “I’ll do it later”.

Stop finding motivation from other people, you should see clearly your situation.

Start valuing your goals.

Stop doing unnecessary things and unrelated extra movements aside from the goal.

Have a post-it notes or Daily Planner just to monitor your schedule.

Stop blaming others – blame it on your own actions and take control.

Don’t justify procrastination.

Don’t, just don’t.

“And that’s one blog, stay hungry!”