Breaking Free from the Procrastination Cycle

We’ve all been there: the deadline is nearing, the task is important, and yet we find ourselves scrolling through social media, tidying our room, making yet another cup of coffee and finding other irrelevant "sidequests" to do. Procrastination is often our brain’s way of avoiding discomfort, it doesn’t always mean you’re lazy. Psychologists suggest that procrastination happens when a task feels overwhelming, boring, or emotionally heavy. Instead of facing that discomfort, we seek short-term relief by doing something easier or more enjoyable. This quick escape can create guilt, stress, overthinking, which makes starting even harder and can take a toll on our mental health.

So how can we break the cycle? Here are a few tips you might find useful in your everyday life:

Shrink the task – try breaking the big job into tiny, manageable steps. If writing a report feels impossible, start by just opening the document and writing one sentence. From my experience, the hardest part is starting, because you’re thinking about how much work is waiting for you once that happens. So I suggest just beginning with a small step and not expecting to do it all at once, which will make you feel more at ease about the task. Once you start, the motivation to continue will keep you going, because the hardest part is done!

Make it rewarding – pair the task with something pleasant, like your favorite music, a comfort show playing in the background, coffee or tea, maybe a post-work treat or a fun activity like catching up with a friend. If the task is causing you stress and anxiety, these things can help you calm down while you’re trying to get yourself to do it. Remember, procrastinating and delaying the task will only make you more stressed.

Fill your schedule – it might sound weird, but for me, as a student, this works best. The less you have to do, the more time you have to procrastinate. If you make your schedule packed with things like work, assignments, meetings with friends, going to the gym and so on, you’ll see that there are only some gaps where you can do this specific task, and you’ll do it, because it’s the only way. It might be a harsher one, but it will give you no space to procrastinate, and don’t forget that balance between different activities is key!

Procrastination isn’t a personal flaw, we all face it from time to time. It might make you feel like you’re stuck in this never-ending loop, but it doesn’t have to be this way, you are in control and you are the key that can break the lock of this cycle. Look at procrastination as a signal that your brain needs support. By approaching tasks with curiosity and compassion, you can replace avoidance with small, steady progress and protect your mental wellbeing at the same time.