Let's be honest, procrastination is the bane of deadlines, the friend of Netflix binges, and a universal experience. We've all been there: staring down a deadline, feeling that nagging sensation in the back of our minds, yet somehow, scrolling through reels feels infinitely more appealing.

But what exactly is procrastination? By definition, it's the act of voluntarily delaying or postponing a task despite knowing it could have negative consequences. In practice, it can be our favorite form of self-sabotage or the soul rebelling against entrapments. Procrastination is complex, with deep roots in our psychology. Let’s try to figure it out with me, a UPSC aspirant who is a normal procrastinator like everyone else out there.

The tag 'UPSC ASPIRANT' itself gives us a heavy responsibility because our Indian society is like, "OH! You are preparing for IAS, IPS Services. Can you do it and become one?" and so on. We should understand that it is normal psychology for people regarding civil services preparations, so we should not be affected by their remarks. Remember, peaks are always at heights, and you have to start from the bottom, the baseline. In essence, success requires struggle, hard work, and consistent effort, which will never be as easy as dreaming about it.

As I'm writing here to throw light on the 'impacts of procrastination' in my UPSC journey, the first thing is, why exactly do we procrastinate? And then, how can we overcome it?

There are many reasons why we put things off beyond just laziness. Sometimes it's the fear of failure. That vast syllabus seems daunting—how will I cover it, how will I learn and revise it? So we avoid starting altogether. But the fact is, our goals and the habit of procrastination cannot coexist. Only by taking action for our goals will we achieve anything we want.

Other times, it's a lack of motivation and an overwhelming feeling. The task of preparation itself might feel boring, like, "I have to study for some 10-12 hours or more than that," and the reward feels too far off. "What if I do not qualify? There is so much competition," and all. But we should understand that our competition isn’t with other people. Our competition is with ourselves and our procrastination. Our ego. The unhealthy food we’re consuming, the knowledge we neglect, the negative behavior we’re nurturing, and our lack of creativity. So, compete against these. Motivation is what gets us started, and it comes from within, whereas a habit is what keeps us going.

As an aspirant, poor time management skills can also lead to procrastination. When we miss and skip consistency, we feel like leaving. So, if I had to sum up in one word the qualities that make a good aspirant, I’d say that it all comes down to decisiveness. You can use the fanciest institutes and faculties and gather all the facilities, resources, and everything required. Still, in the end, you have to bring all the elements together, set up a timetable, and act consistently over it to achieve success.

Procrastination can also be a symptom of perfectionism. We get so caught up in making everything flawless that we never actually get started. I feel it is one of the most triggering factors of procrastination in my journey. Because the most dangerous way we sabotage ourselves is by waiting for the perfect moment to begin. But with time, I realized that nothing works perfectly the first time or the first fifty times. Everything has a learning curve. The beginning is just that, a beginning. So, we should surrender our desire to do it flawlessly on the first try. Because it’s not possible. Learn to learn. Learn to fail. Learn to learn from failing. Begin today, begin now. Stop waiting. Stop allowing your days to be stolen by busy nothingness and take calculated steps towards your goals—no more excuses or procrastination!

There can be an infinite number of reasons why we procrastinate, as everyone’s story is different. But the thing is, you're not alone in this struggle. It is a human condition. By understanding it and developing some strategies, we can all become a little less like the "procrastination pro" and a little more like the "productivity powerhouse."

Here are some strategies you can follow:

1. Identifying your triggers: Once you know your enemy, you can start to develop a plan.

2. Chunk it down: Big tasks are overwhelming. Break them down into smaller, more manageable steps so that you feel like getting started.

3. Make a daily plan (and stick to it): Break down your study goals for the day and write them down. Seeing them on paper makes them more tangible and helps you stay accountable.

4. Silence the sirens: Turn off notifications on your phone and social media apps. Out of sight, out of mind (hopefully!).

5. Utilize apps: There are apps that can block distracting websites and social media for specific periods. Use them to your advantage!

6. The 5-minute rule: Sometimes, the hardest part is just beginning. Tell yourself you'll only work on a task for 5 minutes. Often, you'll find yourself getting sucked in and accomplishing more than you anticipated.

7. Schedule your chill time: Block out specific times for relaxation, like movie nights with friends or catching up on shows. This way, you won't feel tempted to sneak in episodes during study hours.

8. Reward yourself: Set small rewards for completing tasks. This will help you stay motivated and on track.

9. Forgive yourself: We all procrastinate sometimes. Don't beat yourself up about it. Just pick yourself up and get back on track.

Specifically, as an aspirant, we should manage our distractions, set realistic achievable goals, break the deadline down, take focused breaks, and take more steps as per our way of dealing with hurdles coming in between our success. Don’t wait for someone to take you under their wing. Find a good wing and climb up underneath it. As soon as we become capable of tackling things on our own, in our way, challenges become easier.

Now see it from the other side as well. Let’s just say that sometimes we could save up a whole chunk of time and set it aside. You know what we’d do with it? Nothing. Nothing at all. Isn’t that the point, to be able to do nothing at all? We’re not guaranteed that later chunk of time; all we have is here and now, and that’s why here, procrastination feels so right.

Here, procrastination is not the problem; it is the solution. It is the universe’s way of saying, "Stop, slow down. You move too fast. Procrastinate now, don’t put it off." If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to music, meditate, exercise, and do anything else. But, whatever you do, don’t just stick there scowling at the problem. Don’t make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people’s words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for your words. Create a space. Be patient. Take it for reform, restructure, recover, rebuild, and recharge yourself.

Now, do you feel like putting things off? You should not! Because, in the end, the really happy people are those who have broken the chains of procrastination. Those who have found satisfaction in getting selected, opening doors to LBSNAA, and doing the job of a bureaucrat at hand. They have been full of eagerness, zest, and productivity, and you can be too.

Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. Just imagine, ten or twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Doing today is better than regretting tomorrow. Everything will seem so perfect when you get the prefix IAS or IPS or any other you dreamed of before your name.

Also, God has promised forgiveness for our repentance, but he has not promised tomorrow for our procrastination. Keeping this in mind, we should not fool ourselves that important things can be put off till tomorrow. They can be put off forever, or not at all.

Lastly, we should remember that procrastination is a habit, and like any habit, it can be broken. By understanding our triggers and developing coping mechanisms, we can become masters of productivity and finally conquer that to-do list! We just have to concentrate all our thoughts on the work at hand and achieve our goals.

 

 

Parth Saarthi Mentorship