If you have been writing for a long time, you would know how difficult it is to be consistent with your writing. This is especially true if you are writing a book or doing a long term project. And you would also have noticed that procrastination is a constant threat throughout these long term writing projects. Procrastination is defined as the act of avoiding or delaying a task no matter how important it really is. But you don’t really need to have to struggle with procrastination. You just need to have a strategy on how to combat procrastination. Here are tips on how to avoid procrastination during the writing process.
- Identify the reasons why you procrastinate
The first step to avoiding procrastination is to identify why you procrastinate in the first place. This is important because people don’t procrastinate for no reason. It could be due to laziness, fear or a combination of both. Procrastination can also be the byproduct of a bigger problem such as writer’s block. Many writers suffer from cases of writers block and can last for a long period of time. Others procrastinate because they are insecure and fear that their work is not good enough yet. Whatever the reason may be, it is very important that you identify them and address these reasons. By identifying the reasons you will be able to cultivate anti-procrastination activities that will help you combat these types of bad habits.
- Refrain from putting pressure on yourself
Strangely, the root cause for procrastination can be anxiety. Funny as it may seem, one reason why people procrastinate is because they put too much pressure on themselves and because of this, they subconsciously choose to procrastinate, instead of facing the problems and finding the root of their anxiety. So whether you are writing a book or writing a term paper, you should remember that putting pressure on yourself is not the answer. Instead, just relax and enjoy the writing process.
- Develop a new mindset
Yet another reason why some people procrastinate is because they have a self-defeating mindset. Which is a big mistake if you’re deep in the writing process. So if you are in any danger of suffering from procrastination, it is important that you change your mindset. Think more positively and refrain from thinking pessimistic thoughts. By having a more upbeat outlook on the book publishing process you will be able to push through the veil of pessimism and procrastination.
- Make a writing schedule that you can work with
Yet another reason why people procrastinate during the writing process is because of their schedules or lack of it. Having a set schedule is important because it will help you form a writing habit. Having a schedule will also allow you to take have more structure in your work. With a schedule you will no longer wonder when you should write or how long you should write. Instead, you can now just relax and just follow your book writing schedule. This will help enhance your focus and help you avoid procrastination in the long run.
- Join a writing group
It is also a good idea to join a writing group. This is because a writing group will not only provide structure to your writing activities, but having friends who write will also compel you to write more too. This is because seeing other people who are as passionate as you about the writing process, will no doubt inspire you to reach greater heights as a writer. Having a writing group will also make it less easy for you to give up during hard times, because you will not only have great support from your writing group, but also a feeling of camaraderie that will surely enhance your will power.
- Remember that no one is perfect
If there is one thing you should always remember is that no one is perfect. And if you want to be a truly effective writer, you will need to give yourself some slack. Although it is a good thing that you have a perfectionist mentality when it comes to your writing, don’t let the fear of failure stop you from trying something new. As human beings, we are all allowed to make mistakes. So next time you get a bad review or you make a big mistake, don’t get discouraged and procrastinate. Instead you should pick yourself up and keep going forward. Knowing that you are not perfect and that you still have a lot to improve on is one of the exciting things about being an author.