14 Ways to Quit Procrastinating: Tips from Life Coaches

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Life coach Wendy Lynne shares the secret to overcoming procrastination

Co-authored by Wendy Lynne and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: April 8, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Dealing with Procrastination
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• Why do people procrastinate?
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• Video
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• Expert Q&A
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• Tips

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Do you have a hard time staying on task? Do you constantly leave things on your to-do list till the last minute? If so, you’re likely procrastinating, and it's probably preventing you from reaching your full potential. We spoke with life and mindfulness coaches and academic tutors to learn how to overcome procrastination and why it happens in the first place. Keep reading to break free of old habits and finally start crossing items off your to-do lists!

How do you stop procrastinating?

Life coach Wendy Lynne says to identify the root cause of your procrastination first. Usually, it stems from fear or anxiety. Once you address whatever is holding you back, it will be easier to move ahead with your task. Here are some more tips:

• Write a to-do list to visualize your goals.
• Schedule at least 30 minutes in your calendar for important tasks.
• Break large tasks down into smaller steps.
• Start your day with the hardest task to get it out of the way.
• Prioritize goals with set deadlines.
• Work in a distraction-free space.

Steps

Section 1 of 2:

How to Deal with Procrastination

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1. 1
   Discover the root cause of your procrastination. There's almost certainly a reason behind your tendency to put off important tasks. You might think it's laziness, but Lynne says it's usually fear of something (like failure or disappointing someone else). You might also feel like you simply don't have the resources to do it properly. Whatever the reason, Lynne says that until you address the root cause, "you’re just applying a band-aid." In other words, you're just going to continue procrastinating.

   • We’ll explain more common reasons that people procrastinate below.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Wendy Lynne is a life coach who helps individuals break free from fear to live a fulfilling and happy life. She was named a top coach by CoachFoundation.com.

   Alyssa Chang is a life coach who specializes in neuroscience. She helps clients improve their brain-body connections to heal and reach goals.

   Amber Rosenberg, PCC, is a life coach with 20+ years of experience. She trained with the Coaches Training Institute and is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

   Bryce Warwick, JD, is an academic tutor and the president of Warwick Strategies. He offers private tutoring for the GMAT, LSAT, and GRE.
2. 
   2
   Write a to-do list to set goals. Life coach Alyssa Chang believes writing tasks down gets them out of your head and makes it easier to strategize your day. Start by making a record of all the tasks you want or need to accomplish. Include short-term chores you need to do daily and weekly, and long-term goals that may take months or years to see through. Every time you complete something on your list, cross it out. That way, you can visualize your progress and feel a sense of achievement.

   • Jot this list on paper or in the Notes app on your smartphone—whatever is more convenient!
   • Avoid making a long, disorganized to-do list. This is just setting yourself up for failure. Instead, create subcategories like "Home," "Work," "Family," and "Fun." Try to cross off a few entries from each list every day.
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3. 
   3
   Schedule at least 30 minutes or longer for important tasks. Tell yourself you’ve only got to work on a given task from your to-do list for 30 minutes, and block off that time somewhere in your calendar. "This process is called chunking," explains life coach Amber Rosenberg, PCC. "You go through your to-do list, and you schedule meetings with yourself at non-negotiable dates and times." She adds that "it's not realistic to get anything done in less than half an hour," so give yourself at least that long. If you finish one task before the 30 minutes are up, move on to another task.

   • If 30 minutes still sounds too intimidating, start with 15 minutes to warm yourself up.
   • Once the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break if you need it. Then, start another 30 minutes of work.
4. 
   4
   Break tasks down into smaller steps and work on them one by one. It can be overwhelming to think about finishing a whole essay or completing a week’s worth of tasks. Instead of thinking about everything you have to do as one big obstacle, break it down into smaller, shorter steps. Work on the shortest step first, then a slightly longer step, and before you know it, you'll be making great progress toward the finish line.

   • For example, instead of thinking, "I need to finish this essay before 10 PM tonight," tell yourself, "I’m going to make a short outline, fill that in, and then look for quotes."
5. 
   5
   Start your day with the hardest tasks. Look at your daily or weekly to-do list and pick the hardest task first, when your energy is highest. You’ll feel better once it’s done, and then you can move on to easier tasks for the rest of the day.

   • Keep in mind that this strategy isn’t for everyone, so stick to tackling your most difficult tasks whenever you feel the most motivated.
   • For instance, if you're a morning person, do your toughest work right after you wake up. On the other hand, if you tend to be groggy in the morning, you risk making careless errors or frustration by going headfirst into a difficult task.
6. 
   6
   Prioritize goals with set deadlines. Try using a strategy like the Eisenhower Box for prioritizing your tasks. Categorize everything you have to do into 4 categories: tasks that must be done immediately, tasks that can be done later (or rescheduled), tasks that can be delegated to someone else, and tasks that aren't important and can be eliminated. The strength of this strategy is that it not only helps you track tasks that you must complete in a given day, but also on longer timescales, like weeks or months.

   • Use a planner to schedule your time and stay motivated.
7. 
   7
   Work in a distraction-free space. Where you do your work or task can play a big part in how motivated you feel. Academic tutor Bryce Warwick, JD, suggests finding a quiet place "away from the kinds of things that are going to distract you." He says you may have to travel away from home to find that space, even if it's inconvenient. The library, for example, is a great place to go because it's not usually very noisy.

   • Some people concentrate better in busy places like coffee shops and cafes. Something about the vibe or the background noise helps them stay focused. Plus, they can reward themselves with food and drinks while they work!
   • If quiet places like the library aren't working for you, take your study or work materials to a local coffee shop, and see if the change in environment helps your productivity.
8. 
   8
   Eliminate digital distractions from your smartphone and computer. If you're working on your smartphone or computer, it can be tempting to open up other apps and browsers instead of working on the task at hand. To help you lock in, Rosenberg recommends turning off all distractions, even going so far as to turn off your phone (if possible)! You can also download the apps and browser extensions below to help you resist the temptation to doomscroll or spiral down a Google rabbit hole:

   • For smartphones, try these apps:
     • AppDetox uses blockage rules that only let you use selected apps for a set amount of time.
     • Forest grows trees for however long you stay focused.
   • For laptops and computers, try these browser extensions:
     • Freedom blocks distractions on all your devices at once.
     • Self-Control blocks a list of websites for set amounts of time.
     • Cold Turkey Blocker schedules system-wide blocking.
   • Pro tip: If you know you won't be able to resist getting on your phone no matter what, put it in a different room. This also goes for other devices like iPads and Kindles.
   • Reader Poll: We asked 298 wikiHow readers if social media distracts them from things they’d rather be doing with their time, and 86% of them said yes. [Take Poll]
9. 
   9
   Listen to music without lyrics to help you concentrate. Many people struggle to work and stay focused in a completely silent room, but listening to popular songs could have you singing along rather than completing your task. So, opt for white noise, nature sounds, or instrumental music to help you stay on task.
10. 
    10
    Promise yourself a reward. "Treat things like watching TV or playing around online as rewards for finishing your work," suggests academic tutor Jennifer Kaifesh. "Don’t let yourself do it until you’ve completed all of your assignments." Use this anticipation to motivate yourself to complete the task, so you can enjoy your reward guilt-free.

    • Treat yourself to eating a meal at your favorite restaurant, seeing a movie with a friend, or buying yourself something you’ve always wanted.
    • Be careful not to over-reward yourself. Stick with small, end-of-the-day rewards for daily tasks (like studying), and save big celebrations for when you accomplish something tremendous (like passing your final exam).
11. 
    11
    Give yourself a pep talk. "Self-talking" is a great way to calm yourself down and get focused. Using positive self-talk can even help you meet your goals. Talk to yourself, using your name, and remind yourself that you can (and will) do the task on your to-do list.

    • Say something like, "Dariel, I know this week has been hard, and you’re tired. You’ve written a million essays before, and you’ll rock this."
    • You can also ask yourself questions: "Amari, why are you nervous about this? You know you can handle it."
    • Self-talk out loud when you're alone and in your head if you’re in a public place.
12. 
    12
    Stop punishing yourself for procrastinating. Do your best to avoid getting angry with yourself. Guilt and regret are draining emotions and can easily leave you feeling tired and frustrated rather than motivated. Instead, focus on the task at hand and set your emotions aside.
13. 
    13
    Aim for completion over perfection. Break your procrastination habit by aiming to finish a task or project rather than perfecting it. Remember, you can always go back later and iron out the kinks. But for now, focus on getting the task done.
14. 
    14
    Ask someone to hold you accountable. Staying on task and completing your goals doesn’t have to be a solo endeavor. It can be hard to stay away from distractions when you’re doing it alone. Ask a friend or family member if they’d be willing to check in on your work habits and accomplishments. This way, they can help set you back on track if they notice you’re distracted or falling behind.

    • Try planning fun outings with each other to reward yourself for meeting your goals.
    • Hold accountability meetings each week or month to catch each other up on whether you’re meeting your goals and deadlines.
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Section 2 of 2:

Why do people procrastinate?

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1. 1
   They're afraid of failing or not achieving perfection. One of the main reasons Lynne says people procrastinate is that they're afraid of failing. If this is what you're feeling, remember that "courage, growth, and trying new things all involve fear," says Lynne. When you're no longer afraid of fear, she adds, "you start showing up very differently in your life."
2. 2
   They're afraid of disappointing someone else. Lynne explains that if you're doing something because you feel obligated to do it or are trying to please someone else, "you're more likely to procrastinate." Try to only commit to tasks that you want to do or believe in.
3. 3
   They're stuck in bad habits. According to life and career coach Annie Lin, MBA, "The reason most people do not take action is actually not laziness. Rather, it’s due to a lack of practice in breaking old habits." If you're used to putting off tasks rather than tackling them right away, that's a pattern that takes hard work and determination to break. To fix this problem, Lin suggests starting with small, consistent steps "to build mental muscle."

   • For example, instead of spending an hour after you get home from class doomscrolling on TikTok, start the habit of setting a timer for 15 minutes to do whatever you want to unwind. Then, when the timer goes off, immediately begin working on a task, like an assignment or a household chore.
4. 4
   They don't have enough resources to complete the task. "Notice if you're procrastinating because you just feel under-resourced," says certified leadership and life coach Christina Stathopoulos, PCC, ACCC. Maybe you don't have what you need to fulfill your goals. For example, you might have been tasked to make a slideshow presentation for class, but you don't know how, so you put off trying to do it. In that case, Stathopoulos suggests "[pulling] resources in to help you complete things, because you'll feel more motivated to start that way."

   • In the example above, you might ask a fellow student or a friend who's made presentations before to show you how it's done or for a template to follow. You can also ask your teacher for guidance.
5. 5
   They're afraid of the change that will come with reaching the goal. "None of us like change," says mindfulness coach Chad Herst, CPCC. He notes that a lot of things in our daily lives are designed to keep things familiar. Think about the projected outcome of the task you need to complete. Does the thought give you anxiety? If so, you may be afraid of how it will upend your life.

   • Consider why you're afraid of the change and decide if it will benefit you. If it's important for your well-being, you may need to force yourself to do the task and embrace whatever comes, even if it feels new and scary at first.
6. 6
   The pain of doing the task doesn't equal the pleasure of finishing it. Success strategist Sharon Lee says that humans always do things for one of 2 reasons: pain or pleasure. She adds that "one of the two has to be greater than the other" for you to either tackle a task or avoid it. For example, if the pain of going through a process "is greater than the pleasure" you'll receive at the end, says Lee, "you won't do it." That's also when you'll start procrastinating.
7. 7
   They don't actually care about reaching the goal. One of the simplest reasons for procrastination is also the hardest one to get over: not caring about the outcome. That's why teen life coach Eden Gold advises asking yourself if you really want this goal, because if it's not, "you're going to unconsciously give yourself permission to quit." Whenever possible, Gold advises aligning your goals with what you truly want, "free from outside voices." This will make it more likely for you to succeed!

   • Unfortunately, we don't always get to decide whether we want to accomplish a goal or not. There will be many times throughout college and your career when you'll be assigned tasks you don't want to do, but you'll have to do them if you want to pass the class or not get fired.
   • Try to make the best of every situation and find something positive to motivate you through it. For example, if you're dreading taking a final exam for class, remind yourself that passing it is key to being able to graduate and pursue your dreams.
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Overcome Laziness and Procrastination with this Expert Series

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How to Stop Being Lazy and Unmotivated So You Can Achieve Your Goals

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• Question

  What is the main cause of procrastination?

  

  Sharon Lee
  Success Strategist

  Sharon Lee is a Success Strategist and the Owner of Fearless Pursuits. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in helping others gain clarity on their goals, build confidence, and remain accountable towards their goals. Sharon offers advice to others through life coaching, career coaching, and small business coaching. Sharon holds a Strategic Intervention Coach Certification from Robbins-Madanes Training and has additional training from Erickson Coaching International.

  

  Sharon Lee

  Success Strategist

  Expert Answer

  Procrastination comes out of the obstacles that you fear. If your pain for going through a certain process is greater than the ultimate pleasure you'll get out of it, you won't end up doing it.

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• Question

  How can I stop procrastinating if I have trouble with distractions?

  

  Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
  Professional Counselor

  Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Wisconsin. She specializes in addictions, mental health problems, and trauma recovery. She has worked as a counselor in both community health settings and private practice. She also works as a writer and researcher, with education, experience, and compassion for people informing her research and writing subjects. She received Bachelor’s degrees in Communications and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. She also earned an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University.

  

  Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS

  Professional Counselor

  Expert Answer

  Some of the techniques above will help, such as doing your work in environments without distractions and using timers to hyperfocus for 20 minutes at a time.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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• Question

  How can I stop procrastinating when I am always stressed and tired?

  

  Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
  Professional Counselor

  Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Wisconsin. She specializes in addictions, mental health problems, and trauma recovery. She has worked as a counselor in both community health settings and private practice. She also works as a writer and researcher, with education, experience, and compassion for people informing her research and writing subjects. She received Bachelor’s degrees in Communications and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. She also earned an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University.

  

  Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS

  Professional Counselor

  Expert Answer

  Identifying and fixing the source of stress may be the first thing you need to do to help the procrastination.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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• If you’re suffering from anxiety or depression associated with your procrastination, talk to your doctor or therapist. It’s okay to ask for help. You don’t have to go through this alone.
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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• Turn off the Wi-Fi on your devices and do any work that doesn't involve the internet first. That will help you eliminate the internet and social media as a distraction.
• Make it a game by racing yourself. For example, if you have to clean your room, set a timer for 10 minutes. During that time, try to get as much done as possible.
• Each day, choose 3 important tasks that you need to do. Reward yourself in some way once you've done those things. It will help motivate you to get more done.

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