Every writer, every creative, and every academic suffers from procrastination at some point in their careers. It’s by far the greatest enemy of any project, especially when it seems the more you try to focus on the task and stay motivated, the more you procrastinate. Everyone asks themselves at some point, “Should I just pay someone to do my online math class? Or finish my history project? Or write my english paper?” Before you go there, how do you break this cycle and stay committed to your project? The following are the top five ways you can stop putting off writing. 

1. Stop Punishing Yourself for Procrastinating 

If you are unable to focus on a task and you keep feeling bad about it, you will be unable to get out of the vicious cycle that is procrastination. This is because the problem is often a psychological one rather than physical and it’s often caused by not feeling good enough to accomplish the task before you. So if you feel that you can’t do that task and you continue to beat yourself up about not being good enough to accomplish the task, you will likely never get around to doing it. Therefore, the first thing you should do is accept that you are procrastinating and realize that it has nothing to do with your ability to write.

2. Divide the Writing Task Into Manageable Tasks 

Once you realize that you are genuinely scared of not being able to complete a perfect manuscript or writing task, the battle is half won. The next step is to cautiously approach the project or writing task by taking it one step at a time. Resolve to write at least 100 words a day or something similar and in a few days you’ll find your groove again and begin to enjoy your work. 

3. Remove any Distractions 

In most cases, procrastination can be brought about or escalated by distractions. Social media is often the greatest culprit although visiting friends and family members may also be to blame. Most experts recommend turning off the internet when writing, unless you need it. The key takeaway here is that you want to limit your options for procrastination as much as possible. 

4. Use Procrastination to Your Advantage 

We see it as the greatest threat to creativity, but when you simply can’t stop procrastinating, you may want to take the time to fill in any gaps in your story. It may be the best time to check in with your imagination and visualize your characters in their world. Finding the mood for your story using your imagination is a great way to snap yourself out of your procrastination.

5. Make Your Writing a Solace 

There are some distractions that you may not be able to simply brush aside. For example, when you are going through a particularly stressful period in your life like a loss in the family or other similar traumatic event, the last thing you want to think about is writing. But if you can make writing therapeutic by finding refuge in your writing, you are likely to find meaning in your work and even produce your best work which will in turn help you deal with your situation. Stephen King wrote “On Writing” while recovering from an accident that nearly killed him.