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How to stop procrastinating

An illustration of a person marking a calendar or to-do list.

Jan. 15, 2026—Still searching for a resolution to embrace in 2026? Why not commit to procrastinating less and achieving more? It's a change a lot of us could use.

Nearly everyone procrastinates, the American Psychological Association notes. And some people procrastinate so much that it affects their mental well-being. That's because procrastination can boost stress, which may lead to health problems if left unchecked.

Why we put things off

When we procrastinate, we delay doing something despite knowing that this inaction may make things worse. Some experts say the reason we do this has more to do with how we manage emotions than how we manage our time. We tend to put off doing things when the thought of doing them makes us feel some type of negative emotion, whether it's anxiety or some other feeling we'd rather avoid. Stalling feels better for a little while. But over time, we can get caught in a pattern of avoidance.

Stop stalling

With practice, you can begin to beat procrastination. Consider these tips from the APA, the Child Mind Institute and other experts:

Build in a reward. Choose a reward for yourself for tackling a task you've been putting off. Looking forward to watching your favorite show? Make yourself earn it by doing a chore first.

Try the two-minute rule. It works like this: If a task takes two minutes or less, do it now rather than later.

Tune out the noise. Try reducing any distractions you use to put off a task. For a lot of us, that's our smartphones or other screens. To avoid being distracted by your phone, try putting it on airplane mode to prevent messages and alerts from interrupting you.

Do your toughest task first—not last. Getting the hard task out of the way helps you feel unburdened and ready to tackle the next task.

Schedule it. If you struggle to complete certain chores, make them a part of your daily or weekly routine. Schedule them on your planner or smartphone reminder app.

Manage the stress or anxiety you have about the task you're delaying. Take this short quiz to gauge your knowledge of how to deal with stress.

Don't be too hard on yourself. You're far from the only one who procrastinates. Embracing self-compassion can help you navigate emotions that might be causing you to put things off. Plus, if you're always judging yourself, that self-criticism could lead to procrastinating more.

Enlist an accountability partner. Share your plans to stop procrastinating with a trusted friend or family member. When they see you putting things off, they can offer a gentle prod and uplifting words to keep you on track.

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