Write an article based on this "Break your tasks down. Set goals. Take a break. Reward yourself. Forgive yourself."
Taking large tasks and breaking them down into smaller, more manageable action steps can help you beat your anxiety related procrastination. Breaking the task down can make the task seem less overwhelming, which can help you feel less anxious about getting it done. For instance, you can break a report for work down into researching it, writing it, and editing it. Or, you might break a school paper into the introduction, main points, and conclusion. Then work on completing one section rather than the whole thing. It can be especially helpful to set goals when you have anxiety because your anxiety can make it difficult for you to focus on and complete activities. Some research suggests that doing things like setting goals and deadlines for your tasks can help you beat procrastination. Setting goals gives you something concrete, self-defined, and manageable that you can do. Create specific goals with deadlines for the things you need to get done. For instance, you might say, "I will finish cleaning my room by 10 PM." Make your goals realistic. For example instead of setting a goal to finish a 10-page report in one day, set a goal to finish the first two pages in one day. Setting goals that are too difficult can actually increase your anxiety rather than reduce it. It may seem like a good idea to keep 'plugging at it' once you start working so that you don't lose your steam and start procrastinating. But, taking a break to de-stress, relieve tension, and recharge your brain and body is a better way to address your anxiety and your anxiety related procrastination. Take a five minute break when you complete one of the action steps for your task. Sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, and just take a few minutes to be still and quiet. When you complete a task or reach one of the goals that you have set for yourself, you should congratulate and encourage yourself with a small reward. Incentives can help motivate you as well as give you incentive to meet other goals. For instance, when you complete one of your action tasks, you might treat yourself to a piece of candy or a 5-minute break to play one of your favorite online games. Or, for example, you might treat yourself to the new shoes you've been eyeing when you finish a major report on time. It can be easy to beat yourself up when you procrastinate on doing something. Some evidence suggests, though, that doing this may make it more likely that you will procrastinate again. Instead, give yourself a break and forgive yourself if you procrastinate because of your anxiety. Remind yourself that procrastinating doesn't make you a lazy or bad person. You might say, "I procrastinated on this, but it doesn't mean I'm not a hard worker." Reduce some of the pressure on yourself by saying things like, "I didn't start on time for this assignment, but I'm not going to beat myself up. I can and will do better next time."