5 tips to stop procrastinating at work
Find yourself regularly avoiding tasks at work? Maybe sending an important email, finishing a report, or putting in an order for inventory. We’ve all been there – no matter how close the deadline looms, you just can’t seem to work up the motivation to get it done. According to SEEK data, 56% of people say they procrastinate at work. If this sounds like you, read on for advice on how to combat it.
What is procrastination?
Procrastination is when you delay a task you know you need to do. At work, it looks like endlessly polishing the easy jobs while the big one waits, says organisational psychologist Michelle Pizer.
Procrastination at work is rarely laziness. Instead, it usually happens because the task feels overwhelming, unappealing or risky. Psychologically, it’s about avoiding uncomfortable feelings such as fear, uncertainty or boredom, not the task itself, says Pizer. “It’s a way of giving yourself short-term relief now, even though it creates more pressure later.”
Thankfully, there are ways to beat procrastination. The most important step is making a start, says Pizer. This is because the longer you put something off, the harder it feels to face. Taking even a small step brings relief. Here are some tips to help you make that first step – and keep going.
Five ways to beat procrastination
1. Break the work into smaller pieces
Split the task into smaller steps to get started, says Leah Lambart, Career Coach and Director of Relaunch Me. This is known as ‘chunking’. Then, set clear deadlines to get each step done.
Remember, you don’t have to aim for perfection the first go. In fact, that’s often a reason why people put things off – because they’re scared of not getting it right. Aim for ‘good enough’ on a first draft and focus on getting it done. Afterwards, you can go back and edit.
2. Take care of your emotions
Procrastination is more about avoiding uncomfortable feelings than dodging the work itself. This means you need to think in terms of emotion, not time, says Pizer. Ask why you’re putting the task off – is it a skill you’re not strong in or an important project you’re scared of doing badly?
“Procrastination is a short-term mood fix, so strategies that regulate emotions help,” says Pizer. “Self-compassion, reminding yourself it’s normal to find some tasks hard, reduces the shame spiral. Even a few deep breaths or a quick walk can help ease the uncomfortable feelings that fuel procrastination.”
3. Use time management techniques
There are different time-management techniques to help give yourself a push. Like chunking, these approaches make big tasks feel less daunting, using time to split up the work.
Some include:
- Using a set block of time, known as timeboxing, to reduce the temptation to drift. This might mean blocking out your calendar or saying, ‘I’ll spend the next hour working on this task.’
- The Pomodoro Technique. Set a timer to work for 25 minutes, take a five-minute break, then repeat. After four rounds, take a longer 15–30-minute break.
- The two-minute rule. This simple strategy says if a task takes less than two minutes, you should do it now, instead of putting it off. You can even set a timer and see how much you get done in those few minutes.
- “Eating the frog”. Get the hard work out of the way early on and tackle your most dreaded or put-off project first thing in the morning.
4. Change your environment
Shift where you are or what’s around you if you feel stuck. Sit somewhere different, go for a walk or even just clear your desk.
“My favourite trick is to walk to a coffee shop and work there for a while,” says Pizer. “Sometimes I have to do that for every slide in a deck or each section of a report. And once I’m on a roll, it feels great – like unlocking a door into new thinking and feeling competent again.”
5. Reward yourself for progress
Plan rewards for ticking off your to-do list. This way, you have something to motivate you to get through tasks. These don’t have to be big or costly, says Lambart. They could be as simple as buying a coffee or taking a long afternoon walk.
Not only does this give you something to look forward to, it rewards your brain with an enjoyable treat to reinforce good habits.
Build better habits
The good news is you can get better at tackling things you want to avoid, says Pizer. Procrastination doesn’t go away completely, since we’re all wired to avoid discomfort. But with practice, you can spot the signs earlier, understand what’s behind it and use strategies that make it easier to start.
“Remember, everyone procrastinates sometimes. It doesn’t make you lazy or incapable; it makes you human,” says Pizer. “The goal isn’t to never procrastinate again, but to recognise it earlier and have tools that help you move forward anyway.”
Next time you find yourself putting off a task, start small, break up the job into chunks, reward yourself for getting making progress – and remember that overcoming procrastination gets easier with practice.
Source: Independent research conducted by Nature on behalf of SEEK, interviewing 4,000 Kiwis annually. Published October 2025.
