I'll Do It Tomorrow

Hello Friends!

Happy New Year!!

I can't believe how quickly my "holiday break" is coming to an end. But frankly, I'm glad - because I've gained a lot of holiday pounds that need shedding!!

I also had a lot of time to think in the past few weeks, which resulted in a lot of new ideas and initiatives. Rather than wait until the new year, I started working on it - slowly - during my time off.

And that's a good transition into today's article:

Intro

How often have you told yourself, “I’ll do it tomorrow”? It’s a small phrase that carries a lot of weight because it often comes with an assumption: tomorrow will magically feel more productive, and we’ll suddenly have the energy or motivation we lack today. But here's the harsh reality: tomorrow arrives, and the excuses remain. This cycle of delay not only impacts our productivity but also silently chips away at our self-confidence.

Let’s dive into why this happens and how we can break free from this mindset.

The Psychology Behind "I'll Do It Tomorrow"

Our tendency to push tasks off to tomorrow stems from a cognitive bias called temporal discounting. This is where we overvalue our perceived future capabilities and undervalue the present moment. We assume that tomorrow’s version of ourselves will be more motivated, better rested, and ready to tackle whatever we couldn’t today.

Research published in the journal Psychological Science found that we tend to view our future selves as different people, detached from the struggles of our present selves. This mental disconnect makes it easier to delay tasks today, as we feel like we’re offloading the responsibility to “someone else.”

But when tomorrow arrives and becomes today, that “future self” is now us - complete with the same fatigue, distractions, and reasons to procrastinate. This creates a cycle of guilt and frustration, leading to decreased confidence in our ability to follow through.

Procrastination Is a Confidence Killer

When we repeatedly fail to complete tasks, it sends subtle but damaging signals to our subconscious. Over time, these repeated patterns make us believe we’re unreliable or incapable of achieving our goals.

This is especially true in the workplace. A study by RescueTime, a productivity tracking tool, found that the average knowledge worker spends only 2 hours and 48 minutes a day on productive work, with the rest of the time lost to distractions and delays. For many, procrastination accounts for a significant chunk of that lost time, eroding not only output but also self-esteem.

Imagine this scenario: You’ve been putting off preparing a presentation. Each day you push it to the next. When the deadline finally arrives, you scramble to complete it last minute. The final product is rushed, and you’re dissatisfied with the result. This cycle makes you question your abilities and reinforces a negative belief: “I’m not good at this.”

In reality, the issue isn’t your ability - it’s the habit of procrastination that led to a subpar result. 

Breaking the "Tomorrow" Mindset

The good news? Procrastination isn’t a permanent flaw; it’s a habit, and like any habit, it can be changed. Here are some practical strategies:

1. Adopt the Two-Minute Rule
   If a task will take two minutes or less, do it immediately. This simple rule, popularized by productivity expert David Allen, helps you build momentum and eliminates smaller tasks that often pile up and become overwhelming.
2. Visualize the Consequences
   Before you decide to delay a task, take a moment to visualize the potential negative consequences. Will pushing it off create unnecessary stress later? Will it impact the quality of your work? Sometimes a dose of reality is all it takes to spark action.
3. Reframe Your Mindset
   Shift your focus from “feeling like doing it” to “committing to doing it.” Action often precedes motivation, not the other way around. Start small, and the act of beginning can generate the momentum you need.
4. Take "Time" Out of the Equation
   Don't overwhelm yourself by putting a self-imposed and arbitrary timeframe to complete a task. For example, if you give yourself two-hours to complete a task, your putting yourself in a box, racing against the clock. The reality is that you don't know how long it might take to complete that task, therefore, work on it until you complete it or until you are ready to move onto something else. Taking "time" out of the equation frees you up, and removes unnecessary stress. However, it's important to note that this doesn't mean you are giving yourself permission to procrastinate.

Parting Words

Procrastination isn’t just about time management - it’s about mindset. When we repeatedly delay tasks, we inadvertently train our brains to associate ourselves with inaction and failure, which diminishes self-confidence over time.

Confidence doesn’t come from grand achievements; it’s built through the small victories we earn every day.

So the next time you catch yourself thinking, “I’ll do it tomorrow,” pause and reframe that thought to, “Let me do what I can today”.

Have a great rest of your week!

Thought Of The Week

A weekly thought to meditate, ruminate, and/or ponder on:

"Don’t wait. The time will never be just right."

- Napoleon Hill

If you are interested in improving your speaking, communication skills and confidence, schedule a call with me or learn more about communication coaching here. And if you haven’t yet, subscribe to The Confidence Weekly Newsletter here.