I often complain that I need more time to write, but then I spend a lot of time planning, researching, or even organizing my writing space. Although all these activities are essential, they shouldn’t keep me from writing.

So, why do writers procrastinate?

- The leading cause of procrastination is fear of failure. I had to learn to accept that my work would never be perfect and not let perfectionism keep me from writing. 
- Our brains are wired to protect us from stress. Thus, I often find myself distracted and avoiding the technical challenge and emotional stress integral to writing.
- I don't buy into the myth that you need inspiration to write. Most established writers will tell you that good writing is more about discipline and hard work than waiting for the muse to arrive.
- It is easy to put off my writing if I still need to plan the layout of a long article. Thus I don’t have a road map of where I am heading with my writing.
- Sitting down to write is often challenging if I am not regularly writing or have yet to schedule specific times in my calendar to do so.

I like this quote by Charles Dickens: “Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” 

But how can writers do this?

I start by listing all the activities I engage in instead of writing. And all the excuses I use not to write. Then I use the measures below to motivate myself to start writing.

- Procrastination happens because you have no sense of urgency or short-term pain or gain. The long-term fulfillment of completing my project doesn’t give me the necessary motivation to sit down and write. 
- Since I’m eager not to disappoint others, a good solution is to create an accountability system. For example, I share my writing goals on social media, find writing buddies, or join accountability groups. 
- Another solution is to create a sense of urgency by setting up constraints like working in specific time chunks using the Pomodoro technique. It works well when I incorporate these chunks of writing time into my schedule. 
- To overcome feeling overwhelmed when tackling a large writing project, I break it into smaller steps and set SMART goals for every step. It helps when I declutter my workspace to remove unnecessary distractions. And with some organizing, I know I have everything I need.
- I reward myself for reaching my goals since it gives me something to look forward to and keeps me motivated. It can be something minor, like my favorite chocolate. Or when I reach a significant milestone, I will, for example, take an outing to a coffee shop to meet with friends.
 - It is also essential to remember that everything I write can be imperfect, including my final product. Although I strive to produce an excellent product, a completed product can earn me money, but an incomplete product never will. So I allow myself regular times for freeflow writing to get used to writing without judgment, proofreading, or editing to retrain my inner critic.
- I also consider my excuses for not writing to identify and challenge my self-limiting beliefs. For example, if I say I am too tired - instead of not writing at all - I can write for a short 10-15 minute period. I use this method for all my excuses and try to figure out practical and manageable solutions.

Procrastination can sometimes be a necessary part of writing. On those days when I hit writer’s block, different activities can stimulate me so that my subconscious starts making creative connections I would have never expected.