How To Beat Procrastination
Stop Waiting: How to Beat Procrastination and Win in 2026
"Tomorrow" is the burial ground where most Kenyan success stories are hidden.
We’ve all been there. You have a business plan to write, a CV to update or a Sacco application to fill out. You sit down, open your laptop, and suddenly... you realize the kitchen tiles need scrubbing. Or you decide to "just check" one trending video on TikTok. Two hours later, your energy is gone, and the task is still untouched.
Procrastination is not laziness. Laziness is the lack of desire to do anything. Procrastination is the active choice to do something easy instead of something important. It is an emotional struggle, not a time-management one.
1. Which "Version" of You is Hiding?
To fix the problem, you must identify your "Procrastinator Type." In the Kenyan professional landscape, we usually see three types:
You don't start because you’re afraid it won't be "world-class" on the first try. You spend weeks "researching" instead of doing. Example: Waiting for the "perfect" camera to start your YouTube channel.
You believe you "work better under pressure." You wait until 11 PM the night before a deadline to start. You’re addicted to the adrenaline of the last minute. Example: Paying your business permit on the final day of the grace period.
You hide from tasks that feel overwhelming. If the task is big (like "Start a Poultry Farm"), you put your head in the sand and do nothing at all. Example: Ignoring your bank statements because the debt feels too big to look at.
2. The Antidote: The 5-Minute Momentum Trick
The hardest part of any task is The Start. Newton’s First Law of Motion applies to your brain: An object at rest stays at rest.
Tell yourself: "I will only work on this for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, I am allowed to stop." Usually, once you break the "static friction" of starting, your brain enters a flow state and you will keep going for an hour. Action beats anxiety.
3. Practical Steps for the 2026 Kenyan Professional
Step 1: Eat the Frog (First Thing)
Mark Twain once said if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. Your "frog" is that one task you are dreading most. Do it at 8:00 AM before you open WhatsApp.
Step 2: Kill the "Notification" Monster
In 2026, our phones are designed to keep us distracted. Use "Focus Mode" or put your phone in another room. If you are working on a laptop, close all tabs that aren't related to the task. One open YouTube tab is the end of your productivity.
Step 3: Build a "Done" List (Not just a To-Do List)
To-do lists can feel heavy and discouraging. Instead, keep a Done List. Every time you finish even a small task, write it down. This gives your brain a hit of dopamine, making you want to accomplish more.
The Cost of "Later"
In one year, you will be 365 days older. You can spend those days building the life you want, or you can spend them thinking about building it. Procrastination is the thief of time, and time is the only currency you can't earn back.
Don't wait for "The Right Time." Start where you are, with what you have.