30 Procrastination Quotes To Inspire You To Get Out Of That Rut
Don't wait to read this later!
Procrastination is nothing to be ashamed of — we all do it. But when you feel like you've been putting something off for far too long, these procrastination quotes will get you in the right mindset to finally get things done!
There are so many distractions in the world whose sole job is to keep us occupied. Social media, endless archives of TV and movies, the people in our lives, and even other tasks that aren’t as much of a priority. Many people, myself included, do chores or errands to procrastinate so that they still feel productive even if they’re evading other tasks.
But the responsibilities we shirk don’t just go away, they only get more difficult and more urgent the longer we put them off!
Sometimes it’s perfectionism that gets in our way of completion. It’s that thought “I need to do this perfectly or not at all” that ultimately sets us up to procrastinate and therefore run out of time that could be used to get something done thoroughly and to the best of our ability. Other times it’s the big picture of a big task that overwhelms us into avoidance of it, but if we can break it into manageable pieces, the whole thing will come together with ease.
Motivating Procrastination Quotes
Procrastination is a dark rabbit hole that can seem impossible to climb out of, so here are some quotes from successful, accomplished people that know what it’s like and how to get back up and get back to work.
1. “You may delay, but time will not.” — Benjamin Franklin
Time stops for no one.
2. “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” — Pablo Picasso
Tomorrow is never guaranteed.
3. “Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” — Charles Dickens
Arrest the perpetrator.
4. “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” — Karen Lamb
Think about what you want to have accomplished.
5. “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” — Abraham Lincoln
Ignoring tasks does not make them disappear.
6. “Your life is happening right now: don’t let procrastination take over your life. Be brave and take risks. Your life is happening right now.” — Roy T. Bennett
Carpe diem.
7. “Life always begins with one step outside of your comfort zone.” — Shannon L. Alder
Push yourself to be even better than you already are.
8. “If you choose to not deal with an issue, then you give up your right of control over the issue and it will select the path of least resistance.” — Susan Del Gatto
Don’t let your problems get away from you.
9. “Someday is not a day of the week.” — Janet Dailey
There’s no time like the present.
10. “Success is not obtained overnight. It comes in installments; you get a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow until the whole package is given out. The day you procrastinate, you lose that day’s success.” — Israelmore Ayivor
Any amount of progress is progress.
11. “We are so scared of being judged that we look for every excuse to procrastinate.” — Erica Jong
Do your best, then deal with what’s next.
12. “The real enemy of genius is the router in the hallway.” — A.O. Monk
Unplug for a while. Come back to YourTango when you’re done.
13. “Don't put off until tomorrow, what you can do today.” — Benjamin Franklin
He should know!
14. “Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.” — Michael Landon Jr.
Mortality is the best motivator.
15. “Both positive and negative thinking are contagious.” — Stephen Richards
Put out into the world what you want to see in the world.
16. “Hesitation of any kind is a sign of mental decay in the young, of physical weakness in the old.” — Oscar Wilde
Taking action aids the mind and the body.
17. “Nothing is born into this world without labor.” — Rob Liano
Just ask your mama.
18. “If you believe you can accomplish everything by ‘cramming’ at the eleventh hour, by all means, don’t lift a finger now. But you may think twice about beginning to build your ark once it has already started raining.” — Max Brooks
Don’t get lost in the flood.
19. “Procrastination is also a subtle act of corruption — it corrupts valuable time.” — Dr. Amit Abraham
We have more than enough corruption as is.
20. “Social media not only snatches your time, but it also teaches you attention deficiency.” — Neeraj Agnihotri
FOMO only gets worse with the less you do.
21. “Procrastination is the foundation of all disasters.” — Pandora Poikilos
Preparation eliminates all worries.
22. “It is only by working the rituals, that any significant degree of understanding can develop. If you wait until you are positive you understand all aspects of the ceremony before beginning to work, you will never begin to work.” — Lon Milo DuQuette
Learn by doing.
23. “When faced with a problem, some people find answers and some people find excuses.” — Amit Kalantri
Which person do you want to be?
24. “The penalty for procrastination is the loss of hopes and dreams.” — Tai Lopez
You never know what could be if you never try.
25. “If you are always saying I’ll do it tomorrow, then your tomorrow will then turn into another day and so on, and so, etc. etc.” — Victoria Addino
Procrastination snowballs down a steep hill.
26. “Now is a fact that cannot be dodged.” — Sinclair Lewis
The time is always now.
27. “Every duty that is bidden to wait comes back with seven fresh duties at its back.” — Charles Kingsley
Duties don’t overwhelm when they’re tackled one at a time as they come up.
28. “All human work is imperfect, because human nature is and this intrinsic imperfection of human affairs cannot be overcome by procrastination.” — Arnold J. Toynbee
Strive for best rather than perfect.
29. “Procrastination is indeed the real enemy of success. Kill it, and you will see rapid growth.” — Vincent Okeke
You’d be amazed at what you can accomplish.
30. “Doing just a little bit during the time we have available puts you that much further ahead than if you took no action at all.” — Byron Pulsifer
There is no need to beat yourself up overdoing more if you’re doing something.
Colleen Fogarty is a writer who covers self-care, astrology, and relationship topics.