We all know somebody who always says, “Don’t worry about that. I will just do it later.” Most of us are probably guilty of this as well; justifying laziness with excuses like working at the last minute increases efficiency and the pressure helps to finish the task.
Think what you will, but in reality, procrastination is not helpful. People who say they work better at the last minute are only fooling themselves, since rushed work tends to lack in quality. Besides that, what happens if you wait too long and can’t complete the task?
Instead of making excuses, taking a proactive approach to fight procrastination is the best route. You will end up feeling more accomplished, and the output produced will be of much higher quality than if you had waited until the last minute.
Give these 5 tips a try and you will see your procrastination subside in no time at all.
1. Schedule Your Time Wisely
One of the main things that lead to procrastination is a lack of scheduling. This doesn’t mean scheduling out every single minute of the day, but blocking off times for specific tasks is essential to getting them done.
Try making a list, either for the day or for the week, of all of the things that you want or need to do. Then, prioritize them based on importance and deadlines. Once this is complete, you can create a schedule that works for you, putting the important tasks into your most productive time blocks.
2. Breakup Larger Projects in to Smaller Tasks
Big projects or tasks can be daunting, especially if they are complex or time consuming. These are the projects that you simply cannot afford to procrastinate on because of the time that they take to complete.
Instead of trying to tackle the entire thing all at once, break it down into smaller tasks that will add up to your final goal. Each time you complete a section, you will feel accomplished and motivated to move onto the next part. The feeling of being overwhelmed will almost disappear since you are managing the work in smaller portions.
3. Target Distractions
Distractions act like a trap for productivity and are another main culprit of procrastination. Daily life and modern technology can cause difficulty focusing on the things that you need to complete, so you need to manage them effectively.
Pinpoint the things that are distracting for you, and keep them at bay. This is easily accomplished when paired with your schedule, since you can give yourself time to partake in these distractions separate from your work time.
4. Take Care of Your Health
Staying healthy is important for your overall well-being, but did you know that unhealthy habits can also cause you to procrastinate? Lack of sleep and exercise cause lethargy, making it more difficult to work and in turn push you to put off things until the last minute.
Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night and try to do some sort of exercise daily, even if it means going for a 10 minute walk around your neighborhood. The extra energy will definitely help you power through your tasks and will boost your focus, as well.
5. Reward Yourself
All work and no play simply make you miserable. A lot of people who procrastinate do so because they want to keep living the rest of their life and not have it overtaken by work that needs done.
Instead of seeing work as a burden, use it as a means to an end reward. For every task you take on, give yourself something once you have completed it. This could include a snack or an internet break, but using a reward system will help you to procrastinate less since you are actually getting something in return for your output.
Images: greenplasticamy | Robyn Kingsley | Tom Lin
