15 ways to overcome procrastination instantly.
We all know that feeling… setting out goals for yourself with every intention of meeting them and then somewhere down the line you get distracted or thrown off track. You tell yourself it’s OK and you’ll pick it up again but before you know it the day has gone and you have little to show for it. It’s even worse when you have an imminent deadline and knowing that you’ve wasted the day on miscellaneous things like online shopping, scrolling through your socials or doing things that just aren’t important (if we’re being brutally honest) often leave you feeling unaccomplished and demotivated. The truth is, these are usually the times we find ourselves procrastinating the most! Whether it’s a personal, work-related or educational goal, it can be hard to stay focused when the task seems challenging.
So why do we procrastinate?
The short and simple answer is that we’re trying to avoid the work. This could be for a number of reasons such as boredom, finding the task/assignment too challenging, lacking interest or having no direction. Either way, this delays productivity and as a result, we’re either faced with more work or unnecessary stress as we desperately try to complete it all at the last minute. This has a massive impact on the quality of work produced and our mood/attitude and can detrimentally impact your future prospects and opportunities in a negative way. Procrastination is something most of us will have experienced, but there are things we can do to maintain our focus. Below are 15 tips to help you stay on the ball and finally kick procrastination to the curb!
Manage your days - First and foremost, invest in a diary and write down any future deadlines and important events. You may also benefit from a task spreadsheet (on excel) which you can refer to and manage any upcoming projects.
Set daily goals and checklists - Setting daily goals and checklists will allow you to priorities your tasks and stay on job. By making daily goals, you set yourself a minimum target for the day and are more likely to complete them.
Find someone to keep you accountable - Tell people what you wish to achieve and get them to check in on you regularly. If you have a deadline in a week, tell them your goals for the day and ask them to make sure you’ve completed it. This is usually a great method to keep you focused as you don’t want to let them down either (and want to look on job).
Remove yourself from distractions - This is the one that everyone knows but doesn’t want to do. Social media and unnecessary use of technology are the biggest enemy of progress! I know twitter might be lit right now or you want to look at pictures on Instagram but you have a deadline to meet and work needs to be completed. A little self-control is required here, but turning off your phone or putting it on Do Not Disturb (DND) will drastically reduce the urge to use it. Some people like to do a social media detox (a personal fave) when they have a big deadline approaching/ want to stay focused so this may be something to look into if you have poor self-control.
Break big tasks down into smaller pieces - Everything looks scarier when it seems big. By breaking it down into chunks, it will feel a lot less intimidating. No matter what the task is, manage it one step at a time.
Remind yourself on why you need to complete the task - Look at the end goal or list the consequences of not completing the task. Make a reminder to help you stay motivated or deter you from giving up.
Be realistic - If you’re anything like me, you tend to pile up the jobs with the expectation that it can all be done. This is why writing down your tasks and setting a time goal will be handy when setting yourself realistic targets.
Surround yourself with go-getters - If you see others knuckling down and have a ambitious mindset, these are traits that will rub off on you! You can also look for inspiration from people you wish to be like. Having a physical image of where you want to be or what you wish to achieve will help you get through the tough task at hand.
Change your environment - Our environment plays a massive role in our productivity so it’s important that you take it seriously. Quiet spaces such as libraries or coffee shops will allow you to stay focused and will reduce distractions. If you’re at work, try and close doors to minimize excess noise. When working from home, consider an environment that is not too familiar such as your bedroom or a social place… you don’t want to start your day working hard and end it doing a spring clean!
Take breaks and don’t be so hard on yourself - When working, we often tell ourselves that taking breaks will reduce productivity but sometimes too little rest can work against us. I suggest that you take a 5 minute breather after every hour to re-focus and improve your attention span. This is also great for people that are stuck in offices as sitting down in an enclosed space can take a toll on your body and head space. It may seem small, but those 5 minutes will be beneficial in the long run.
Set alarms and timers. This is a great way to manage your time and pace your work. Setting alarms can help you start your day early and give you motivation when you’re struggling. Timers allow you to stay focused as you know you only have a set time to complete the task. Telling yourself you have 20 mins to complete the work is a lot more productive than giving yourself the day.
Do your biggest tasks during your most productive hours - Whether you’re a morning, night or day kinda person, optimise your productive hours by tackling your hardest tasks. In doing this, you’re more likely to get complete it in full rather than stop-starting your work and losing commitment.
Work with someone or in a small group - When you see others working, you’re more likely to stay focused. If you’re someone who needs company this is a great way to get the work done.
Treat yourself - Sometimes we need an incentive to get through the work (especially if it takes weeks or months). By giving yourself a reward, you give yourself something to look forward too.
Stop making excuses. Start now! - This needs no elaboration. Buckle up and get the job done!
Liz x