Introduction
Procrastination is the number one task management hurdle. Despite knowing what you need to do, you keep putting it off, finding something more entertaining to occupy your time, or giving attention to a less important task. This results in stress, missed deadlines, and a drop in productivity.
The silver lining here is that procrastination isn’t a failure of willpower or self-control; it is a behavioral pattern that can be altered. So, what can you do to beat procrastination and become more productive on a daily basis? Here are a few ideas.
- Figure out Why You’re Procrastinating
Chances are there’s a reason behind your procrastination. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed, afraid or simply uncertain about what to do.
What this means:
Once you understand why you put something off, you can address the issue.
How this works:
Consider the questions: “Why am I putting this off?”; is the task too big? Is it too vague? Is it not interesting enough?
- Just Do the Smallest Part
People usually put things off because it seems like a big task.
What this means:
Getting going is often the most challenging part and once you start it can be easy to keep going.
How this works:
Break the task down into the smallest part possible. Try writing a sentence. Open a file.
- Make It Just Five Minutes
Your mind generally rejects a task until you actually begin to work on it.
What this means:
Once you begin working on it it can be easy to continue.
How this works:
Say you’ll work on it for 5 minutes, then you can decide whether to keep going or not.
- Eliminate Distractions Prior to Starting
It is much easier to put something off when it is distracting you.
What this means:
A distraction-free environment allows you to get into the zone faster.
How this works:
Before you start, shut off notifications, close tabs and set up your workspace.
- Aim for Improvement Rather Than Perfection
Procrastination is often caused by the tendency to over-perfectionize.
What this means:
Aiming to wait for the “perfect time” means you never actually start anything.
How this works:
Give yourself permission to start with an imperfect version of things. Begin, then make it better.
- Celebrate Completing Tasks
When you get to the finish line of a task, you should treat yourself to something as well.
What this means:
Rewards reinforce behavior and make it easier to keep doing them.
How this works:
Once you are done with something, treat yourself to a brief relaxation session or something special.
Conclusion
If you really want to beat procrastination you must build the habit of doing things, rather than trying to depend on willpower alone. Once you begin to understand what triggers your behavior, you’ll be better able to take the necessary actions to start small, create a distraction-free environment, and make sure that what you want to accomplish gets done.
In the end, doing is always better than intending.