Procrastination is an act of postponing certain tasks and actions for no apparent reason. It’s a common problem among adults and students, which may lead to missed opportunities and unnecessary stress. If you’re reading this article, you are also probably struggling with this issue and trying to overcome it. So let’s walk through some steps you can employ to overcome procrastination and be more fruitful and efficient in your tasks. Here are some tips to kill procrastination:
The primary reason for procrastination is that we find our work too overwhelming to manage and handle. Break down your tasks into smaller parts and finish them, and slowly head towards the remaining parts. Also, plan your day in advance rather than frantically figuring out what you’ll need to do during a particular time. This will make the task simpler and easier to achieve.
If you just have one deadline, it is like an invitation to procrastinate, as you’ll have the impression that it will make you push back tasks until it's late. After setting the task, you have to set strict deadlines where you have to finish a task within a timeframe. The timelines must be set in a way where there is an urgency to complete the task or the risk of jeopardizing the entire operation.
The working space or surrounding environment impacts your productivity levels. If you sit at the same table all day, it clogs your productivity and makes you procrastinate. Change your environment every now and then to remove all possible distractions and focus on completing the task at hand.
If you’re procrastinating too much, then identify the reasons for your distraction from work. Are you spending too much time on social media in the middle of work? Are you unable to stop yourself from replying to messages? Are you taking too many smoke breaks? You can disable automatic notifications on your mobile and reduce tobacco use in such cases to eliminate these distractions.
If you have been procrastinating for long periods, it may be because your goals don’t match your current tasks. In most cases, we outgrow our goals and are hesitant to change them. To overcome this problem, you can get away from work to freshen up your mind and set new goals or modify existing ones.
Rewards are bribes you can give yourself after completing a task. These rewards will motivate you to achieve more goals. Use this hack if you’re beginning to procrastinate to get back on track.
If you’re having a tough time, don’t be too hard yourself. It is essential to understand that you are human and sitting idle during work is also important. In fact, taking a break can help with procrastination and improve your productivity. Ensure you use that time to do something that makes you happy and refreshes your mind.
The fact is that you can read this article ten times over, but implementing the changes depends on you. At MCC Coaching, we help business owners and leaders overcome their challenges to see new opportunities and efficiently achieve strategic goals to grow their businesses. Get in touch with us if you could use a boost in your personal or professional life.