Ways to stop procrastinating are very difficult. Everyone has experienced a little bit of the dreaded word: “procrastination”. Some people never really get over this bad habit of theirs, whether it be from consistently beginning low-priority projects at the last minute and/or regularly skipping out on everyday tasks to watch Netflix. But few people admit to it just for what seems like easy, fun distractions – when it could actually be holding them back professionally, or even personally. In this article, you will learn about 11 major features that can help you conquer your procrastination once and for all!
TIP | WAYS TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY |
Embrace how you can be more effective | Pick a particular time of the day when you are in your productive best |
Set reasonable goals and deadlines | Don’t set yourself to unreasonable deadlines. Frequently talk to your supervisor |
Seize new opportunities | Grab new opportunities. New opportunities help you learn new techniques which can be deployed back to older work |
Organize your time | Keep a simple journal or use software |
Set specific daily or weekly goals | Granularize your task. A rule of thumb is to break a task to 2 hour sprint |
Keep organized and focused | Distractions during peak hours of productivity should be avoided |
Start a list of things to do each day | Make a to-do list everyday |
Create a plan that fits your goals | Make customized plans. Do not comply to a plan which works for others |
Delegate tasks if needed | Delegate non critical works. |
Plan for low points and high points | Keep yourself motivated in lows and reward oneself during the highs |
Form relationships with like-minded individuals | Make good company. A set of high performing individuals are the greatest motivator |
What are the Benefits of being productive?
One of the biggest benefits of being productive is that it can change your life for the better. Productivity can help you achieve your goals faster and with less stress. Here are some of the benefits of being productive:
1. It can Increase your income.
2. It can Reduce stress levels.
3. It Can Improve your quality of life.
4. It Can Help you Stay organized and on task.
5. It Can Help you Meet Deadlines More Easily
WAYS to STOP PROCRASTINATING
- Embrace how you can be more effective
- Set reasonable goals and deadlines
- Seize new opportunities
- Organize your time
- Set specific daily or weekly goals
- Keep organized and focused
- Start a list of things to do each day
- Create a plan that fits your goals
- Delegate tasks if needed
- Plan for low points and high points
- Keep up with outside commitments
- Form relationships with like-minded individuals
Why Do We Procrastinate?
The first step is to understand why we procrastinate. Often, our reasons for putting off tasks stem from fear or anxiety. We may think that we’re not capable of doing something, or that it’s too difficult. If we can identify these reasons, we can start to combat them.
One of the major reasons we procrastinate lies in the way our brain treats rewards and the way it motivates oneself and outweighs itself by demotivating factors like anxiety, and fear of failure.
For Example, you want a “Gym-Toned Body” and you want to hit the gym daily. However, you are anxious that people will laugh about your body in the gym or that you will in pain. These hindering factors lead you to procrastinate and never let you go to the gym. Therefore, it is important to stay positive and motivated throughout the process. When things get tough, remember that there are always solutions available. If you keep fighting until the end, you’ll be able to finish whatever you start.
WAYS TO STOP PROCRASTINATING
ways to stop procrastinating Tip 1: Embrace how you can be more effective
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to overcoming procrastination. However, there are ways that everyone can be more productive.
One way that everyone can be more effective is to embrace how they can be more effective. Rather than trying to resist or eliminate the temptation to procrastinate, try to understand why it happens and how you can change the way you work. You can find a particular day in time or a notional peak hour of the day where you are most productive and complete your most important work during that phase of the day.
Tip 2: Set reasonable goals and deadlines
When setting goals, make sure they are reasonable and achievable. Trying to achieve too much too fast will only lead to frustration and defeat. Make your goals short-term and manageable, so you can focus on achieving them rather than feeling overwhelmed by the task at hand. If you are overwhelmed by work, you can always ask your supervisor or manager for an extension as improves the quality of delivery. Similarly, if you self managing your time, the best practice is to feel set achievable targets rather than setting yourself to nonachievable ultimatums which increase work pressure and further reduce delivery.
Tip 3: Seize new opportunities
Seizing new opportunities is critical to personal growth. Not only do new opportunities help you grow professionally, it constantly forces you out of your comfort zone, thereby making you agile and adept to embrace challenges. It also helps in learning new skills which help in furthering your time management and delivery skills for your existing role.
Tip 4: Ways to stop procrastinating Tip 1: Organize your time
When you are trying to get things done, it is important to have an efficient workflow. Work on one task at a time and get everything done as quickly as possible so that you have more time for the next task. break up larger tasks into smaller parts so that you feel less overwhelmed and can focus on completing each step correctly.
One common myth is to use fancy gadgets and software. The classic way to manage your time is by using a simple diary or a daily planner. As you become more comfortable you can always start using more sophisticated tools like software. Current-day mobile phones also do an exceptional job in this regard.
Tip 5: Set specific daily or weekly goals
One of the most common problems that people have is procrastination. This is when somebody postpones or avoids tasks that they should be doing because they feel like they don’t have enough time or energy.
There are a few things that you can do to stop procrastinating and be more productive. First, start a list of things to do each day. This will help you to organize your thoughts and keep track of your progress. Second, try to make each task as small as possible. This will help you to focus on the task at hand and avoid delaying it unnecessarily. Finally, give yourself permission to fail. Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them. This will help you to become a better worker overall. Getting granularity of tasks are the most important way to be more productive.
Tip 6: Keep organized and focused for avoiding procrastination
One of the main reasons why people tend to procrastinate is because they are not organized and focused.
To overcome this problem, it is important to keep yourself organized. This means that you should have a clear plan for what you are going to do and how you are going to do it.
In addition, it is also important to focus on the task at hand. If you are trying to write a paper, for example, try not to let your mind wander off. Stay focused on the words that you are writing.
If you can focus on the task at hand and be organized, you will find it much easier to get started and be more productive. Focusing on one or two key tasks of the day can release your daily work pressure immensely
ways to stop procrastinating Tip 7: Start a list of things to do each day
One of the most common problems that people have is procrastination. This is when somebody postpones or avoids tasks that they should be doing because they feel like they don’t have enough time or energy.
There are a few things that you can do to stop procrastinating and be more productive. First, start a list of things to do each day. This will help you to organize your thoughts and keep track of your progress. Second, try to make each task as small as possible. This will help you to focus on the task at hand and avoid delaying it unnecessarily. Finally, give yourself permission to fail. Allow yourself to make mistakes and learn from them. This will help you to become a better worker overall.
Tip 8: Create a plan that fits your goals to stop procrastination
One of the biggest problems people face when trying to be more productive is procrastination. Procrastination is the tendency to put things off because you don’t feel like doing them.
The first step to overcoming procrastination is creating a plan that fits your goals. This means making a list of all the tasks you need to accomplish, and then breaking them down into smaller, easier-to-manage chunks. Make sure the timeline for each task is realistic, and adjust it as needed based on how much time you think you can realistically commit to it.
Once you have a plan, set some deadlines. Don’t try to push through everything at once; take care of one task at a time and see how much progress you can make before moving on to the next one. This will help reduce the temptation to procrastinate since you will already be halfway through the task before starting on the next one.
Finally, be accountable for your work. When you finish a task, check off the box next to it so that you can track your progress and see how much work you still have left. This will help motivate you to keep going even when things get tough. Account for very important activities like exercising, meeting friends, taking time with your pets or kids, and spending time with your family or partner.
Tip 9: Delegate tasks if needed for stopping to procrastinate
Procrastination is a common problem that can really take its toll on our productivity. There are many different ways to try and stop procrastinating, but one of the simplest is to delegate tasks if necessary.
If you find that you are constantly putting off tasks until later, it may be because you are feeling overwhelmed by the task itself. Instead, break the task down into smaller, more manageable parts. This will help you to feel less stressed and be more productive.
Once you have broken the task down, create a timeline for it and set deadlines for yourself. This way, you know exactly when the task should be completed and will not feel pressured to rush.
In addition to delegating tasks, it can also help to set clear boundaries with colleagues or friends. If something is too big or too risky to bring up with them directly, setting limits can help to keep them safe while still allowing them access to your work.
ways to stop procrastinating Tip 10: Plan for low points and high points
Procrastination can be a difficult habit to break, but there are ways to start overcoming it. One way to help stop procrastinating is to plan for low points and high points.
When you know that you will have periods of low energy or motivation, make sure to have a plan in place to help you get through them. Draw up goals or objectives for tasks that you are intending to accomplish, and keep track of your progress. This will help you stay on track and push through the barriers that may be blocking your progress.
However, on a high there should be ways to motivate oneself and reward in the most appropriate way. Thus planning for low and high points are very important.
Tip 11: Keep up with outside commitments to stop Procrastinating
One of the biggest ways to stop procrastinating and be more productive is to keep up with outside commitments. It can be difficult to get started when there are other obligations waiting, but once you start, it will be easier to stay on track.
One way to make sure you stay on task is to keep a list of your upcoming commitments. This will help you remember what needs to be done and when. You can also use a timer to set deadlines for yourself, or use an online calendar.
Tip 12: Form relationships with like-minded individuals
One of the most common reasons why people procrastinate is because they don’t have any friends or family members who are also trying to be more productive. If you want to stop procrastinating, you need to find like-minded individuals who can help you change your habits. Part of forming relationships with these individuals is being open and honest with them. You should also share your progress with them so that they can support you along the way.
CONCLUSION
What defines a successful man from an unsuccessful one is the way one manages their time. Everyone gets a specific 24 hours and the way one distributes it makes him live a very happy and a successful life. We are sure if you practice these habits, you surely would be able to manage your time better and stop procrastinating.
Samrat is a Delhi-based MBA from the Indian Institute of Management. He is a Strategy, AI, and Marketing Enthusiast and passionately writes about core and emerging topics in Management studies. Reach out to his LinkedIn for a discussion or follow his Quora Page