“I’ll just do it later.” “I don’t feel like doing it now.” “Just few more minute, please.” These are few of the most common excuses of a procrastinator. Slacking off leads to cramming and it poisons your productivity. How will you stop procrastination? Take note of these tips:
1. Destress yourself.
Most people associate procrastination with “mood swings” or laziness problems. In fact, one of the under-the-radar factors of it is stress or lack of sleep. Destress yourself; get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, and exercise daily.
2. Reshuffle your to-do list.
If you already know the particular tasks you’re going to do, what’s the sense of writing them down? Doing the same order of tasks everyday will bore you off – and therefore – will lead you to slack off. Reshuffle the tasks in your list or remove some items so you won’t be tempted to procrastinate.
3. Identify what triggers you to procrastinate.
Find out the reason why you procrastinate. Maybe then you will be able to solve the underlying problem. You may reflect on the following questions:
- Are your tasks starting to overwhelm you?
- Are you unmotivated or lacking of energy? Why?
- What is that particular task that intimidates you?
- Is there something that can help you get back from being productive? What is it?
4. Set a timer.
Have you heard about the Pomodoro Method? It’s a time management technique developed by Francesco Cirillo, in which a timer is used to break down work into intervals – traditionally 25 minutes in length with 5-minute breaks in between.
This tactic lets you spend the 25 minutes to furiously work on your task and then reward yourself with a short break. If you get easily tired or bored in your work, this Pomodoro Method might work.
5. Take down hard tasks first.
In real life, working is not like in video games where you can recharge your energy fast so you can defeat the final boss. Save the easier tasks for later and work on the hard ones first. Your tired mind and body will thank you for that, promise.
6. Divide big jobs into small tasks.
Thinking about getting a huge job done can definitely attract procrastination. Before you get out of the mood, start chopping down that chunk of job into small tasks that you can work one step at a time. Now who says a huge work can’t be doable?
7. Keep your distractions off your sight.
Electronic devices and social media are today’s most popular source of distraction. If you’re a kind of person who gets easily distracted, consider removing those deflectors from your desk. Switch your smartphone to airplane mode and get moving.
Lastly, don’t forget to reward yourself when you get a task done. This way you will give yourself a reason to get back to work and stop procrastination for good. It doesn’t matter whether you’ll treat yourself a decadent dessert or a 30-minute break to stream your favorite movie. The bigger tasks you accomplish, the bigger the reward you should give to yourself.
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Sources: | lifehack.com | success.com |
