How to Stop Procrastinating
Procrastination is a normal human response to wanting to avoid pain and discomfort.
We often procrastinate when we don't know where to start, aren't organized or don't know exactly how to go about the task that needs to be tackled.
Here are 3 ways to overcome procrastination, get more organized, and feel empowered to take on difficult or unpleasant tasks.
Use time blocking to plan your day.
Start with a spot that is causing you the most stress or is the most inefficient, then map out the next areas after this. As with anything in life, having a plan will go a long way!
In order to use time blocking effectively:
Choose a start time and an end time for each block of work. Doing this will help keep you on track throughout the day, especially if there's something difficult or boring in your schedule (like completing your taxes).
Block out breaks at regular intervals throughout the day; even just five minutes here and there can make all the difference! It also helps prevent burnout when people aren't allowed to work continuously because it allows them to recharge their batteries every once in awhile by getting off their computers/phones/etcetera so they'll be able to concentrate better later on when they go back again after eating lunch, taking their dog for a walk, or going to grab a coffee with a friend.
Plan to tackle the most challenging or uncomfortable tasks in the morning.
First, let's explore why it's helpful to tackle the most challenging or uncomfortable tasks in the morning.
In his book The Power of Habit, New York Times columnist and author Charles Duhigg explains that if you're working on a project that requires creativity or analytical thinking—the two highest-order brain functions—it helps to do those activities first thing in the morning when your mind is fresh. This allows you to take advantage of the "peak performance" state when you're feeling most focused and energized; after lunchtime, this state diminishes significantly. If a task doesn't require much mental energy but is instead more mechanical or repetitive (like checking email), he recommends doing it later in the day when your focus has waned slightly and/or while you're watching TV at night so that these tasks are less likely to be distracting from an activity like reading books or talking with friends who can help stimulate ideas for future projects!
Don't be afraid to change plans if you need to solve an immediate problem.
If you find yourself avoiding work because of a particular task, don't be afraid to change your plan. If tackling the problem will help you achieve your goals in the long run, then it's worth solving. However, don't alter plans just because you've been working on something for a long time or if getting bored is holding you back—those are irrelevant reasons for changing course.
For example: "I'm supposed to write my thesis next week. I've been procrastinating about it all Summer and Fall because I'm worried about how much work it'll take me."
Task: Write thesis
Reason why: Because finishing my degree is important!
When you find yourself procrastinating because of fear of how difficult something will be, reframe your mindset by writing down your WHY for getting the task done. This practice will help reignite your motivation and at least give you an end-goal to hold on to as you work hard to get the task done.
This won't necessarily make it easier, but it will make it feel WORTH IT, and we all know that as humans when we want something bad enough we'll do almost anything it takes to make it happen.
None of us loves unpleasant tasks, but we CAN all get them done, and get them done well.
No one likes being uncomfortable and it's completely normal not to feel like doing something that's going to take time, energy and effort to accomplish. However, the self-satisfaction that comes with completing something hard is character building, and there's no short cut for earning integrity with yourself and becoming a responsible, reliable person. Doing difficult things will make you a happier person in the long-term.
Let's say you have a big project that's due tomorrow, it's much easier to put off working on it than if you've only got an hour left before your deadline arrives. That way, when your time is running out, you'll be motivated by the thought: "I can't let this deadline slip away!" When you know for sure how long it will take for something to be completed—or how long until its completion date—you can make better decisions about what needs doing now and what could wait until later.
If fear gets in the way of getting things done on time or at all—fear of failure or fear of anything else—it’s important not to let this stop YOU from achieving YOUR goals! Achieving success takes hard work and determination; sometimes it requires ignoring other people’s opinions (and even that dissenting voice in our own head) so that WE CAN DO WHAT IS BEST FOR OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES.
Remember that procrastination doesn't just cost you time... it costs you self-trust and causes additional anxiety; Two very important reasons to employ the mindset shifting tips above to cease time-wasting habits and get your life organized.
