Do you find yourself often pushing things, saying something like “I’ll get to it tomorrow”? Procrastination is so commonplace that we may not even realize how ingrained it has become. It’s hard to push back against procrastination. Many of us are busy with multiple things at once, and procrastination is just a part of the process. But what do we do when it starts to get a little out of hand. Surely everyone wants to be known as being prompt and getting their work done quickly and efficiently.
Here is a list of some easy ways to combat procrastination; and stay on top of your work.
Take A Quick Break
If you’re feeling sluggish step outside if you can and go for a short walk. The fresh air will clear your mind and give you a nice boost of energy to start the task you were going to put off. If you can’t head outside, still try to get up from your desk. Perhaps you can go make yourself a coffee or simply sit in the breakroom for a few minutes. Getting away from your desk for a few minutes will remove you from other distractions and give your mind a quick rest.
Start With What You Enjoy
Pick one task to start with that you know you will enjoy doing and can accomplish with ease. Once you have one thing checked off then you will feel more motivated and confident to turn to the other work that you were less excited to begin.
Create A “Done” List
Everyone has a “to do” list. A long list of things that we most likely have yet to even start. Something that could help you with motivation is creating a list of things that you have already finished. Even the smallest of completed tasks should go on this list. When you are feeling unmotivated you can read this list to see all the tasks you have already accomplished. It feels great to see a long list of things that you know you’ve already completed.
Set A Limit
If you know that you are a procrastinator, create a schedule or calendar. Set your own due dates and enforce them. It may even be helpful to treat yourself if you make the deadline. Something like a desert, or an extra coffee. It should be small but significant enough to motivate yourself.
Start Small
If you are working on a project that you feel like you absolutely cannot get through, break it up. Here is a great example from Forbes. Say you are creating a video for your website. That is a decent sized project and could be a very daunting task. However, you can break it up to make it more manageable. Try first writing the script, then begin to film, then edit, then publish. Even small steps help to create a finished product.
Procrastination can be hard to overcome. The way to defeat it is to take small steps over time and slowly but surely you will procrastinate less and less. For more business tips check out Agile Payments Canada EFT Integration.
