Twenty tips for beating procrastination
1. Designate a couple of minutes for the task you procrastinate. A couple of minutes of any task is not mission impossible. I hate washing dishes, but washing dishes only 2 minutes is not that hard. After that, you can continue with procrastinated activity or do something else.
2. If it comes to your mind that you should do something, then do it NOW. It might not be possible, but start with it anyway. For example, you could watch the TV, but it pops into your mind that you should wash the dishes. Usual response, is "I'll wait for this show to finish and then I will wash the dishes". Of course, after that you will be tired, or something else. This behavior becomes a habit. You must stop with this habit. Therefore, whenever it comes to your mind that you should do something do it instantly.
3. Designate some time for doing unpleasant things and be very specific. For example, I will wash my dishes from 7pm to 7:30pm every day. Use alarm clock as reminder.
4. Split tasks to very small subtasks. Such small tasks would not be that hard to do.
5. Create a reward system. For example: for each plate I wash, I will spend 1 minutes watching TV,
6. Create a list of unpleasant tasks. Do everyday something unpleasant from that list, starting from the least unpleasant. That way, some tasks will not be unpleasant and there will be less tasks that you procrastinate on.
7. Modify you internal thinking. If you think "I hate to wash the dishes" and hate every plate that you wash, you will certainly delay washing. When washing the dishes start to block that line of thoughts. For example, whenever I wash the dishes, I will listen for sounds that I make, or I will think about my family, or something else that makes you happy.
8. Set a deadline for finishing a certain task. For example, I will finish washing the dishes before tonights game.
9. Imagine the negative consequences of not finishing a task.
10. Imagine the positive consequences of finishing a task.
11. Find the reasons behind procrastination: If it is physical (tired, hungry, thirsty ...) fix it is possible. If it is psychological change the line of thinking: If it is not fun, then find something funny inside of it, if you are scared find something in it that you are not afraid of.
12. Block the things that you use when you procrastinate. For example sell your TV, turn off your computer, or block the Internet.
13. Find something that you like to do about this task and do it.
14. Do only one thing at the time. You cannot do two things at the time, and if you try to do it, one will certainly be postponed.
15. Make a daily schedule, and try to stick with it.
16. Make a habit of finishing tasks. Even if it is boring. We usually procrastinate on unfinished tasks.
17. Read and learn about task management and similar topics.
18. Schedule some things that you like to do. Don't work only on task that you dislike. Life should be fun.
19. Delegate things that you can delegate. You could even pay someone else to do it if possible.
20. Find someone who will beat you until you finish the task. Well, not literally. Someone that phone you and nag about finishing the task could push you to do it eventually.
2. If it comes to your mind that you should do something, then do it NOW. It might not be possible, but start with it anyway. For example, you could watch the TV, but it pops into your mind that you should wash the dishes. Usual response, is "I'll wait for this show to finish and then I will wash the dishes". Of course, after that you will be tired, or something else. This behavior becomes a habit. You must stop with this habit. Therefore, whenever it comes to your mind that you should do something do it instantly.
3. Designate some time for doing unpleasant things and be very specific. For example, I will wash my dishes from 7pm to 7:30pm every day. Use alarm clock as reminder.
4. Split tasks to very small subtasks. Such small tasks would not be that hard to do.
5. Create a reward system. For example: for each plate I wash, I will spend 1 minutes watching TV,
6. Create a list of unpleasant tasks. Do everyday something unpleasant from that list, starting from the least unpleasant. That way, some tasks will not be unpleasant and there will be less tasks that you procrastinate on.
7. Modify you internal thinking. If you think "I hate to wash the dishes" and hate every plate that you wash, you will certainly delay washing. When washing the dishes start to block that line of thoughts. For example, whenever I wash the dishes, I will listen for sounds that I make, or I will think about my family, or something else that makes you happy.
8. Set a deadline for finishing a certain task. For example, I will finish washing the dishes before tonights game.
9. Imagine the negative consequences of not finishing a task.
10. Imagine the positive consequences of finishing a task.
11. Find the reasons behind procrastination: If it is physical (tired, hungry, thirsty ...) fix it is possible. If it is psychological change the line of thinking: If it is not fun, then find something funny inside of it, if you are scared find something in it that you are not afraid of.
12. Block the things that you use when you procrastinate. For example sell your TV, turn off your computer, or block the Internet.
13. Find something that you like to do about this task and do it.
14. Do only one thing at the time. You cannot do two things at the time, and if you try to do it, one will certainly be postponed.
15. Make a daily schedule, and try to stick with it.
16. Make a habit of finishing tasks. Even if it is boring. We usually procrastinate on unfinished tasks.
17. Read and learn about task management and similar topics.
18. Schedule some things that you like to do. Don't work only on task that you dislike. Life should be fun.
19. Delegate things that you can delegate. You could even pay someone else to do it if possible.
20. Find someone who will beat you until you finish the task. Well, not literally. Someone that phone you and nag about finishing the task could push you to do it eventually.
Labels: procrastination, time management
posted by Zoran Maksimovic at
3:41 AM
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