How To Avoid Procrastination
How To Avoid Procrastination
This is a blog post about how to avoid procrastination. I'm going to go over what it is, why we tend to do it, and show you some effective solutions. I will also give some examples of negative side-effects associated with procrastinating, so you can develop a plan to prevent them.
We all know that when we feel the pressure of a deadline approaching, we become anxious and start putting off whatever task needs our attention. However, the more often we put off things for later because of procrastination the worse our productivity spirals out of control and even becomes an addiction! If you're determined to beat this habit then let's take this journey together.
How To Avoid Procrastination
So what is procrastination? It's quite literally two words: "Procrastinate" and "Delay". It's a behavior that we've all been guilty of at one point or another. A bad habit that we can all learn to eliminate. Few people want to use their energy on something trivial when they know they should be using it on something far more important, but it's a repetitive behavioral pattern that we seem to develop without even noticing. We find ourselves juggling tasks and trying our hardest not to face the reality of what needs to get done.
It's easy to procrastinate, we often do it without even realising. We tell ourselves that tomorrow will be better, we tell our coworkers that we'll sort it out later, even when the clock reaches zero our brains still aren't turning towards work. It's a vicious circle of self-denial, and the thing is it's one we can't escape. We have to face up to the fact that there are some tasks we need to get done today. If you procrastinate on your homework, procrastinate on sending that important email, and procrastinate on working on your novel. Procrastination has a habit of sneaking up on us and taking control of our lives. It's the reason why we don't get the best grades in school (I know when I was younger I was constantly blaming a lack of motivation for my low marks), it's the reason why you're tired at work sometimes and need to take a break (procrastination has disrupted your internal clock), it's even why you can sometimes almost feel bored while doing simple tasks like washing dishes or shopping (the same bored brain takes over).
Even though procrastination is a very common behavior, there are ways to help deal with it. Here are 7 tips that will help you to avoid procrastination altogether:
1. STOP LETTING UNWANTED CONCERNS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN YOUR LIFE
I like the quote from Mark Twain: "Writing is easy. All you do is sit down and open a vein." The fear of failure and criticism, family issues and general stress can cause us to procrastinate. If you're overwhelmed by all these concerns it's not uncommon to become paralyzed by the feeling that we just don't have the energy to get anything done in the first place. The thing is, stop stressing over things that you can't control (your boss will be pleased to hear that!) and start doing what you have the power to do: the work.
2. SET ACHIEVABLE GOALS
This is one big reason why we procrastinate: We set unrealistic goals for ourselves with no intention of actually finishing them in the first place. When we hit a snag in our plan, instead of giving up and moving on with our lives we try to find an alternate route that may not even exist in order to avoid admitting defeat. If you're trying to build a website, don't set yourself a goal of 'building this site from scratch' when you know there are pre-made templates around. If it's not achievable in the first place, then procrastination is your answer.
3. GET OUT OF THE RUT OF BEING LIMITED BY YOUR INPUTS
Many of us live our whole life as if we only had one type of input: a mouse or keyboard. When we think about what we need to do or create we tend to only see it through this type of hardware but that's really an extremely limited viewpoint and sometimes our ideas escape from the boundaries of this limited perspective. We're eager to use our computers, smartphones and tablets to access the net and this is a tremendous help to us in the work we do. The thing is, we would be able to accomplish much more if we expanded our thinking beyond this device's capabilities (think of all the amazing jobs that people have done on typewriters).
4. MAKE A PLAN OF ACTION FOR EVERYTHING
We often procrastinate because we have no clear direction or idea of what we need to do next. We wait until things are so overwhelming that there is absolutely no way we can get anything done. Try creating a plan of action for every activity you go through, even if it seems insignificant. The more detailed the plan, the less likely you are to procrastinate.
5. SET UP YOUR WORKSHEET
When you sit down to complete a particular task, instead of just using your default inputs (the way we use our mouse or keyboard), set up your work sheet for a more efficient approach. Like I said earlier, the more time we spend on our work in the first place, the less time we have to spend on procrastinating. If you have multiple tabs open on your computer consider setting up different work sheets for each one so that nothing seems to overlap and it helps to make everything easier to manage.
6. HAVE A SHORT BREAK IN BETWEEN TASKS
This is a very effective method to preventing yourself from procrastinating so much. When you finish one task, take a short break in order to give your brain a chance to rest and relax. After working for a period of time you need this moment of respite to help your brain replenish its energy and then when you get back into the swing of things everything seems easier and more manageable.
7. DON'T BE AFRAID TO TACKLE THE BIG PROJECTS FIRST
Sometimes we think that if we start on the big tasks first, then the smaller ones will feel like a breeze by comparison. This is a very good way to tackle things. When you have one of these big projects to get through, it can be scary and daunting, but when you break it down into smaller easier tasks then it becomes a lot more manageable and an easier thing to accomplish than if you were to look at one huge project.
Procrastination is something we all experience from time to time but it's also something that doesn't need such a huge place in your life.
Conclusion
These are the best ways to avoid procrastination. Use them and you'll be able to get more done in less time. Try not to fall into the trap of putting things off for tomorrow as it will only cause you more stress and increase your level of anxiety. Do what you need to do today and keep things moving along and then you'll have enough energy left over for tomorrow!
If you want a little extra push towards accomplishing everything on your list, check out The Power of Practice by Jayne O'Donnell who has written a short book about how she practices every single day so that she's able to accomplish anything she puts her mind to.