At some point in everyone’s life, there comes a time when procrastination gets the best of us. Whether it’s a challenge at work that we want to avoid or a chore at home that we would rather not do, procrastination can become a real issue, if we aren’t careful.
We can’t move forward or achieve our goals if we continue to fall victim to procrastination. Let’s cover some tips to stay out of the procrastination rut!
Recognize Your Patterns
Before you can overcome procrastination, you have to take some time to reflect on what fuels your delay. Are you avoiding a particular task because it’s challenging? Does it make you fearful? Is it that you just don’t like it? Recognizing the patterns of why you push to-dos to the next day can help you identify it, and stop it, when it starts to happen again.
Sometimes, chronic procrastination can also be a symptom of a mental health condition, such as depression, or a diagnosis like ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). If you’re concerned that this could be what’s behind your procrastination, speak with a mental health professional or therapist to take the next step.
Once you can figure out your procrastination patterns, you can start to notice your triggers and avoid putting yourself in the same situation the next time.
Make it Easier to Check it Off Your List
If you’re excited about your obligation, procrastination probably won’t become an issue. If your task is something unavoidable, here are some steps you can take to make it seem less overwhelming and more exciting.
Break It Up
When you break up a large task into smaller chunks, it starts to feel less overwhelming. By making it into more manageable pieces, you will feel better about tackling each one.
Doable Deadlines
Another way to excite you about your task is to create reachable deadlines. Each time you complete one aspect of the bigger looming task, it creates more momentum to get the next one done, too. As each deadline starts to creep up, dedicate yourself to finding more time in your day to keep the task rolling toward the finish line. Bonus: Each time you check something off your list, you’ll get a boost of confidence and a feeling of accomplishment!
Eliminate Distractions
A lot of the time, procrastination pops up because we’re tired. After all, saving your mental energy for the task at hand is important! Silence notifications, say “no” to unnecessary obligations, or decrease demands that derail your focus.
Avoid Perfectionism Paralysis
Especially in a world where social media shows us everyone’s highlight reels and not the hard work behind the successes, it can be tempting to avoid doing what you need to do when you feel like your final result will be less than perfect. To overcome this mindset, recognize that not trying is far less ideal than not doing it perfectly.
Reward Yourself
Celebrate every little win to inspire yourself to keep going. For example, pay yourself on the back for reading this article and attempting to become more productive! Each time you combat your procrastination, it will become easier to take charge the next time you feel the need to “wait until tomorrow!”
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