Procrastination is a vice that almost everyone knows all too well. Whether in the workplace, at home, or in your social circles, procrastination is a monster that prevents you from getting things done. So, how does one break the habit and get back onto the train of productivity?
In order to beat your procrastination, you have to first know what’s causing it. And what’s likely causing it is fear; the fear of failure, the fear of confrontation, the fear of not being good enough, or simply the fear of not being able to finish the work. Harnessing your productivity means first preparing yourself mentally to get over that fear and then getting organized enough to start the work.
Below are a series of steps that can help you beat the lazy habits and start obliterating that workload.
Meditate
Before diving into the work, give yourself some time to think about what to do and how to start.
Face the Fear
Ask yourself, what’s the worst that can happen if you do the task today? Is it really as bad as you think? Face your fear and try to move past it.
Think of the Future
What happens if you don’t do the task today? Well, it will be left for another day, and who knows what else you’ll have on your plate by then. Getting it done sooner rather than later frees you up for the future.
Visualize the Results
How important is the task at hand? Will the result be worth doing it? Will leaving it to the last minute still yield the same results? Chances are, doing it before it’s too late will always be beneficial.
Don’t be a Perfectionist
It’s okay if your work isn’t one hundred percent perfect! Get the job done and you can revise your work later on. Poor work is better than no work, and you probably will do a better job than you think.
Get Organized
Sometimes the reason we procrastinate is because we don’t know where to even start. Getting organized helps determine which tasks are important and in what order things should be done.
Make a List
List down everything that you have to do and cross out every task as it’s completed. This will not only keep you organized but also give you a sense of satisfaction that you are in fact getting things done.
Rank the Tasks
Reorder your list so the most important tasks are at the top and the ones that can wait are towards the bottom.
Break Tasks Down
Break down bigger tasks into smaller ones so it doesn’t seem like too much of a burden. This way you can do a bit of one thing and switch to something else so it doesn’t get too monotonous.
Create Goals and Deadlines
Motivate yourself by creating goals and setting deadlines for each goal. You can even reward yourself each time a goal is achieved on time.
Set Time Slots
Set specific time slots for specific tasks. This way you won’t spend too much time on one thing and can move on to the next task instead of leaving it off for another day.
Now go ahead and get started on the tasks you need to get done!