6 Effective Ways to Stop Procrastinating

We have all fallen prey to procrastination. Sometimes we wake up in the morning with so much enthusiasm, but end up losing it when we realise the amount of work that we have to do. According to Forbes, the top 5 reasons for procrastination are:

You don’t really want to do it
The task is too easy, difficult or boring
The task is just too overwhelming
You are tired
You’re afraid to take the leap

In this article, we discuss 6 methods that you can employ to get out of the procrastination circle:

1. Implement a reward system

Reward yourself for milestones reached. Your milestones may be simple or complex, it is up to you. When you know that you will be rewarded for reaching a goal, you will have more motivation to complete your tasks.

The reward system should be written down and you should not deviate from it. Rewards may be as small as getting to watch your favorite movie, or as big as going on that special vacation. Ensure that the reward ties up with the goal, don’t reward big gifts for small goals as that will defeat the purpose of the reward system.

2. Plan your day

There is a famous saying by Benjamin Franklin that goes “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”. This is true, planning your day allows you to stay focused on the specific tasks at hand. When you are not sure of your daily schedule you may end up putting your hands into many things with no success.

Your plan should be written down. Many people have mental plans which is great, however, writing it down gives you that added visual reminder of the tasks that you will be required to complete for the day.

3. Set realistic goals

Procrastination often times happens because we have a look at our to-do list and find that it is too much too handle.

Break your work into small realistic and achievable goals. If you find that you are working hard, but are still not able to reach your goals, chances are that you have set unrealistic goals. Revise them and try again.

4. Publicize your goals

Publicizing your goals will give you the added pressure to get working. If you are planning to publish a book for example, put your launch date on your website, this is sure to give you the motivation to complete the project.

If your goals are more personal, you may publicize it to your friends and family. This will still have the same effect.

5. Remove distractions

Aim to remove any distractions preventing you from achieving your goals. In our post titled How to Create a Productive Home Office Environment, we discuss how distractions may affect your productivity and methods you can implement to make your environment more productive.