John N
Procrastination is a real problem. It can interfere with your work, relationships, and life, but luckily, you can take many steps to combat it. These include setting realistic goals and rewards for yourself, following through on what needs to be done and putting a plan to tackle complex tasks early on. The more you practice these ways of beating procrastination, the easier it will become for you to fight back against this frustrating habit!
Set small goals.
The best way to avoid procrastination is to set small goals. If you are developing a plan that is too ambitious, too vague, or not specific enough, it will be difficult for you to achieve it. For example, if your goal is “I want more energy,” how will you know when you have reached this? You need to set measurable goals with little steps leading up to the bigger picture and ensure they’re realistic and achievable.
If your goal is “I want a new car,” but you don’t have enough money saved up yet, then this isn’t going to work because it’s too big of a task and could end up causing stress, leading down the path of procrastination! Look at ways around this problem by saving more money or working on getting better-paying jobs so that when it comes time to repurchase cars down the road (like after graduation), then having one won’t even feel like such an impossible task anymore.”
Determine your procrastination triggers.
The first step to avoiding procrastination is determining what triggers your procrastination. Are there specific tasks you find difficult or overwhelming? Does the thought of a task send your anxiety through the roof? Are there particular times of day when you’re more likely to put off work—areas of your house that are associated with productivity versus regions related to relaxation and fun?
Once you’ve identified these factors, try to plan around them as much as possible. For example, if getting up early in the morning makes it difficult for you to focus on work tasks because they’re competing with other thoughts running through your head (like “it’s still dark outside,” or “it doesn’t matter if I have this done now”), try waking up earlier so that those thoughts aren’t competing with tasks related directly to your goals.
Take on complex tasks early.
Procrastination is a sneaky little trick of the mind. When you put off doing something, it feels more comfortable for a few minutes to do something else instead. But then those feelings go away, and often you jump back into whatever task needs to be done.
But by that point, your brain has been conditioned by the pleasant experience of procrastinating—and now it’s hard for you to settle down and work on what needs doing. So if you want to avoid procrastination and get your work done efficiently, take on complex tasks early in the day when they’re still fresh in your mind and relatively easy for your brain to process.
Make a plan.
- Make a plan.
That’s right; you need to make a plan. You must do many projects and implement them into your life until they become habits. Many people think that if they set a goal for themselves, that just magically happens without any effort on their part, but this is not the case! There are many steps involved in achieving any goal:
- Know what resources you have available to achieve your goals
Reward yourself when you can.
When it comes to rewards, you want to ensure they are tangible and not too expensive. For example, I reward myself with a trip to the spa every time I reach one of my goals. If the reward is food or drink, ensure you get a healthy option (go for fruits or fresh vegetables). You can also attain these rewards at home by saving up for them instead of buying them outright; this way, your hard-earned cash will last longer!
Please list tasks you need to do each day, then cross off things as you complete them. You’ll feel energized when you see all that you’ve accomplished!
It’s essential to list the tasks you need to do each day, then cross them off as you complete them. This will give you an idea of how much work is left unfinished, which can help motivate you to finish your tasks.
If possible, it’s good to have a good to-do app that syncs with your phone so that it can be added right away when something comes up in the middle of the day (like needing milk). That way, if something crops up while on the go, there won’t be any fear or panic because all this stuff has been accounted for!
You’ll feel energized when everything on your list gets checked off!
Break large, daunting tasks into smaller ones, so you don’t get overwhelmed.
You can take the same approach to your big goals and tasks by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable steps. This means that instead of feeling overwhelmed by a massive job at work or school, break it down into manageable chunks—and start with actions that are likely to be easy for you.
Take something like cleaning out a closet or organizing your files. If this is something you’ve been putting off for months (or years), then chances are there are some places in your home or office where things have gotten pretty messy—and you might not be able to tackle everything at once without feeling completely overwhelmed. But instead of cleaning out an entire room (or even just one closet), try focusing on just one small corner and clearing out those drawers or boxes until they’re empty before moving on to another part of the space. Then take a break while keeping in mind how far you’ve come!
You can also use this approach when planning out tasks over time: instead of trying to do everything at once during the day when it comes time for bedtime routines or meal preparation (for example), focus solely on one thing at first, then move on another task later on when there’s less going on around us.
Work with others.
Working with others is one of the best ways to avoid procrastination and achieve your goals.
- You can get support from family and friends, who will cheer you on when you need it most.
- Joining a community group or online community of like-minded people can also help keep you motivated and on track.
- It’s easier to stay motivated when you have a support network around you!
Get enough sleep.
One of the most important things you can do for your body, health, and well-being is to get enough sleep. Our sleep needs change as we age, but even adults need 7-9 hours every night. The National Institute on Aging says that most adults should get 8 hours per night, while teenagers and young adults are advised to get 9-10 hours per night.
Make sure you’re getting enough sleep by making your bedroom a place where it’s easy to fall asleep quickly—and stay asleep all night. If you have trouble sleeping at night or wake up too early in the morning, try these tips:
Welcome the challenge of your goals, and feel good about the results!
Even though you may be facing a challenge, it’s important to remember that there is no right or wrong way to tackle your goals. The only goal you have is to achieve the results you want and feel good about them.
You’ve already taken the first step of recognizing that something needs to change for you to reach your goals, so congratulations! Now all that remains is helping yourself remember how great it feels when we accomplish our goals. After all, what good are they if we don’t enjoy them? Your mind will try convincing you otherwise by telling you, “it’s too hard” or “you’re not good enough yet.” But we’ve all been there and succeeded at whatever we wanted! So why stop now?
Conclusion
These are just a few ways you can overcome your procrastination. If you’ve been struggling with this problem for some time, it may take some experimenting before you find what works best for you. But don’t give up! Remember: the key is not to beat yourself up when things go wrong (because they will) but to keep trying and learning from each experience. As long as we keep our eyes on our goals, who knows how far we might go?
