Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday
Napoleon Hill
Listen, what you ignore may be your undoing. I will work you through How to Beat Procrastination: 7 Ways, I will reveal.
Over the years, I’ve been in an inner battle with starting or completing a task (procrastination).
“Shey it’s just to start. once I start, I’ll finish up”
“I’ll still meet up with my deadlines, either way”
“Is it not just this one?”
I’ve always looked for one reason or the other and mostly blamed my habit of procrastinating on external factors. I thought I was the type that works more efficiently under the pressure of a ticking clock but knowing fully well that this habit affects my level of productivity, I tried my very best to beat it. Over time, I found out that it had helped me to reduce stress, anxiety, guilt, frustration and subsequently aided me in gaining higher self-discipline.
Permit me to walk you through my tips on how to stop procrastinating and be on the winning side of this inner battle.
- Creating a valid reason for doing a task: Why should I do this? (Okay… I want to keep a healthy life, so I need to consume healthy food and exercise regularly). I also analyse the consequences of not carrying out a task at the right time. (If I really do not eat healthy, I’ll probably end up being fat and obese or probably with a degenerative disease). My various reasons and consequences drive me to achieving my aim. That, is one of the 7 ways on how to beat procrastination.
- Setting goals: This has to do with coming up with ideas that guide and motivate me towards achieving my aim. Often, I decide on what I want to achieve by the end of the day and most of my activities all through the day are directed towards reaching those goals. However, it is important you make clear, precise, realistic, and achievable goals, so they can be easily attained.
- Make small but important tasks to complete: it’s salient that you make your task small and easy. I try to avoid taking on too many tasks, so as avoid being in complicated situations. It’s also important you prioritize your tasks. I go from the most important ones to the least important ones. I divide it into little steps to make it easier for me to focus on one thing at a time rather than juggling everything all at once.
- Knowing your productivity pattern: Everyone has that time of the day when they are at their best. I discovered that I perform better in the mornings and late at night so while setting my agenda for the day, I ensure I handle the most important tasks during this time. I found this strategy to be one of the best ways how to beat procrastination.
- Setting deadlines: I’ve found myself subconsciously taking notes of all I’d love to achieve by the end day. I have deadlines within each day and I’m always mindful of what I spend my time on to ensure I reach my set targets.
- Look at progress not perfection: “Perfection is the enemy of progress”. This quote has made me concentrate more on my little wins and not always the end result. I’ve been able to appreciate my small accomplishments which in turn has been a major source of motivation to do even more.
- Reward yourself: I always anticipate the completion of each task because when I do, I’ll always “get myself that dress”, “visit that place” or “see that movie”. Consequently, this motivates and encourages me to do more with my time.
Believe me, fighting and winning a battle against procrastination isn’t such a hard thing. It’s more about you being intentional and having the right mindset. Are there other ways you have found useful showing how to beat procrastination? Share in the comment below.
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