7 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Be More Productive

Introvert Whisperer / 7 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Be More Productive Your 7-Step Guide to Eliminating Procrastination From Your Life Ever wonder why you’ve been a procrastinator your entire life? Let’s start by saying this: You’re not alone. Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that you work better under pressure. Or maybe you’re easily distracted and have a hard time focusing. Whatever your excuse is, it’s time to break free from your procrastinating ways! Today we’ll show you a few simple things that you can do to become more productive and alleviate the stress that comes with procrastination. Keep reading for our 7-step guide to eliminating procrastination from your life once and for all! #1 Break Down Big Tasks into Little Ones Sometimes we procrastinate because a project or a task seems so overwhelming that we dread the thought of getting started. But there’s an easy way to get around that… Rather than looking at a project as a whole, break it down into smaller parts. Then, do one segment at a time so it won’t feel so overwhelming. For example: Do you have to write an essay for school or prepare a report for work? Instead of trying to tackle the whole thing at once, start with one small section. Write the intro now. Write the body of the report tomorrow. Write the conclusion the next day. Not looking forward to cleaning your closet or rearranging your bedroom? Do it in steps. Fold and organize the clothing in your drawers today. Tackle your nightstand or bureau tomorrow. Reorganize your closet over the weekend. If you break big tasks down into smaller ones, every project will seem more manageable!   #2 Get a Calendar There’s a reason why organized people (aka people who don’t procrastinate) live by calendars and schedules. It helps them focus and stay on-task. If you don’t already have one, buy a paper calendar or download a calendar app for your phone. It’s time to start organizing your time! With strong time-management skills, you can stop procrastinating forever. Start by jotting down the things you need to do and when you need to have them done. Highlight items that have a specific deadline so you can prioritize those. If need be, set your own personal deadline a day or two in advance of the due date. That way, you’ll never have to do anything at the last minute again.   #3 Hold Yourself Accountable Once you’ve created a calendar, tell a friend or coworker know that you’re trying to change your procrastinating ways. Then, ask that person to check in on you to see how much progress you’re making. Having someone else hold you accountable is a great way to change your behavior. If you set a goal for yourself and don’t achieve it, it’s easy to make excuses. By asking a friend to hold you accountable, you’ll be more likely to commit to the task. Want to hold yourself extra accountable? Share this news with someone who’s extremely organized and always early. They’ll make sure that you stick to your new habit!   #4 Eliminate Distractions You don’t have to delete your social media accounts or cancel your Netflix subscription to be more productive. But you have to try to stop wasting time. You can still check your Twitter feed, watch YouTube videos, and binge-watch your favorite shows â€" just do it within reason. Be conscious of how much time you spend on daily distractions so you know where to cut back. If need be, set an alarm on your phone to prevent yourself from getting distracted. That way, you’ll know how much time you’re wasting and you can get back to work as soon as possible. #5 Stop Trying to Be Perfect A lot of procrastinators put things off because they’re waiting for the “perfect time” to do something. Some people are convinced that they do their best work under pressure. Here’s the reality: There is no perfect time, and there are no perfect people. If you put projects off because you want to be at your peak when you tackle them, you’ll find yourself pushing things off until the last minute Rather than striving to be perfect, just do it now and do your best.   #6 Give Yourself Some Incentives Everyone likes to be rewarded. So if you need to treat yourself with a small reward when you complete each task, go for it! After you finish something, reward yourself with a half-hour to watch your favorite TV show. Give yourself 20 minutes of free time so you can check your Twitter feed or post an Instagram story. Reward yourself with a 15-minute break and have a cup of coffee, eat a bowl of ice cream, or meditate. Make something you love a reward that you only get to enjoy once you’ve finished an important task. This is a great way to put procrastination behind you forever.   #7 Start Right Now The best way to break a bad habit is to start immediately. So as soon as you’re done reading this guide, pick one thing on your to-do list and do it now! There’s never going to be a perfect time to do a task that you’d rather not do at all. The sooner you realize that, the more productive you’ll be. If you honestly want to stop procrastinating, now is the time to do it. Decide which task or chore you have to do and start within the next three minutes. Conclusion In order to change bad habits, you have to replace them with good ones. And for procrastinators, getting organized is the perfect replacement behavior. Get a calendar and keep track of everything you need to do and when you need to do it Break big tasks down into smaller ones so they don’t seem so overwhelming Hold yourself accountable for your actions by sharing your goals with friends or coworkers Identify the things that distract you and limit the amount of time you spend on those things And last but not least, stop trying to be perfect. Don’t wait for the perfect time to get things done. Give yourself incentives so that the sooner you complete a task, the sooner you’ll be able to enjoy the reward. Now get started! Pick one thing you’ve been putting off and do it now. You may be surprised at how good it feels to get things done ahead of schedule. Author Bio: