Conquer Procrastination: Effective Strategies for Getting Things Done

 

1: Introduction

Do you ever put off duties till the last minute, even when you know you should be doing them? Procrastination may be an unpleasant and tough habit to break, but it is possible to overcome it with the appropriate tactics. In this blog post, you'll find some effective methods for dealing with procrastination so you may be more productive and achieve your goals. First and foremost, we will discuss why you procrastinate which will be crucial for finding effective methods to deal with it.

2: Why You Procrastinate

Procrastination often comes forth out of fear or anxiety about a task and the feeling that you get overwhelmed by it. I want you to see procrastination as a habit. Think about it like this: when you feel stressed or overwhelmed by a certain task, you have the habit of delaying it by scrolling through social media for example. The only thing you need to do is to change the habit to a more positive one because if you are stressed, it is not always the best to work through. I know this is of course easier said than done so you will find specific methods to deal with it in this post. I will divide this in 2 parts: how you can avoid procrastination before beginning a task and how to avoid it during a task.

3: Break Tasks into Smaller Steps

According to me, the most effective method for avoiding procrastination before beginning a task
is to break the task into smaller specific steps. I say specific because it is crucial that you know exactly what to do with each step. The reason why this is so important is that it is often by not being sure how to start or continue a task, that you will procrastinate. So how do you put this into practice? I personally use a journal where I have my to-do list and planner in. Apart from that, I can advise you to download Microsoft To Do because you can set steps at each task. For example, when I have to write a research paper, I will divide the task in to brainstorming about the topic for 5 minutes, making a table of contents, reading 3 articles about it and write down the most important information, write the introduction, write subsection 1 and so on. By having these smaller steps, I will be less inclined to procrastinate than when I had the task to write a paper because it feels very overwhelming and I wouldn’t know where to start.

4: The Perfect Break

Breaks are often seen as something that doesn’t contribute to the completion of a task. But by taking a break, you will allow your brain to recharge and be ready for work again. It is vital though to choose what you will do in your break. If you don’t think about what you will do, the chance is very high that you will scroll through social media which doesn't contribute much to your productivity because it can lead to more procrastination. Instead, a good break could be to go for a 5-minute walk. Being outside without stimulation will allow your brain to recharge much more effectively.

On my amateur chart, you can see the effect a productive break on your productivity :).

5: Conclusion

In conclusion, while procrastination can be a difficult habit to break, you can become more productive and achieve your goals by understanding why you postpone and using effective ways. The most important thing to remember is to break activities down into smaller precise steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to begin. You may boost your productivity and avoid procrastination by taking pauses away from your workplace, carefully selecting them, and allowing your brain to recharge. Remember that progress, not perfection, is the goal. Continue to attempt and execute these approaches, and you'll quickly notice a boost in your productivity.

6: Your Next Steps

1. To Do Steps: Download Microsoft To Do and think about 1 task you've been putting off and break it down into smaller specific steps. (2 minutes)

2. Next Break: For your next break, take a 5-minute walk outside without any stimulation. Your brain will thank you for it!

3. Stay Connected: Click the “about me” on the right side and hit the Pinterest button to don’t miss my further posts about personal development. It will only take 10 seconds of your time, but the benefits of staying informed and motivated are priceless. (10 seconds)