Hello everyone :) Have you ever wondered what is the main problem in our lives? It is a time. Time passes till our death.
How to cheat it? Simply. Not to procrastinate :)
I really want to stretch my time. But I can't. I can only forget about my past looking with hope to the future. But essential thing is not to loose this precious time. Here I present you in my opinion the best techniques, which I personally use.
How not to procrastinate?
1. Sit down
and write down why don't You like procrastination - how it affects Your work or school situation, how it affects your relations with others, how it affects your free time. (Remember - nonprocrastinators have got more free time, than procrastinators!). Write down possible causes of Your current situation.
2. Get out of stagnation
The best way to get out from destructive stagnation is doing some exercises - for instance, while watching TV and feeling laziness, You can get up, do some stretches, push ups and even move around tour table. "Fresh" blood coming to your brain and endorphins surely will energize You to doing Your priorities.
3. Start prioritizing your work.
Do the most important tasks at first, end with less important. Dedicate maximum of energy and effort to your most important tasks on a specific day, end with the smallest task to do with the smallest cost of effort.
4. Do sport
Doing jogging, playing tennis, swimming is or simply playing football with your friends can help your brain be good nutrition and oxidised, the brain becomes brighter and faster, ready to work.
5. Just eat healthily
There are many ways to eat healthily. There are tons of sites dedicated to healthy eating lifestyle. I personally use ios apps - FitManHealthy and Yummly. Of course, you can try it! :) You are what you eat. Remember that most of for instance chips, candy, sweet drinks fast soups fast food are just harmful to our digestive system, because they contain many preservatives, flavor enhancers or artificial colors which are not only properly checked, but also are given in giant amounts. Many of them are oncogenic.
6. Reminders
The right way to fight procrastination is setting up periodic reminders - it will help You with organizing which is crucial in this case. Thanks to this You will know, when is something meaningful to do.
7. Rewards
Create a reward system to celebrate successful tasks. Do the same with failures. That system will give You additional motivation and gratefulness due to your work.
8. Find someone to help You fighting procrastination
This specific person will be reminding You about wasting Your time, You will get also a bit of remorse, which for many people is additionally motivating.
9. Create!
If You are good in programming - write a short code everyday, if You want to get along with art - start making little pieces of art when You would have a time, or just write a thoughtful poem. The main idea is, that every creation gives us satisfaction because creation is by itself a very productive action.
10. Become an early bird
and go to sleep early.
You will have more time for Your priorities.
11. Don't be hard for yourself when you will fail.
Try to forgive yourself. We still are humans, we still are not perfect. But can still try again and be proud of success. Frankly, the art of failure is more important than the art of success.
12. Tidy your room every day
When your eyes see tidiness, your mind become tidier and more organised, because everyone likes some sort of order in one's environment. Remember - environment influences You.
13. Stop watching TV - the biggest time eater and diffuser of Your concentration.
14. Stop losing your time
Take the notebook and write down the list of things on which you spend on losing Your time. Like in personal finance. Write down all your expenses/lost time and figure out how to eliminate most of these time-eaters. Probably it is TV or gaming. You will be surprised how much of time You lose in an average day. Now write how much time you need for your work and free time and try to implement this plan in life. Understand, that there is no quick-fix solution. This plan will probably hurt you, but success hurts :/
15. 2 minutes technique
If you have something in Your plans and this action won't take you more than 2 minutes start doing it immediately when You will remind yourself about it. It is very helpful to get rid of small stuff to do and to pursue yourself to do bigger things.
16. Nike "Just Do It" technique
All You have to do is to convince yourself to do something because you have to do it. It is good with small, important tasks.
17. Will Smith' Bricks technique
Divide your big task to micro task's and do them everyday until the big task is finished. Additionally, You will feel a bit of grand satisfaction after the accomplishment of your big task.
18. Pomodoro technique
Simply 25 minutes for intensive work and 5 minutes for intensive relax :)
19. Getting Thing's Done technique
Let's start useful system of organizing your tasks in time. The best way to implement it is by using Nozbe app, because it is based on that system.
20. When you make the plan for the next day, write down obstacles that can appear- you will be mentally prepared in advance.
21. Forget about emails!
Check them later, after work.
22. Forget about social networks
The best way to forget about them is to plan them on the late evening when You don't have to do Your priorities.
23. Face your fear technique
Everyone has one's own insecurities and hidden problems, that are stopping us from doing what we have to do. The best way is to face them, but in first you have to know them. Tell about them people You trust ( wife, pastor, psychotherapist).
24. Do something, just something small.
It is still better than nothing.
25. Just pray
Sometimes is good pray to God for enlightening, better concentration and organization. God will always answer when we pray sincerely from the heart.
26. Stop fantasizing about desired results!
Instead, devise practical steps to achieve them.
Imagination is the powerfull tool in motivating, but when You overuse it You can fail. Better start viewing outcomes as much objective as you can, You will surely get more motivation to do them.
27. Avoid neurotic perfectionism
No one is perfect. Someone is the superstar in art, but in mathematic is just a goat. Don't do everything perfect. Try, divide Your big task into smaller pieces and do them as best You can. If You succeed it-great! If not - something is still better than nothing. You have new knowledge and experience. Why not to do it again and do it better than preciously?
28. Remember, your surrounding is the biggest time killer.
Friends, family, TV in Your room, even opened web browser in front of your face may be very distractive. There is nothing bad in excusing your roommates because of your work. They will surely understand You.
29. Plan the next day before You go to sleep
I personally like when I have my day planned for every hour and I strongly recommend It to You.
Sit down, write in Your organizer or notebook Your plan for the next day. Set reasonable targets to measure achievements. You will be surprised how this day will be satisfying when You will do all the planned stuff. Remember not to overwhelm yourself with loads of task, because You have time to succeed all your plans. Give yourself additional time for unexpectable situations to be sure, that you will do everything. Do priorities at first next less important tasks. I love the moment when I mark my tasks as "done". It is so satisfying :)
30. Talk positively about yourself
Try to reject all negative thoughts, which make you feel depressed and cause procrastination. When you have a giant task to do try to speak to yourself " I am brave man/woman - I will do it." Encourage yourself! That's because Every glimmer of hope is better then nothing :)
31. Break
Giving a break is good until you don't overuse it. The good way is to give yourself 70% of work and 30% of the break when you divide Your time.
32. Refuel your energy
Do your favourite sport, go to cinema or opera, go to a museum. We are not robots, we have to entertain.
33. Give yourself a short, quiet walk.
Don't think, just go through you favourite park or wood. Personally it helps me very much.
34. Use your imagination.
Imagine yourself in the future in the situation when you already have done your task and try to imagine your satisfaction and happiness thanks to accomplishing your plans. Now imagine yourself when You even wouldn't try to start Your task. How would You feel? Imagination is powerful tool and it is useful in many aspects of our's life. So don't be afraid to use it!
I hope You liked these tips :)