Procrastination is one deadly vises that no one should face. I never took this issue seriously until I missed a job that would have fatten my wallet; after that messed up, I vowed that procrastination will never be my thing no matter what.
Have you ever wonder what happen when you don’t lawn that grass, make that call, file those papers, complete that assignment, apply for that job, submit that application, complete that task etc. today as in right away? Rather you sat in front of the TV whiling your precious time on programs that will not make impact to your life.
You have just wasted part of your precious time achieving nothing!
Before I go future how I dealt with procrastination and get things done, let’s consider the dictionary meaning of “Procrastination”.
According to http://www.dictionary.com
Procrastination is “the act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention.”
While the Oxford Dictionary explain it in a short sentence; “The action of delaying or postponing something”.
Once I discover procrastination can make live cumbersome, make me not productive and not getting things done; in my sob moment, I ask myself the “how do I get into this mess and what is the way out?”. Then the “light bulb” ignite, why not draft out a plan that will assist me to beat this thing that have been biting away my time.
And lo, I did write down my gateway plan and it work. That why I’m sharing it here, hopefully it might help someone out there struggling in the same situation.
You can NEVER achieve anything if you don’t take ACTION: complete each day task starting from small to big – knowing fully well that if each task are not completed, it will roll-over the next day and this can make you less productive as a result of fatigued.
Set your alarm: This step helps me get things done even if I forget anyone. What I do each morning before I set out is to set a reminder on my phone for each task whether small or big (even if I have to groom my dog). This way I do not miss or skip any task.
Break down bigger task: When I feel devastated about my To-Do lists, I don’t let it get to me, rather I just break them down into smaller tasks and get them done.
I become a time manager: one thing I learn about procrastination is that “it’s a time consumer without achieving nothing”. I learn to manage my time by acting smart. What I mean is using “one stone to kill two or three birds”.
Let’s say you need to fix your car, visit your child school, and go for you dental check-up. How do you deal with this? You can simply go to a car repairer close to your child’s school. Time management is crucial in completing your daily To-Do task.
Always set deadline to your daily task: By assigning deadlines to each task, it will help you not to spend too much time on each task and help you complete them fast.
Tell others about your To-Do list: This is like them watching over your shoulder; it will make you be aware that someone is watching your progress. You want them to see you as someone that always keeps to his word.
Think of how to reward yourself when you complete a task: The reward might not be a big one, it could be a nice snack or to watch your favorite TV show. It will inspire you to get more job done.
Note down how you will feel if you do not complete your To-Do task: writing them down will make you understand how important it is to complete your task for the day.
Get over with the toughest task first: Don’t be like most people that will attempt the easiest task first and the toughest last. This method is not encouraging, because when you are through with the easiest task; you become discourage once the toughest one start setting in and thereby abandoning the task.
Get each task completed before embarking on the next one: You never complete your To-Do list when you skip one task uncompleted. This is a lazy approach and will not help you get your To-Do list complete.
Its better you focus on one job until it is complete before moving to the next one. Besides, you will experience these sign of relief when you complete first task. This will propelled to complete the next and the next.
Remember procrastination is a time waster and if you do not do anything, you will not achieve anything. There are lot of other methods that you can apply to help you beat procrastination but if you follow these and any other tips you add, I’m sure you will achieve your goal within a while.
Please share your thought if you have once experience dealing with procrastination, will love to hear from you and maybe others might learn from you. Have a blast day… cheers