Remember: Procrastinating is wasting your own time. And time is precious.
This blog is about providing methods to help stop procrastinating and practical steps to minimise procrastination.
Procrastination and distraction is normal, but its how you deal with it that’s up to you. Personally I still get distracted with tasks like study or work, but these small tips below are what I have found useful to assist me in completing what I set out to do.
Remove distractions:
Leave your phone on airplane mode or out of the room. Don’t bring in material that you don’t intend to use, like books or speakers etc.
De-clutter:
Remove unnecessary clutter from your work, workspace or study desk.
Set a timer for 90 minutes:
Known as one Ultradian rhythm, 90 minutes is an optimum period for most individuals to be able to focus. This is mentioned multiple times on the Huberman Podcast (Link at end).
Make a list:
Arrive at your work or study desk with a pre-arranged list of what you hope to achieve in this study or work session.
Break tasks into pieces:
If you have just written your To-Do list, then visualise what each task now requires you to do. Separate a bigger task into smaller pieces which can be done systematically.
Learn to work in silence and in different conditions:
For some people they cannot work unless they have music playing, a glass of water, the room a certain temperature a chair the right height etc. All those things are reasonable, but if you truly wish to not procrastinate, then you must learn to be able to work in environments which aren’t always your choosing or under your complete control.
Have a reward system:
If you complete a task on your to-do list then have a small reward in place. Maybe that means you get up, stretch, make a cup of tea and sit for 5 minutes. It may mean you can scroll social media for 5 minutes, the reward is up to you.When you have enjoyed your little reward head back to work. Make a habit of setting a timer for mini breaks.
Outline your intentions:
Write down why it is you are taking this time. EG “Holidays” or “Travel” or “Graduation” and put it somewhere visible and in large font. If you have a constant reminder of why you are here to work or study, it will keep you more focused.
If you really struggle with all these methods than maybe you should ask yourself a deeper question: Is this task your doing truly for your benefit? Does it bring you happiness or joy or is it leading towards an actual destination you want to go in life?
If you find that the tasks you are procrastinating on doing are justly meaningless, than perhaps it is time to re-think how to change your situation.
Want to keep reading? You may also like:
Moving to a new city overseas. Practical tips
How to save for travel; Practical tips for saving.
Ways to increase your productivity
What is Minimalism? And how to apply it