Stop Procrastinating!
Procrastination is probably the number one factor that hinders growth in any given endeavor. Sometimes looking at the start of climbing a mountain, a single step can feel like nothing compared to the journey ahead. It can make it feel impossible, too hard, and discourages many at the start. The fear of failure is a huge motivator for procrastinating. Why try if I know I’m going to fail anyway? If I don’t try, then I don’t fail. That’s a mindset that even the best of us can get stuck into at times. It’s important to look behind the motivations of your project, and to take baby steps towards your goal. Let’s look at some tips to dust off that procrastination settling on your shoulders.
Get Organized
As stated in other blogs, I’m somewhat of a neat/clean freak. If your life is disorganized, it’s easy for your brain to feel overwhelmed and scatterbrained. This makes it much more difficult to adhere to getting your idea off the ground. Maybe invest in a planner, or download a task app. Having it on hand at all times will help keep your tasks and brain in order.
Set Simple, Achievable Goals
I’m a huge component in the “one day at a time” mindset. Set small achievable goals for each day. Part of why we hold things off is due to the entirety seeming too daunting. Setting specific goals help add up those baby steps into huge leaps and bounds. For example, instead of saying “I’ll get my patent stuff done today”, say “I will write my patent application today.”
Create a Timeline
Setting milestones in the form of a timeline helps keep you accountable and on schedule. If you set solidified goals, saying “I’ll get this done in the month of May” leaves room to write off the task as not too important. “I will send off my notes on the prototype by May 10th” Is easier to stick to. Creating a solid deadline is also smart. This creates a beginning, middle, and end in easily digestible parts.
Get Rid of Distractions
Setting time apart to get work done is essential. In today’s world, the almighty technology rules our undivided attention much more than it should. It’s built to be addicting, so turn off your phone, or put a time app on your phone to limit uses when you don’t know how much time you’re really spending on distractions from a productive life.
Take a Break
When we sit and intensely work on something too long, we often can miss something or make mistakes. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, getting breaks in between tasks is just as important as working. Resting the brain and giving your eye some rest can return you to something you didn’t notice before. Remember that balance is key. Not too long of a break, and not too often!
Get the Hard Stuff Done First
It’s true that getting over the biggest hurdles are the most satisfying feeling. Working on the toughest or most arduous parts of your project can give you that extra motivation to get the less cumbersome tasks done. The immense sense of satisfaction will drive you to complete the rest with seemingly no struggle.
What are some ways that you crush procrastination in its tracks? Comment below!