7 Ways To Avoid Procrastination

Hi. My name is S and I suffer from the "I'll do it later" disorder. Ok. No, it's not a real disorder but it is a problem that many people face regularly. How can we fix that? How we turn off that Netflix show and get 8 hours of sleep, wake up early in the morning and be productive?

Have any of you heard of the Pareto Principle, also known as, the 80 20 rule? The rule states that 20% of your inputs causes 80% of the output/results. There is a difference between being busy and being productive, meaning, more hours won't equal more results. If you give yourself the task to write how 10 goals you want to accomplish, you will probably pick the easier ones first. I know I would. But the easier goals present less results. It's not about the time you put in, it's about how you spend the time you have. I suggest you read more about the 80 20 rule, it is said to be very helpful in everyday life and I am still learning about it myself.

So now that I know that it's about how I spend my time and not about how much time I have, what can I do to be more productive?

1. Get Enough Sleep

Getting at least 7-8 hours can be difficult, especially for those with busy days but maybe binge watching that show can be done later. Setting an alarm can be a good idea to make sure you get up at a reasonable time. There are many alarms that makes you do things such as math problems, puzzles, and memory games, so that you're not able to hit that snooze button. Sleep is important so make sure you're giving your body the energy that it needs.

2. Create Your Own Deadlines

If you give yourself a long amount of time to complete something, you may push it off until the date is closer. But if you shorten that time, you can finish ahead of schedule and have time to relax. Remember not to overwork yourself, break down your tasks, and not cause unnecessary stress.

3. Complete Small Tasks

Giving yourself small tasks at a time can assist you in not overwhelming yourself. During that task, only focus on that task and nothing else.

4. Time Yourself

Trying to work for hours straight doesn't work for me. What I learned is working in increments gives me a better chance at being productive. First, plan out what you want to accomplish the night before, so when the day comes, you'll know what to look forward to. Next, the hard part for some, put your phone on silent and put it away, unless you need a timer. Timers are extremely helpful. I work in 15 minute increments, meaning I set a goal to work for 2 hours, within the 2 hours, I break every 15 minutes. I grab a snack, stretch, or whatever I need to do and then I get back to work. Some people work for 25 minutes with a 5 minute break in between. In the end, it's all about what will keep your attention and help you.

5. Avoid distractions

Working while lying in the bed probably won't be as helpful for some people. Find a nice space that fits your preference. For me, I need a quiet place where I am alone. When I was in school, I could never get work done in the library. I also always get distracted when in the bed. So, I created an office space in my room. I sit in a chair, I don't allow myself to slouch, and I rarely look at my phone. Between each time increment I set for myself, I listen to one song or reply to a text which helps me keep a balance between my focus and what's going on in the world. It's important to me to be productive but not bored because being bored leads to not the best results.

6. Accomplishments=Motivation=Rewards

Once you finished a task, don't you feel better? Whether it's making the bed or studying for a test. After I'm done completing a task, I always feel motivated to do more or overall, I feel good throughout the day. For example, I used to always forget where I put my cards, school ID card, debit card, any important card I needed at the moment. Whenever I needed it, there was always this rush of panic. "OMG where is it? I really lost them this time." Until one day I finally did what I've been putting off for months. I bought a wallet, stored them in there and I never had to panic find them again. Why did I put it off for so long? Why did I allow myself to stress over that so many times? I don't know. But what I do know is that I felt extremely accomplished after doing that because I knew that worry about losing my stuff was gone.

Another idea is to reward yourself after finishing a task. Hang out with friends, go out to eat, do whatever you think is fun and rewarding but only after you finished your tasks. This is always a great self- discipline tactic.

7. Do What's Best For You

Overall, procrastination is hard to escape, but it's not impossible. Find out what works for you and keep trying out different things. As people say, the first step is the hardest part, and the first step here is trying. So just try it! What's stopping you? You may go on to achieve and accomplish great things. Have a good day at work!

Hope you all are staying safe! Wherever you are, goodmorning, good afternoon, good evening, and have a good night! I'll be back to talk "S" word with you all later!

-S