7 Easy Steps To Eliminate Procrastination From Your Life
Starting any task from scratch is probably the most difficult thing. The first step, the stepping stone, breaking the ice, etc., are just some of the names given to take that crucial first step, but procrastination stops us and makes us think that either the tasks are not that important or can be done later. This approach is one of the main reasons why projects fails. People look for ways to improve their productivity without knowing procrastination is the main culprit behind lower productivity.
Sometimes, people simply avoid a task that they should complete. It may or may not be related to procrastination, work fatigue, stress or simply unwillingness to do the work can be the reason. But deep in our subconscious mind, we unintentionally delay task to spend some free time or just avoid important tasks to do some other tasks.
In this article, I will guide you towards 7 steps that anyone can apply in their professional and personal life to handle the problem of procrastination and eliminate it completely from their lives.
1. Take One Step at a Time
A simple step is all what you need to start a task. Even the skyscrapers are built after laying the foundation stone. So, the first step is important to start the task. That’s where the habit of procrastination start affecting people’s psychology. All it takes to start a task is just a little push or motivation. Most of us can’t wake up early in the morning but once we are awake, we perform all the tasks with ease. So a small step is what it takes to complete a huge project or task that may seem impossible to complete at first.
2. Make A Timeline with Specific Deadlines
Managing a big project can be really difficult if you tend to procrastinate with it. A simple step can do the trick for you by creating timelines for important milestones of a project. The timeline should be accompanied with specific deadlines so that whenever you look at it, you are reminded that the date is near and you need to pull up the socks in order to complete it. The matter of procrastination is left behind when people look at looming deadlines which trigger them to work more urgently.
3. Tackle your Procrastination Hot Spots
While you may not realize it, there are certain hot spots that create hindrances in the daily tasks you perform. You can start with your daily activity. Suppose you have to perform a task before leaving your workplace. But you start checking your WhatsApp messages or playing games on your smartphone leaving your task for later, which will obviously be delayed or won’t be completed.
Another aspect can be your browsing habit while you are at work. You can install some software blocking certain sites that take up the valuable time in which you can do many tasks. So you need to buckle up and use your time wisely instead of procrastinating.
4. Hanging out with Friends
Going out with colleagues and friends for lunch/supper or for just having a good time is perhaps the worst procrastinating mistake we regularly commit. Leaving behind the tasks needed to be completed for some time later leave a very bad impression to other colleagues and negatively affect our productivity.
To deal with procrastination related to this aspect, try to finish your task before lunch or start early in the morning so that you can be free before you usually go out with friends.
5. Sharing your Goals with Others
Many people do not want to share their goals with others with many reservations in mind. But this is one way to stop yourself from procrastination. When you share a goal with someone, he will definitely look forward to the date or time when you are supposed to reach your destination. So you will work hard and avoid delaying the project or the tasks involved to reach your goal. That’s one surefire way to avoid procrastination and reach your goal within the deadline.
6. Look for Guidance and Inspiration from Others
If you feel like delaying any task all the time, it’s time for you to use a task tool for assistance. If not, you can always the following trick for definite success to get rid of procrastination. With regard to a particular goal or project, you can seek the guidance from a person who has already delivered the goods in this regard. The guidance in this case will enlighten you about how to complete a task in a proper manner and what difficulties may come your way.
7. Don’t Make Matters Worse by trying to be Perfect
There are times when we delay a task just because we think we are not skilled enough to do it perfectly. By doing so, a vast majority of people make the task very complex for themselves trying to be flawless in their approach. I am not saying that being perfect in any task is like a sin, but you need to understand that if it is forcing you to procrastinate, you should try to complete the task as swiftly as possible rather than trying to be perfect in your approach.