Image from: https://www.pexels.com
Have you ever found yourself getting distracted and struggling to make progress on your tasks? Procrastination is when you postpone or delay working on an important task and instead go for easier activities or small pleasures. Sometimes, it feels like you can only start being productive in the late evening or when there is an external deadline. As I transitioned to self-employment, organizing my day became a significant challenge. To overcome procrastination and improve my productivity, I experimented with various techniques. Here I am sharing the strategies that worked best for me. Let’s dive in and take control of our time together!
1. 30-Minute Focus Starter
Set a timer for 30 minutes (or adjust the duration to match your own work pace). This technique is not the famous Pomodoro method, instead, it’s an intro to your productivity. During this time, promise yourself that you won’t get distracted and will solely focus on the task. For instance, if you’re writing an article, just start writing, even if the initial output isn’t perfect—you can refine it later. The goal of this period is to immerse yourself in the task and prevent your mind from wandering. Personally, I’ve found that 20-30 minutes is sufficient to focus my mind on the task. This really helped me to overcome initial procrastination. After this time period, I usually find it much easier to maintain high focus and productivity for about an hour.
2. The No-Browsing Rule
Forbid yourself from opening web pages or, if you work in a browser, from opening new tabs. Even if you need to search for information, simply note your query down on a piece of paper and leave a gap where the information needs to go. In the example about writing an article, if you need to search for someone’s name or a specific title, leave a placeholder/gap and keep writing. Have you ever noticed how a search on the web can lead to wasting time on unrelated content, like cute kitten pictures? Instead of getting sidetracked, allocate a separate portion of your work time specifically for online research. Keep these tasks distinct to maintain focus and productivity.
3. Deadline against Procrastination
Set deadlines for each task. Be realistic, but don’t allow yourself too much time. It may take practice to accurately estimate the time needed for each task, but it’s crucial to establish deadlines consistently. If you tend to miss your self-imposed deadlines, create an external accountability system. Ask a partner or family member to check if you’re finishing tasks on time. If you’re brave, share your goals on social media and commit to posting updates on your progress. This added accountability can help keep you on track. Important note: Ensure that the criteria for task completion are clear and that the task’s success depends entirely on your efforts.
4. Active Break Routine
Take an active break. Most of us spend long hours sitting at a computer desk, which is super unhealthy. When you take a break, avoid scrolling through social media. Instead, stand up and do some light stretching or exercises. This will help keep your body healthy and your mind focused. If you start reading something on the internet, you’ll likely get distracted and lose concentration on your task.
5. Plan a reward
Set a reward to stay motivated and accomplish tasks. Choose a reward for completing the biggest and most challenging task of the day. The reward is up to you—it could be a tasty treat, an episode of your favorite show, or some time on social media. While finishing a task can be rewarding in itself, our brain is much more responsive to simple rewards such as food, physical activity, or social interaction.
6. Clarity is the Key
Ensure clarity in your tasks. When the objective is vague, our brains struggle to initiate action. Take time not only to define the task clearly but also to outline all the intermediate steps required for its completion. Even minor actions, such as making a phone call or entering data into a spreadsheet, should be included. By doing this, you help your brain to gain clarity on what needs to be done and to accurately estimate the time required for each step.
7. Ahead of the Curve
If you’re inclined to believe that working under pressure yields better results, reconsider the countless times when you’ve wished for just a few more hours to improve your work. Allow yourself this invaluable time. Strive to complete tasks one day ahead of the deadline, revisiting your work on the actual day of the deadline. Typically, a fresh morning mind can significantly enhance your work. Don’t deprive yourself of this opportunity.
8. Be Purpose-Driven
Ensure that the purpose behind each task is clear. Whether assigned by your boss or undertaken for personal growth, understanding how it contributes to clients, your team, or your career is important. Doing something without comprehending its significance can lead to demotivation and a struggle to overcome procrastination. Acknowledge that not all tasks are inherently enjoyable. However, by understanding how these seemingly tedious tasks contribute to larger goals, you can maintain productivity.
9. Optimal Workspace
Put efforts into creating the right environment for your productivity. While some people possess the innate ability to work efficiently from their beds, most find it challenging. Ensure that your surroundings set your mind to work, ideally, you should be surrounded by others engaged in their tasks. In retrospect, perhaps the traditional offices, with colleagues who could judge you for being sidetracked from working tasks, weren’t so bad after all.
10. Focus on the completion
Focus on task completion rather than perfection. The perfectionist mindset often delays you from starting and leads to distraction. Instead, prioritize swift completion, and ignore quality for now. Aim for results like “C” grade. Then, dedicate effort to enhancing it to a “B” or even an “A,” without too much perfection. Remember, aiming for perfection often results in dissatisfaction and frustration, despite the additional effort invested. Set yourself for a good enough result and progress forward once the task is accomplished to this stage.
Thank you for reading this article and I hope it will be easier for you now to overcome procrastination, stay focused, and accomplish your tasks.
