Procrastinating? Here’s How To Cure It

We’ve all had our bouts of procrastination, that moment in time that we just want to do our the work later. Most of us can get over it and make up for the slack. The problem here is with the others that chronically fall into this practice.

Now that’s the bad news.

Chronic procrastination is not just a bane for business, it is also a bane in all the things we do. Those who suffer from it practically puts everything off on a later date. More often than not, nothing ever happens to them. Dishes pile up in the sink, the grass grows too high, gas run to empty, phone bills unpaid, etc. are just some of the things chronic procrastinators commit.

While it’s true that seeking professional help works, nothing beats having that internal resolve to actually get moving. If you think you are suffering from chronic procrastination, or probably just want to improve your productivity, you can try doing these four simple tips to beat it:

1.     Narrow down your focus – one of the biggest reasons we put off our work is because of our perception of size. Sometimes, looking at the big picture can so overwhelm us that we end up not doing the job anymore.

To make it easier, break the task down into individual parts. Start with the task that is easiest to do. Put a time limit for its completion. Before you know it, you’ve done your work.

2.     Reward yourself – every time you complete a task, especially the ones you hate the most, reward yourself with something you enjoy. This will give you more incentive to do your work harder, so that you can reap more personal rewards.

Also, you do not have to be perfect. As long as you accomplish a majority of your task, consider it a success.

3.     Be accountable to others – have someone monitor your work, or maybe give an announcement of what you seek to accomplish. This will give you more impetus to finish your work, since all eyes would be upon you now.

4.     Keep up your work – just like the laws of physics, anything in motion will stay in motion. It is the same way with work, or even life. Once you have started something, make sure that you keep on going until you reach your goal.

(Credits to Nadia Goodman’s article from Entrepreneur.com)