Procrastination is a habit that’s often hard to break. It’s easy to put off things like cleaning the house, working out and finishing projects until tomorrow — or even later. But as all procrastinators know, that “later” rarely comes, and they end up feeling bad about themselves for not getting their work done.
Here are some suggestions for beating procrastination:
1) Start with small steps instead of big ones. If you have trouble making time for exercise or writing in your journal, try taking just 10 minutes a day and then slowly build up from there. It’s easier to do something small than nothing at all!
2) Get rid of distractions. Turn off the TV, shut off your cellphone and close your email program when you sit down to work on a project. You’ll be less likely to get distracted if you don’t have anything else vying for your attention while you’re trying to focus on one thing at a time.
3) Set aside time in advance instead of waiting until the last minute to start working on something big or important. This will help you put things in perspective, work out your plans and set priorities. That way you can fully focus on what needs to get done, so you can make progress towards achieving your goals.
Hopefully, this post has helped you better understand procrastination and to realize that you are far from alone. If procrastination is affecting your quality of life or career, then now is the time to take action. Find a strategy that works for you, commit to doing it every day, and stick with it. And if you fall off the wagon, get right back up again.
