We've all procrastinated on something or some things. Whether it's writing a business plan, applying for a new job, or even finishing homework, there's often a very good reason to put off a task.
The problem is, we don't know what to do when we finally get around to it. So we procrastinate some more. And then, when we finally realize that it's going to take a certain amount of time or effort to complete a task, we decide it's too late to start. And before you know it, we've missed the deadline.
This is a very common problem. In fact, procrastination may be one of the most common reasons people fail to meet their goals.
In this post, I'm going to share some tips and tricks that can help you overcome procrastination. This includes some specific techniques I used to overcome procrastination with myself.
- Don't Let Fear Control Your Decisions
Many of us let fear prevent us from taking action on what we really want to do. The problem is, fear usually doesn't actually tell us what will happen if we act. Instead, it convinces us that we're making a huge mistake by acting and leads us to stop ourselves.
Unfortunately, this is exactly how procrastination occurs. You make a decision to complete a task and suddenly, you feel bad about yourself because you think you're going to mess it up.
It's not until later that you discover you're probably going to do fine and that it will probably take the same amount of time to do as you thought. At which point, you're too embarrassed to try again.
One of the biggest keys to overcoming procrastination is learning to ignore the fear. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
If you keep worrying about a task, you'll never get started on it. And once you start, you'll find yourself getting distracted or discouraged, leading to more procrastination.
- Start With The Smallest Tasks
To overcome procrastination, you need to tackle your biggest tasks first. If you focus your mind on the worst case scenario of every task you do, you will feel overwhelmed and give up faster than you would otherwise.
Instead, start with the smallest tasks possible. This doesn't mean you have to choose the least intimidating task. It just means starting with smaller steps rather than one big step is more likely to produce results.
This also helps you stay motivated to complete those tasks, because you can see progress and feel proud of yourself rather than being stuck.
If you focus on the bigger picture, you might find yourself procrastinating. The key is to break down your goal into its simplest parts. If you do this, it will make your goal more manageable and it will make your actions seem like they're actually accomplishing something.
- Set Deadlines
When you set deadlines, you're making a commitment to yourself that you're going to complete that