I´ll be the first one to admit that once in a while I end up procrastinating instead of doing what I´m supposed to. It all starts with a momentum: today you will get things done (but not really).
So you set up your stuff real quick -but then- you decide you *really* need a hot beverage to start, so you get up and make one real quick... surprise, its too hot.
So now, waiting for it to be a drinkable temperature you start browsing instagram and go down the rabbit hole… Kardashians gossip, fun memes, what that highschool friend has been up to… tips to stop procrastinating… OOPS MY DEADLINE!
Okay, focus! Now you are READY to work… but you are kinda hungry maybe? And now your drink is cold so you need to reheat it… It´s getting late, so you decide to go to bed early and start fresh in the morning.
Has this ever happened to you? Here are my top tips to stop procrastinating.
Anticipate
Set up your work space before you start, that way you won´t make any excuses to stand up and leave every five minutes. Need a charger? A restroom break? Maybe some water? A notebook? Granola bar? Get all of that out of the way prior.
Set the mood
Some people need s-i-l-e-n-c-e in order to concentrate, some people need background noise, in the end you need to learn what works best for you: fix the lights so they aren´t hard on your eyes, get into a comfortable position and get things done!
Break it down
Working for 2, 5, 8 hours straight can be exhausting. You start demotivating yourself thinking you have to make one LONG project. Instead, try making short, and easy tasks! Which leads me to…
2 minute rule
Sometimes the smallest tasks are the one we leave for last. They seem so easy you decide to start with the hard work first… maybe you decide that confirmation email can wait… and you forget about it untill a snowball effect hits you. A small task can become a red flag if you leave it unattended so… if it takes under two minutes DO IT NOW!
Write it down
I´m a digital girl you know it, but sometimes having a hard copy of your deadlines can make you more objective and stop procrastinating. There´s a certain comfort in crossing things off a to-do list and having a pretty notebook can really help you visualize your achievements.
Have you tried bullet journaling? It´s agreat way to stay organized and let your creativity flow!
Make a pre-deadline
You have two weeks to meet your deadline… but you know for sure you can get the work done in less that a week, so you postpone it… then it hits you to stop procrastinating and get things done… the night before deadline!
Now you are doing a weeks worth of work in less that a night, feeling cranky, anxious and nervous... which will ultimate lead to mistakes. Sounds familiar?
I always calendarize a predeadline for myself onw or two days before the real one, that way I mentalie myself I have to do it earlier and gives me room for tweaks and changes for the final date.
There´s an app for that
From Asana and Trello to procraster and hey focus; there is most definitely an app that will work for you. Dowload a bunch try them out and figure which one you like the best!