How To Avoid Procrastinating
#14 Get Organized
A messy workspace is a recipe for a messy worker. If your desk is a cluttered mess and your office looks like it just survived an earthquake then you need to do something about that. Clean up your space, organize your items in the order of use and notice how much easier it becomes to focus.
Related Content
►
View All From This Gallery
15:
Make Lists
It you want to be productive, you need to know what you’re trying to get done. A lot of people procrastinate because they are overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin. Write a list of what has to be completed and you’ll see it gets much easier.
14:
Get Organized
A messy workspace is a recipe for a messy worker. If your desk is a cluttered mess and your office looks like it just survived an earthquake then you need to do something about that. Clean up your space, organize your items in the order of use and notice how much easier it becomes to focus.
13:
No Excuses!
When people realize they have problems with procrastination they often make excuses. If it is in your nature to do that then recognize that and challenge yourself to stop making excuses for yourself.
12:
Be Honest With Yourself
If you are not honest with yourself, it will start to show in your work. If you know that you put stuff off to the last minute then you need to confront yourself about it and do something to change that.
11:
Get Up Earlier
Getting up early is not easy for someone that’s used to sleeping late but it will pay off if you make it into a habit. You should be going to sleep earlier as well and that will get easier for you the earlier you have to wake.
10:
Arrange Your Assignments
By ordering your assignments in order of importance, you will be able to get them completed. Instead of looking at the deadline, look at the assignment and you should find yourself procrastinating a lot less.
9:
Give Yourself A Deadline
Sometimes the deadlines other people set are not quite strict enough. If you have an assignment that is due in two weeks, you might end up leaving it until the day before the deadline but if you give yourself a strict deadline, you’ll get it finished at a reasonable time. If the deadline is two weeks, give yourself one. If the deadline is three days, give yourself a day and a half.
8:
Work Harder
The old saying in sports is “a good offense is the best defense”. This is true when it comes to finishing projects on time as well. Challenge yourself to push through those times!
7:
Set Timers
Working to a timer could be a helpful idea. Try the “Pomodoro Technique” where you set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes, work until the time is up and then take a five minute break. When your break is up, set the timer again and work until it’s up. Using methods like this can really keep your productivity going.
6:
Stay Accountable
Have a co-worker, classmate or friend keep you accountable. Tell them when you’ve completed something on time and give them permission to question you about it. Having someone to answer to may seem kind of juvenile at first but it will help you break the habit and there is nothing childish about that!
5:
Take A Break
It’s important to stay focused and work as hard as possible but if you do that without a break you run the risk of burning out. Take breaks every half hour or so and you should be able to stay on point without getting tired.
4:
Exercise More
Procrastination could be caused by a number of things, including fatigue. If you’re feeling drained and that’s causing you to put things off, try to take better care of yourself and start exercising more. You’ll have more energy when you start taking better care.
3:
Reward Yourself
When you finish all of your assignments before your deadlines, you should celebrate! Go see a movie, get that new pair of jeans you were eyeing or buy your favorite dessert to enjoy that night.
2:
Don't Take More Than You Can Handle
You might think that you’re just being lazy but your problem might really be that you have too much on your plate. Look at everything you have to do in a day and decide what is important and what is unnecessary.
1:
Keep The End In Mind
Starting a project can seem overwhelming if you’re not sure what direction it’s going in. Don’t let that discourage you or change your mind about finishing a project. Think about how great it will feel to finish it. Think about who will benefit from the completion of the project and use that as your motivation to get it done well and on time.
