Quick Tips on How to Avoid Procrastination
Have you been in a situation where you just want to stop working or drop whatever things you are supposed to do? Congratulations, you are 100% normal.
Procrastination can be very addictive, and can become a habit. You tend to do other things that you want to do that are less important and less urgent. At the end, your timetable is all messed up and things that are supposed to be done end up being delayed. Worse, you may end up not accomplishing anything at all. Procrastination can be stopped. Here are some tips to help you finish what you have committed to do.
Accept the job at hand.
Everyone has responsibilities. If you are set to finish a report for work or if you are tasked to repaint the house, acknowledge your duty and do it. Be responsible. Remember that it is your accountability if you fail to do what you are ought to do. The chain of order would break if one person stands lazy, especially at work.
Keep the end result in mind.
Before procrastinating on a particular job, think of what will happen if you neglect it. Nobody wants to be kicked out of the office, get a lengthy sermon from parents, or even turn down somebody else’s expectations. If you allow yourself to indulge in your procrastinating bliss, you will just end up being miserable.
Remember your reward.
Every good task done deserves an incentive. Rewards can be in the form of monetary increase in salary, your boss’ approval, or even a friend’s pat on the back. This will keep you moving and motivated to work. Remembering what you would get after you have finished your job can be a good start to help you engage in your task. Doing things that you are required to do can bring people to trust you and build your reliability as a person.
Make no room for excuses.
There is always an excuse that you can creatively make up if you really want to stall on a job. Don’t do it. You are only fooling yourself. Stay clear of negative thoughts like “I won’t finish it on time, so why start on it?” or “I got better things to do,” when you know the fact that what you are supposed to do is important and urgent.
Get to the bottom of your procrastination. On every task that you want to put off, there should be a reason behind it. For instance, if you are about to do something complex, say fixing your computer, do you have the know-how to do it? If not, maybe that’s the reason why you don’t want to do it. Just hire someone else who can take away your burden.
Don’t trick yourself in believing that you have plenty of time left after your procrastinating spree. More often than not, if you always put your supposedly urgent tasks on the bottom of your to-do list, you’ll end up cramming to catch up with the deadline. You either end up with an output of lesser quality or not finish the job at all. Following these quick tips can help lessen your procrastinating habit. It’s definitely a start.
Posted by Alan Searing who is Managing Director of Online Express Limited and trades as Solutions4U providing self development books and tapes at the support group for Anthony Robins fans (The Yes Group) and he is passionate about providing resources to help others help themselves and to improve upon their own circumstances in life. Web site www.creating-better-habits.com/ email alan@alansearing.com