How to Stop Procrastinating and Get Things Done

4608344651_b0957cd16b_oI was chatting to one of my IM friends on Facebook and he was asking I was doing, I told him about the progress I was making in my business. And then I asked him how he was getting on, and it shocked me that he hadn’t really progressed since the last time we chatted.

He was putting things off, some of them, really important tasks, then he started to get distracted with some new software he had bought.

Does this sound familiar? Do you carry out trivial tasks instead of crucial ones, or go about doing more pleasurable tasks in favor of less pleasurable ones?

If this is you, then you might be suffering from procrastination.

Procrastination means the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, and thus putting off impending tasks to a later time, sometimes to the “last minute” before a deadline. (Source Wikipedia).

We all suffer from it from time to time, but if you constantly do it, that is when it becomes a problem.

It becomes a problem because you will always be rushing on the last minute to get things done, thus putting stress on yourself and possibly your loved ones. Can have a negative effect on your life and happiness. An online survey conducted by Carleton University in Canada received 2,700 responses to the question, “To what extent is procrastination having a negative impact on your happiness?” 46% said “quite a bit” or “very much,” and 18% reported an “extreme negative effect.

But don’t worry you can undo these bad habits with these very simple techniques.

Turn your “shoulds” into  “Musts”

Think about it, when you turn your should into a Must you can actually get your task done. For example, if you say to yourself “I should pay this bill” to “I must pay this bill” or “I should wash the car” to “I must wash the car” instantly your brain is telling you do something urgent and that helps you to get the task done.

Keep a to – do list

Keeping a to – do list will help you, not to “conveniently” forget about the unpleasant or overwhelming tasks

Break down Projects

Having a major project to do can daunting, and especially off putting. Break it down in to manageable steps will help you achieve

Eliminate Distractions

It’s hard to get any work done when you keep turning your attention to what’s on television or you keep checking Facebook. Assign yourself a period of time during which you turn off all your distractions and use it to focus all of your attention on the task at hand.

Reward yourself

Once you have done a task, don’t forget to reward yourself. Or promise yourself you will something rewarding for yourself once you have completed a task. For example, promise yourself a tasty double chocolate muffin if you complete the task. And make sure you notice how good it feels to finish things. As this will can keep you motivated to do more tasks on your to – do list.

Use these simple techniques today and start living the life you want.

 

To Your Success

4 Comments

  • Roy Miller

    Reply Reply July 14, 2015

    I really like your post on procrastination. I suffer from it, as well as, information overload. I appreciate the tips you provided!
    Roy Miller recently posted…Quick Start ChallengeMy Profile

    • tasleem khan

      Reply Reply July 23, 2015

      Thank you for your comment, glad it helped 🙂

  • Mark Carrington

    Reply Reply July 14, 2015

    For me the problem is not procrastination. It is having too many things on the go. It feels like a rabbit in the headlights – add in the distractions and not much gets finished though a lot gets done. So the advice to pick a project, break it up into pieces and get those pieces done is what I am going to focus on. And I will allocate time slots to a few of the other things I have to do. Markets. Forex. Fitness. Projects.
    Thanks
    Mark Carrington recently posted…3 Ways to Build Lean Muscle With Bodyweight ExerciseMy Profile

    • tasleem khan

      Reply Reply July 23, 2015

      That’s great to hear, focus is key to getting tasks done. Thank you for your comment 🙂

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