We have all been there. It is 3 pm, and the workday is almost over. Maybe around this time, we need a little pick-me-up or snack to keep us going. Unfortunately, it also means that nothing we intend to do gets done. This phenomenon is called Procrastination, and it affects everyone. It does not matter your age, gender, background, or career.
Procrastination Can Happen Anywhere
Merriam-Webster defines procrastination as putting off what should be done intentionally and possibly habitually. Dodging responsibilities can affect any project or activity and is not tied to just work environments. For example, do you know that pile of laundry that has been waiting three days in the basket for you to fold? Yes, that is the perfect description of Procrastination, too.
As stated before, procrastination is not tied just to the workplace; for the sake of this blog, we are going to focus on that and what you can do to overcome those behaviors.
Defeating Procrastination with 5 Steps
No matter who you talk to, the answer to stop procrastinating will differ from person to person. Unsurprisingly, we operate differently and cannot expect what worked for one to work for all. Nevertheless, these tips could help, especially in a business environment where completing work can be what separates a good work day from a highly stressful one as you approach deadlines and presentations.
- Identifying what is distracting you and removing it from your workspace.
- Analyze time that is spent on apps at work and checking emails. When you find that you are talking too much to your coworker about not-necessarily work-related topics, it wastes time. Cutting back on these behaviors can show more productive ways to spend your time.
- Procrastination diet.
- We like to dodge what does not call to us. It is a survival response to dodge what gives us anxiety and makes us feel unsafe. When we procrastinate, we feed the habit of dodging what makes us unhappy or uncomfortable. When we avoid this negative behavior over time, we will create new habits that work positively toward our performance.
- Dividing an hour into four 15-minute increments.
- Today’s world is full of easy distractions. With advertising and social media easily accessible, it is hard to avoid most distractions. Dividing your hour into four 15-minute blocks allows you to set time for those distractions and time to be productive.
- Create a to-do list that identifies items with urgency.
- A to-do list is great if it is used correctly. Most essential tasks should be listed on the top of your list, while the urgency decreases as the list progresses. It is crucial to be realistic with what you can do in one day, as too much on your list can overwhelm you and do the opposite of helping you be productive.
- Focus on how accomplishing a task will make you feel.
- Have you ever heard of the phrase “if there is a will, there is a way”? It is right. We only have a set time to get tasks done throughout the day, which can be discouraging. However, focusing on the feelings we will encounter afterward can give us the drive to continue working towards that goal.
Let’s Wrap This Up
There is a load of information online to help you with procrastination. Unfortunately, it is common in today’s society to find oneself distracted by social media, ads, and even just by thinking of everything that must be completed by the end of the day. While tasks and projects can feel overwhelming to start, keeping an end goal in mind makes it easier to move forward than just wishing the day would be over.
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