PULL THE TRIGGER AT PROCRASTINATION
We’re going to talk about the death of procrastination.
Let me get this project done, oh I would do it at 1:00 pm. It’s 1:00 pm there’s time I would start working on it at 3:00 pm and it goes on like this for days, days turn to weeks and weeks turn into months, but we keep procrastinating. For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been procrastinating when I would create contents to post on my social media. I kept finding other things to distract myself with and kept telling myself that I’d get it done later.
The thing I hate most about procrastination isn’t the fact that I get behind with my work or I eventually have to rush last minute before a deadline. It’s the fact that I get this feeling of guilt that creeps in while I’m aimlessly browsing or playing games this voice keeps nagging me at the back of my mind “Favour you should work now, make good use of your time to achieve your goal for the day”.
WHAT IS PROCRASTINATION?
Procrastination continues to be one of the largest enemies of our productivity and success. None of us is immune to procrastination. It sneaks up on us all and steals our precious commodity called time.
Procrastination can be defined as a habitual delay in finishing a task despite knowing it might have a negative effect. Most of us do this. We keep pushing back that task and struggle to do even the things that we find most fulfilling in our lives.
If you’re fed up with being a chronic procrastinator, then this article is for you. Just keep reading as I show you how to pull the trigger at procrastination.
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BREAK IT UP
How do you eat your cake? You take it one bite at a time. When you face an enormous task, you might feel intimated, daunted, or scared. Just take that enormous task and break it down into a series of steps. For example, if you need to write a report on an experiment, what are the steps you need to take to get the desired result? Once you’ve created an outline containing the process, you need to take to accomplish the task. You can start working on each step.
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ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS
It’s hard to stay focused and get your work done on time when you keep turning your attention to the television or your social media account whenever a notification pops up. When it’s time for you to work, stay away from any distractions, switch off your notifications, and use the time to focus all of your attention on the task at hand.
The more you stay away from distractions, the more the brain finds it difficult to reach out to that distraction.
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RECOGNISE THE ONSET OF PROCRASTINATION
As you work on each step you’ve outlined in your to-do list, you should be on the alert when the thoughts of procrastination find their way into your mind. If you think I’ll do this later, then you need to recognize you’re about to procrastinate. When you’re tempted to procrastinate, don’t give in to that temptation. Instead, say “ I have to do this now”. These magic words will motivate you and push you to get started. Then you’ll see it’s easier to complete the task once you’ve started.
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MAKE A LIST
It’s best to create a to-do list of things you would like to accomplish. Jot down one or three key priorities, and write a quick note on why you want to achieve them. You could attach a deadline to each task, cross out the task you’ve done and create a weekly check-in with a friend or family where both of you look at each other’s to-do list and motivate each other to do better.
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FEED THE MACHINE
You need the energy to carry out your task, as low energy breeds procrastination. To keep your energy high, you need to stay hydrated. Water increases your energy and also reduces unhealthy cravings most of the time.
Monitor your intake of coffee. Most of us love to drink coffee to keep our minds on the alert. That’s a good thing, but don’t take too much of it. It’s not good for your health. Also, eat healthy snacks like fruits, whole grains, vegetables, etc.
You need to put in the effort to overcome procrastination. It’s an assassin to our career and if care is not taken, it would lock up in that cage forever.
As you are bent on achieving your goals, take good care of your body. Don’t skip meals. Skipping meals leads to low blood sugar and results in brain fatigue. It’s only a healthy person who can carry out their task effectively and, after a long day of work, give yourself a delightful treat.