Whether you put off your homework, daily tasks at your job, or even the cleaning around your rental home, procrastination is a struggle that affects just about everyone. Here are a few smart and savvy tricks that can help you banish the urge to procrastinate once and for all.
- Change your attitude. Instead of treating your task like a job, treat it like something that will advance your career or provide you with fulfillment. If you feel like you want to do a task rather than feeling like you have to do it, it will make you less likely to procrastinate.
- Give yourself a deadline. Even if your specific task doesn’t have to be done at a certain time, you’ll become more productive if you feel like it does. Set a deadline for yourself and you’ll start to work to meet it.
- Rein in your emotions. If you’re nervous to begin a task or afraid of failing, it’s likely that you won’t start at all. Do whatever you need to pump yourself up and stop setting yourself up for failure.
- Make yourself accountable. If all else fails, tell friends and family in order to keep yourself accountable for your goals. Tell everyone that you’re training for a marathon and you’ll be more likely to go out on that morning run.
How to Stop Procrastinating [Scientific American]
Understanding and Overcoming Procrastination [The McGraw Center]
Why You Procrastinate, and How to Stop It. Now. [Forbes]
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