15 Jan 5 Ways to Overcome Procrastination
It’s human nature to put off tasks that you don’t want to do or that seem overwhelming, but once you start to procrastinate, it can be difficult to get back on track. Here are some ways to help you overcome procrastination.
Find an Accountability Partner
An accountability partner is someone who checks in with you to ensure that you are keeping the promises you made to yourself. Finding an accountability partner is a great strategy if you struggle to follow through with things or maintain self discipline. This can be a friend, your spouse or a coworker who you trust to help you with making sure you get things done. It should be someone who isn’t afraid to give a little tough love when necessary.
You can also tell those closest to you about your goals. By sharing your aspirations with those around you, you are more likely to accomplish them because you feel a greater sense of accountability to make sure they happen.
The 5-Minute Rule
If something will take you less than 5 minutes, do it first or as soon as it’s assigned to you.
This is a good way to help you prioritize your daily to-do list as well as any assignments or tasks that come up over the course of the day. This is also great for making sure that small tasks don’t build up. Letting them pile up can make them seem more overwhelming and lead you to procrastinate more on getting them done.
Resist Perfectionism
This one is for you if:
- You find yourself unable to completely finish tasks because you never think your work is good enough.
- You can’t bring yourself to start a task because you’re afraid it will take too long to get “right”
Sometimes done is better than perfect, especially for things that can be fixed or adjusted with time. If you struggle with accepting things that are “good enough,” try asking yourself if you are doing the best you can with what you have or what you know. If the answer is yes, you can move forward.
Reward Yourself
Once you’ve reached a goal or checked everything off your to-do list, reward yourself! This is a good way to make it fun to complete small or mundane tasks, like payroll or paperwork, as well as to celebrate bigger goals and milestones. Rewards can be anything from taking a long lunch break at your favorite restaurant to making yourself a fresh cup of tea to buying yourself something you’ve had your eye on.
Use a Planner to Overcome Procrastination
Planners are a great way to keep yourself organized and make your days more productive. They help you visualize your day and keep track of due dates and other important events with specific timeframes.
Some of the ways Artful Agenda can help you prevent procrastination include:
Creating a Schedule
Creating a schedule for yourself allows you to designate time to actually accomplish the things on your to-do list. Artful Agenda’s “day” view lets you see your schedule and task lists side by side, which makes carving out time to tackle tasks even simpler.
Making a To-Do List
Artful Agenda has several features that can help you with this! Our Lists section is a great place to create a “master” list with headings and subheadings where you can check off your progress as you go. There are also sections in our Day view that you can use for Priority Tasks and Other Tasks. Plus, our recurring and rollover tasks allow you to plan ahead and help you remember to do something.
Setting Monthly or Weekly Goals
The Month and Week views in Artful Agenda both have designated sections for goals. These sections are a great place to break down big goals into smaller parts that are more manageable so you’re less likely to procrastinate.
Ready to overcome procrastination? Let Artful Agenda help!
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