How to beat procrastination and get things done
“One who can learn how to manage their time, can learn how to master their life”
Procrastination is human nature. You, me, all of us are guilty of procrastinating in our lives.
That little red dot, the funny gifs, the group chats, the endless pings and the never ending stream of notifications…how many times have you drifted from point A to Z without even knowing it. You know the feeling.
If you think only the average or uninspired procrastinate — let me put you at ease with an example.
Leonardo Da Vinci — an example of creative and artistic genius took 16 years to complete his masterpiece painting — The ‘Monalisa’.
Not because the painted demanded that much of time, but because like you and me, he was a chronic procrastinator.
Moving on…
It is perfectly natural and sometimes even useful to procrastinate. But the problem arises when you get stuck in the loop for procrastination for a long time. Then, it becomes a part of our nature, our behaviour, and ultimately our thinking and attitude.
Like you, I too want to get better at life. Want to get more done at work and make more time for things that matter most to me.
So, I decided to not to give procrastination the power to hold my progress hostage.
There are three steps that are helping me get there and I want to share my learnings with you. But first, let’s begin with a question.
Why do we procrastinate?
Maybe you feel lazy, maybe get distracted, maybe you chase perfection or maybe all of them (at different times).
Once you identify the cause behind procrastination, the next step is to eliminate it from your life.
So, how can you beat procrastination at its own game?
Here are the three steps.
Step 1: Track your Time
Before you even think of beating procrastination, your first step move should be to identify where your time is running off.
How do you spend your time?
Are you spending too much time on social media sites? Maybe you are guilty of day-dreaming while working or maybe you don’t find enough things to do in your busy life. Maybe all of them (at different times).
If you don’t understand the value of your time, you will never realize the value of your life. Read that again and again until it gets in your subconscious mind.
To reduce procrastination, set a schedule.
Just like an athlete puts measure around their marks for improvement, you too have to put a tab on your time to be better.
If you know don’t know where to start, read this helpful and simple time management guide.
Put down a daily to-do list and set auto-reminders during the day that nudge you to stay focused. Make it a point to tick off everything that you see on the list before you call it a day.
Next, start with eliminating distractions that eat up your time. There are apps that can help you stay focused at work, manage work/play schedule and also help you cut down on millions of meaningless micro-distractions.
Takeaway:
Time is precious. Set a schedule that works for you. And don’t let your day run you.
Step 2: Get Motivation
Do you know what’s the difference between a dreamer and an achiever?
The achiever is the one with higher (read: insane) level of motivation.
Quite frankly, we don’t get enough of vitamin M in our day. Some say motivation is like bathing, you need it everyday because it doesn’t last you more than a day.
We procrastinate because we tend to believe that a certain task or activity can be postponed or delayed and nothing would be lost.
However, we forget that by procrastination, we are losing the most valuable currency in our life - time.
To beat procrastination, you must get their daily dose of motivation. This works like a hack (it is one) because when you feel motivated, you are less likely to procrastinate and much more likely to get stuff done.
Behavioral science has proved the effectiveness of positive reinforcement in better habit formation.
In simple words — you need to get a dose of daily motivation. Make it a priority and try to get more of it in your daily diet.
In case you are looking for some motivation, here are 5 self made billionaires who will inspire you to be better at what you do.
Takeaway:
Make motivation the fuel that you need on the journey towards a successful life. And it’s always good to have a tank full.
Step 3: Learn Something New
A unique (but effective) way to beat procrastination is to include the habit of learning new things.
When are you are done setting a schedule and getting enough motivation, what do you do next?
You learn — to fill your empty spaces of time with something meaningful.
It could be a fun hobby a useful career skill or any other anything under the sun.
In order to train your brain to not fall into the illusion of ‘more’ time, start learning something new.
Sign up for an online course or join a hobby class near you. Only a few minutes a day will get you there and you will have something to do when you are bored or need a break to replenish your juices.
The key here is— learn something that truly excites or interests you.
For example - if you are not into fitness but you join a gym, it’s only a matter of some time and your mind will again be back into the procrastination loop.
Before getting started, take some time to do a bit of soul searching. Put down things that really capture your imagination and curiosity.
Wondering where to start?
Here is a good list of cheap and fun hobbies and useful skills anyone can learn easily.
Takeaway:
Having something worth doing in your free time is must for a life well lived. Find that thing. And keep it close to your heart.
Over to You
We procrastinate because we feel that there is enough time to do things.
No matter how bad you procrastinate, you can overpower it.
You have the power to beat procrastination. The choice is always yours.
Remember - any change takes time and dedication.
The secret? Set a schedule, get motivated for achieving small, measurable goals that lead to better habits.
Start now with small steps with daily consistency and remind yourself why it feels amazing to make the most of your time (and life).
The #1 mantra that should be on the your mind all the time — Just. Do. It.
