7 steps to overcome procrastination.

Procrastination may restrict one’s potential, and drag the academic performance, career, financial status. It is the habit of unnecessarily postponing the important task, by doing more enjoyable ( non productive) task or activity. It is not only due to laziness, but also due to fear of failure, perfectionism or fear of perception. Here are the simple seven steps to overcome Procrastination.

1. Power of compounding. — Baby Steps

If you want to read a book, instead of reading the entire book in one shot, read few chapters or pages. Break such unachievable task in to achievable size. This is what is called as baby steps. This simple baby steps added with power of compounding will help you in completing the bigger task. It is better to be late than never.

When you break the task in to smaller elements check the activity duration and if it is very short duration like 2 to 3 minutes it takes to complete that task, do that immediately. This will give a head start to the bigger task.

2. Distraction delays:

Nothing is free in this world, but if we get something free then we are the product. The free use of social media makes you the product. How many times we get distracted in social media or TV instead of doing productive work. Time is one such resource once gone you will never get it back in your lifetime. Effective utilization of time is important. There are many apps like Focus@will, Forest Focus for productivity, helps to avoid distractions. Some people keep checking their phone for mails, whatsapp, telegram and other social media. This is the reason for distraction and avoid this habit. Set a specific time to check mails, social media or phone.

3. Know your tasks and attend on priority basis:

Follow Eisenhower matrix process of elimination to prioritise your tasks. Delete those “Not important and Not urgent” tasks. This alone helps you to free up most of your time.

4. Pamper yourself for the task successfully completed:

Appreciate yourself or others who helped you in completing the task. It can be a short break or through small awards or gifts.

5. Encounter with End of the task:

Visualise the completion of the whole task and see yourself where you will be on completion of this achievement. For example you wanted to be a successful person, become that person in your visualisation. Dream and long for that personality.

6. Accountability Partner:

Keep a close friend or family member as accountability partner to nudge you to achieve your goal by monitoring daily habits. These kinds of regular knudge will keep you on the edge. Squad is an app you may consider if you are alone and do not have any accountability partner.

7. Keep a time line

Set a timeline and share the timeline with your accountability partner. Let this time line be achievable target without pushing you to the edge.