Conquering Procrastination
3 Simple Tips To Help You Avoid Procrastination and Win Your Day
Tips to Transform Your Work Ethic
Procrastination — what a fancy, sophisticated-sounding word. Not sure about you, but it’s a word I certainly identify with.
As I stand at the cusp of completing my year-long writing streak, I cannot marvel enough at my journey of writing every day for 11 months straight without a reward.
However, it wasn’t always like this. It still isn’t for some other tasks I set for myself.
So what changed? How did a master procrastinator like me write every day for so long?
Let me tell you how…
The Arnold Way
I recently came across this article. If you, like me, are a procrastinator — give it a read.
Thanks to this piece, I realised that one of the biggest reasons for my streak was my lack of thinking.
I know it doesn’t make sense.
Like a robot, every morning I’d sit on my laptop and start clickety-clacking on a thought I’d written the night before.
Doing so, reduced instances of remembering my irrational fears or stop me from writing my article for the day.
Before I’d know it, I’d already be on my way to finishing my article.
This momentum helped in my daily writing practice.
Also, this allowed me to clear my biggest hurdle of the day.
A massive win first thing in the morning — to help you set your day.
Strict Dopamine Diet
Where do you get your dopamine hits from?
Scrolling Instagram, watching Netflix, or watching a sport?
For me, I’d always struggle to get back to any task the moment I started watching my favourite sport.
This habit would keep me glued to my TV.
I’d always end up bargaining against myself
- 5 more minutes.
- Let me watch another serve.
- Oh, my favourite bowler is bowling — 6 more balls.
- It’s okay, I will catch up even if I start 5 minutes later.
First, this would consume a lot of energy. Second, it would never let me focus on the actual task. Eventually, I’d give up and waste the whole day.
Since I’ve gotten into the writing habit — I tell myself I’m not allowed any dopamine hits or luxuries till I finish my work.
This not only helps me stay focused but also helps me finish tasks I couldn’t in the past.
What You Are Avoiding?
Growing up I loved the idea of a ripped body and a six-pack.
But I never went to the gym. I only made castles in the air.
I attributed my avoidance of going to the gym to being lazy.
However, in 2019 I started working out at home. This practice soon turned into an obsession.
It was then I realised I didn’t like the process of going to the gym.
- Prepping my bag.
- Driving to the gym.
- Driving back.
- Figuring out what to wear.
I enjoyed the gym but not the peripheral activities associated with the gym. It stopped me from getting that six-pack.
Since I can write, I know anyone can. You only need to figure out what is it that you do not enjoy.
Once you do, you’ll be on your way.
These tips are simple yet very effective. They’ve helped me go from writing 0 articles a year to writing 330+ articles a year.
It was simple, not easy.
If this can work for me, I’m sure it’ll work for you.
You only have to try. Will you?
p.s. — remember to make space for failure. You cannot let your first failure stop you from tweaking and making changes to the processes you set up for yourself. Pay attention and you never know what’s your ceiling.
