7 Quick Strategies to Overcome Procrastination and Just Get Started
Test these out to overcome your procrastination
*This is part of a series on how to stop procrastinating and make getting started easier for yourself (especially if you are a creative entrepreneur).
These strategies work for creators and creative entrepreneurs. Try them out and see which ones work best for you.
And if you have any other strategies that work for you, please share below in the comments!
Ready to rock? 🤘
1 - Temptation Bundling 📦
Ironically, I was experiencing my own urge to procrastinate on finishing The Stop Procrastination & Just Get Started guide. 😂
So what did I do?
As I was writing the guide, I was watching the NBA playoffs while drinking a delicious new imperial stout from the local brewery, while relaxing on the couch with my feet up and a heating pad on my back. 🍺
Instead of just avoiding making progress, I made the experience fun and positive so the resistance melted away.
This is temptation bundling — and it is one of my personally favorite tips to make getting started easy and enjoyable.
Temptation bundling is essentially pairing something you love with something that brings up resistance. Theoretically, the positive things that you bring in mitigate the negative and make it easier to just do it.
This can feel weird (especially if you’re a productivity fanatic on a never-ending quest for improved efficiency) but in my book, it’s wise to sacrifice some “efficiency” if it means you’re actually getting it done (and enjoying doing it).
Here is a great article on temptation bundling and the science behind why it works.
2 - Implementation Intentions 🖇
Implementation intentions are specific plans that link a specific situation or cue with a specific action.
For example, “As I drink my morning coffee, I will spend 20 minutes working on my project.”
By linking a specific action to a specific cue, implementation intentions help to automate the behavior and reduce the need for conscious decision-making.
3 - Use a Timer and the Pomodoro Technique ⏱
Often, the hardest part of starting a task is just getting started.
To trick yourself into action, try setting a timer for just five minutes and telling yourself that you only need to work on the task for that amount of time. Once you get going, you may find that it’s easier to keep going.
Or, use the Pomodoro Technique.
The Pomodoro Technique involves breaking work down into 25-minute intervals, followed by 5-minute breaks (sidenote: you can also use shorter work sessions if 25 minutes feels too long).
This technique can help to reduce the sense of overwhelm that often leads to procrastination and can increase focus and productivity.
Make this strategy more psychologically engaging by pretending the timer is a “shot clock” that you have to beat. 🏀
4 - Reduce Distractions 🚧
Distractions are usually never the source of procrastination, but they do make it harder to not procrastinate.
Reducing or eliminating distractions is often a quicker, easier win than going deep into your psychology as well.
So use this free worksheet to identify and eliminate your distractions.
5 - Use the “Two-Minute Rule” ✌️
If a task will take less than two minutes to complete, do it right away — don’t overthink it or put it off. This can help you build momentum and get into a productive mindset.
6 - Seek Social Support 🤝
Procrastination can be a lonely and isolating experience. By seeking social support from friends, family, or a coach, you can increase accountability, motivation, and encouragement to overcome procrastination.
Find someone who has a similar project or goal and work on it together. Not only will it be more fun to work with or alongside someone else, but you’ll also have someone to hold you accountable and keep you on track.
The best place to find other creative people like you (who also are overcoming their procrastination) is in The 30 Day Creative Momentum Challenges that I host throughout the year! 🤘
7 - Gamify Your Work 🎮
If you love(d) video games or playing any type of sports, try gamifying your work.
Create rules to make things more engaging. The right set of rules can also serve as effective constraints that will help eliminate too many choices (and possibility overwhelm).
Build a scorecard and assign points to activities or milestones.
Track your progress and build in rewards when you reach your next experience “level” or beat the big bad boss at the end of the level.
Rather than just writing out a list of tasks, turn it into a game by giving yourself points or rewards for completing tasks. For example, you could give yourself one point for each task completed and treat yourself to a small reward, like a piece of dark chocolate, once you reach a certain number of points.
Get creative and turn your work into a game so that you actually want to engage with it.
🤘Which one of these will you experiment with?🤘
👉Grab your free copy of The Stop Procrastinating and Just Get Started Checklist to overcome your procrastination as a creator or creative entrepreneur.
Email or message me if you have any questions or want to explore how to apply this in a more personalized way.
🤘Remember, procrastination is a common challenge that many creators and creative entrepreneurs face.
Be honest with yourself about what you are procrastinating on and why. It’s OK and completely normal to procrastinate.
Then test out the strategies and tools in this guide. Pay attention to what works best for you — and keep using whatever that is, even if it starts to feel silly.
By approaching procrastination with a playful, lighthearted, and experimental attitude, you may find that it’s easier to overcome and get back to doing what you love.
Is Your Reason for Procrastinating Missing?
Let me know if there are any reasons or excuses missing here that you feel cause you to procrastinate — or if there are any ideas or suggestions to add to this checklist for how to overcome the resistance.
I’d love to know your ideas and suggestions!
Send me an email at jeff @ jefffajans . com
I’ll be developing more in-depth strategies and tips on procrastination in the near future to supplement this checklist.
Stay tuned!
