Avoiding Procrastination: 5 Tips for Success

This week is Procrastination Week and while we usually embrace and celebrate most silly holidays/weeks, no matter how wacky they are (it is also Pet Sitters Week and British Pie Week), we can’t advise you to embrace Procrastination Week.

Instead, we wanted to take this opportunity to share a few simple tips and tricks to avoid procrastination and get back on track.

Tips for Avoiding Procrastination

It’s okay if you’re procrastinating right now by reading this article. The tips below will help you start to get back on track with your tasks and avoid procrastinating in the future.

Create a Task List

It’s incredible how valuable it can be to simply write down the tasks that you need to do. A list gives you a visualization of how much work you have to do which can help keep you on track and can be its own reward system as you cross things off of your list. procrastination

Do the Difficult/Less Fun Tasks First

Human nature is to avoid the things we don’t want to do. We can combat this by completing the tasks that we are less excited about first. Once those are out of the way then you are free to focus on the projects that excite you and that you’re eager to finish.

Reward Yourself

If you’re struggling to start a task then offer yourself a reward once you’ve finished that task. Whether it is a treat you want or a trip to the mall, think of something that will motivate you to complete the task and then don’t allow yourself to have that reward until you have successfully finished the thing that you have been putting off.

Tell Someone You Are Going to Do It

This is a tactic that works for individuals that are trying to break addictive behaviour (i.e. smoking). Telling someone that you are going to do a task today (or not do it in the case of smoking) will help you stick to your goal. That person is likely to ask you how successful you were after the day is done and if you tell someone you are going to do something it is much more likely that you will succeed in completing that task.

Break it Down

If a task seems too daunting or difficult try breaking it down into smaller tasks that are easier to accomplish. Moving through a big project in smaller steps is a simple way to successfully complete the task without being discouraged or feeling the need to procrastinate.

You can do it! Follow the five simple tips above and you’ll be well on your way to avoiding procrastination and successfully completing the tasks you have been putting off.

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