Each one of us wants to be productive at work, no matter how much stress our work is. To be productive, we should stop some bad habits such as procrastinating and putting things off. You may already face this kind of situation: you need to do your assignment soon as the deadline is approaching, but you keep on being lazy and scrolling the social media for hours and watching useless videos.
Apart from that, you enjoy surfing the internet and keep on looking at the latest news online, thinking that have enough time to complete the task. That’s known as procrastinating and the more you procrastinate, the less you’ll be able to achieve your goals.
At some point in our lives, we start to feel guilty because of constant procrastinating. We often forget to prioritize some work and start panicking when the deadline arises. We only start working on it when it’s too late.
The best thing is that it’s still possible to avoid procrastination and become more organized and productive.
Reasons For Procrastination
Procrastination is the voluntary postponing of a task — an attitude that has put many people’s jobs and careers on the verge of failure. To be able to do something about it, we must first comprehend why we postpone in the first place. The following are the key reasons:
1. Lack Of Self-Confidence
People with low self-confidence often doubt their capacity to finish a task when they are under pressure or facing challenges. They don’t start because they don’t believe in themselves, which causes them to miss opportunities and fail to meet their objectives.
2. Anxiety
Anxiety often begins when you avoid getting started. The fear of getting failed is linked with a high level of stress. When a person starts a new job that might be challenging for him, there is a higher chance of shifting his concentration to get things done in the future. Learning how to cope with the anxiety and prioritizing your work is both efficient and effective to inspire oneself to get the work done in the minimum time possible.
3. Tasks That May Or May Not Be Enjoyable
Some chores appear to be difficult, while others appear to be tedious. When someone dislikes their job, they lose motivation to work for it and complete it. Keep in mind that no duty is too big or too minor. You must devote your attention and dedication to the assignment after you have accepted it. Consider that if the jobs appear to be less demanding, you can complete them sooner and have more free time for other pursuits.
4. The Lack Of Direction
A workplace must be a conducive place to give time to some particular tasks. However, if there is no proper direction guidance, it would be easier for the employees to make excuses and procrastinate. For example, scrolling their Facebook news feed is a common practice, but if there is a rule that doesn’t allow them to use social media during working hours, they will have a sense of responsibility. The management must punish the employees who cross the limit and doesn’t follow this rule.
Procrastination Prevention Tips
Procrastination is a difficult habit to change, but it is doable with the right knowledge and the determination to do so. Consider the following suggestions:
1. Get Your Work Organized
It will be good to have a well-organized plan for completing your assignments and chores. You can use a planner or a calendar app on your phone to keep track of your appointments. You can have a more organized manner of managing your assignments and reminding yourself of due dates by using these tools.
2. Make A Deadline And Stick To It
The issue with initiatives that do not have a deadline is that there is no clear plan to follow. Setting a precise date or deadline for your assignments is essential so that you are reminded when they are due. It’s also a good idea to finish the job one or two days before the deadline, so you’ll have enough time to finish it if something unexpected happens.
3. Share Your Objectives With Those Who Can Help You Achieve Them
Let’s face it. We can easily forget the responsibilities that have been allocated to us at times. If you can discuss your goals with someone you know who can push you to act, it will be excellent. Instead of hanging out with people who will encourage you to delay, get to know and hang out with people who will push you to do better and work more.
4. Remove All Sources Of Distraction
Numerous distractions can make it difficult to complete duties on time. When you should be working on something else, don’t waste time on social media. Other potential external temptations include noise and even invites from friends to go.
5. Prioritize Your Tasks
When you have a list of jobs to perform, it’s better to start with the most difficult ones. Then move on to the simpler ones. This will save you time and allow you to finish all of your tasks in an organized manner.
6. Allow Yourself To Relax
With so many obligations, your day can be daunting, so don’t overwork yourself. You can take an hour’s break and rest to avoid burning out. Try listening to music, going on a stroll, playing with your pet, or doing something you enjoy. Then you’ll be more rejuvenated and inspired when you return to work.
7. Make A Timeline For Your Objectives
Instead of choosing to delay, creating a timetable and sticking to it will help you complete chores effectively. Make a to-do list that includes a task description and a deadline for completion.
8. Make Your Objectives Simple And Attainable
One reason people procrastinate is that they perceive the chores to be too difficult. However, if the objectives are attainable and clear, it will be easier to get started and work on the functions. Avoid plans that are excessively broad and ambiguous.
9. Limit The Number Of Choices You Must Make
Every choice we make has an energy ramification. If you need to ask yourself, “What do I need to do today?” when you get up in the morning. You’re prepared to put off doing something today, I see.
You’ll waste a lot of time worrying about what to do and what not to do if you start each new day without having thought through the outcome you want it to have.
Should I work out today or wait until tomorrow?
Which should I wear, this or that?
Should I eat this or that?
When should you respond?
All day long, we ask ourselves questions similar to this.
We are forced to reply to questions with responses, which force us to reach decisions. You become exhausted and lose all self-control as a result, which causes you to put off doing the things that are most important to you.
Making decisions in advance and/or developing routines in specific areas of your life can help you be more effective and avoid you from using up energy considering whether to do something. This will help you reduce the amount of decisions you need to make throughout the course of a day.
10. Give To Yourself
Some claim that rewards don’t provide for effective motivation. Never trust them. They are most likely criminals.
They’re only correct in regards to external benefits, sometimes known as “bribes,” so maybe not. In reality, giving staff rewards doesn’t always motivate them more.
However, rewarding yourself is just common sense, so do it. You are in need of that Bing! moment, after all.
11. Spend Time With Those Who Will Motivate You To Take Action
Spending only 10 minutes conversing with Steve Jobs or Bill Gates will undoubtedly encourage you to take action more than if you chose to do nothing. Our actions are influenced by the individuals we are with. Of course, spending time with Bill Gates or Steve Jobs every day is probably not a practical strategy, but the idea still holds true.
Find the friends or coworkers who make you feel triggered (they are probably the hard workers and go-getters), and spend more time with them. You’ll soon instill their enthusiasm and desire as well.
12. Get A Buddy For Motivation
The entire process is considerably more enjoyable when you have a friend around. Your friend should ideally have a distinct set of objectives. You’ll keep each other responsible for sticking to your plans and goals. Although it is not required that you both share the same objectives, it will be even better if you do so that you can benefit from one another.
I routinely speak with a wonderful friend, and we always discuss our objectives and the steps we have taken to get there. It goes without saying that it motivates us to keep acting.