5 Steps to Conquer Procrastination

Procrastination may seem to be a harmless habit, but people who suffer from it are prone to make irrational decisions that can influence their lives in a negative way. It wrecks havoc on their professional, personal, and creative lives. Many procrastinators admit that they don’t sleep enough, miss out on promotions, and even damage relationships with their beloved ones. Changing your lifestyle can be hard, but it is truly worth it in the end. Here are 5 easy tweaks to your routine, which will lead you to a new, productive, procrastination-free life!

Keep a Planner

I know you probably have half a dozen of them. The trick is using it correctly. Many successful procrastinators refer to this as gamification of life. All your chores and plans are challenges, and you can earn points by completing them on time. When you have enough points, you can spend them on something pleasant, like a day watching Netflix and ignoring all calls. There are apps that can help you out if you prefer a digital planner instead of an analog one.

Prioritize

The hardest thing of all is to get rid of procrastinator mindset. This is why instead of fighting it, you should use it! Make a to-do list. Choose the most important and immediate things there. Then, add something even more important on top. Any experienced procrastinator knows that he/she should try to avoid the scariest task. This way he/she will be doing productive work and procrastinating at the same time! Just keep juggling several important tasks, and you will get all of them done eventually.

Put down Your Device

This sounds like something your grandma would say, but there is nothing more dangerous and alluring to procrastinators than the black, bottomless pit of the Internet. We’ve all opened Wikipedia to look up something related to our work and ended up several hours later looking at pictures of Ryan Gosling. Try isolating yourself from social media for just an hour and see what effect it will have.

Concentration Zone

Even normal non-procrastinating people need a quiet place to work and study. It is paramount to be focused and get in the “zone.” Some people recommend libraries, but in my opinion, you should choose a place that works for you. Is it a coffee house? Great! Your dorm room? Excellent! Cirque du Soleil? Whatever strikes your fancy! I’m not the one to judge. If you can get really focused on a particular space, take advantage of it.

Be Prepared

Make sure that nothing can distract you or make you leave your current task. Stack up on snacks and double check all your pens and pencils. It’s also a good idea to warn the people who might sidetrack you. This way you won’t have your mom calling or friends coming over for pizza.

Follow these easy steps and get ready for your productive future. Remember that, just as with any lifestyle change, consistency is the key!