One of the real questions when you try to stop procrastinating is how should you organize your time in order to stop wasting energy in disparate activities.
There are hundreds of ‘said to be working techniques’ out there to stop you from procrastinating, but only some of them are scientifically proven to actually snap you out of lazy mode and start gaining real time productivity.
Think small, act focused
Aiming for big, fast results when you’ve already wasted half day watching Netflix instead of getting homework done is a no-go. List your priorities. Work now, play later. This is the easiest way to achieve results when you have studying on your list. Postpone the more pleasurable activity for later in the day and plan out on enjoying it after the chore is done. If you can’t grab the means to do that, go to step two and…
Use an organizer
Agendas are best known for helping us out with whittling down procrastinating and having an actual plan on paper. If your hidden agenda has a hard time on you, then buy an organizer and fill it daily with things that need to get done in that particular day.
Avoid planning ahead, even better, stop postponing whatever can be done today for tomorrow or the weekend. After all, pen and paper can be our heroes when all else failed. And IF all else fails…
Shut down all communication
That Facebook flickering new message makes you so curious, doesn’t it? Oh, and the texts your friend keeps sending ultimately need a reply! While the phone keeps ringing, you switch the TV on and, here, your favorite TV show just started!
How about no. No to all of these. Instant communication is such a turn off for productivity and the perfect way down constant procrastinating. Close all the social media tabs, better off, unplug the cable or turn off Internet for as long as you decide you have to work. Yes, it’s hard, but you’ll be thankful and happy to browse through all those notifications when your show is done. Still not convinced?
Externalize
If your home, or office doesn’t inspire you to work at all, there’s always an alternative that was proven to arise writers, artists, people in IT and designers from the procrastinating guilt trip. Pack your stuff and head to a café, library or public space where you can feel comfortable enough to do your thing without being bothered by background noise or surrounded by friends.
Choose a spot where you can spend low key those couple of hours. Chances are, spending a little money for a cup of tea or paying a subscription to a public work space will give purpose to the time you actually are there and make you look at the clock before you decide to indulge in the next three episodes of Vikings.
Make room for real hobbies
A laid back mood can be fantastic. Yet not so much for your spare time hobbies and passions, because when you stop following a schedule, you lose track of time for the most. And then you feel bad, but you just keep going back to procrastinating. It’s a vortex, sometimes. So allow yourself to stop feeling sorry for the lost time and do this. Whenever the question “How can I stop procrastinating” emerges, grasp it and stick to it, the way you’d use sticky notes to remember things during the day. Do that. Use lists, and pen and paper, and when you are done, you may go back to procrastinating. Or find a better name for it and let it surprise your curiosity with finding new goals and amazing habits.
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