Techniques for Avoiding Procrastination

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Techniques for Avoiding Procrastination

Techniques for Avoiding Procrastination- Contributed by Juliet du Preez

I would say that all of us are rather familiar with the concept of procrastination; and some of us experience it with alarming frequency.

At least there are measures we can take in order to avoid procrastinating and actually get on with our lives.

So, no further procrastination; let’s jump in to find out the techniques for avoiding procrastination:

Is This Right For Me?

Often a large factor in procrastination is the fact that the task at hand is simply something we don’t want to do. Of course there a number of things in life that we don’t like doing but, “have to” in order to progress, however, sometimes, we don’t realise that we may be doing things that don’t really take us where we want to go or that simply aren’t necessary. Ensure that you are aware of what you want from life and why you are doing things. If it’s right for you, there is a better chance that you’ll get it done.

Plan

One of the techniques for avoiding procrastination is to plan your day.

► Plan your day in advance.

If you wake up knowing where to begin and what to do, it is much easier to get going. You would have already gathered your thoughts and can get stuck in straight away.

► Start with the biggest task

If you start with something big, you are likely to complete it that day. Completing something is one of the most effective motivators.

► Tackle the most important tasks early

When you plan, try to complete the most important tasks first. This means you won’t have to rush with the urgent stuff last thing in the day.

► Watch your timing

Ensure that you set aside large chunks of time to handle the big tasks. You don’t want to be interrupted when you are on a role. Also, try to plan your time according to when you find what tasks easiest to perform. Perhaps you tend to have an afternoon lull; then use that time to do some of your more mundane tasks.

► Necessities

• Include breaks in your schedule so that you keep fresh and enjoy your day.
• Never multitask.

Know Your Stumbling Blocks

We usually know what is going to make us procrastinate. In general, these are the tasks we dislike or find uncomfortable. The trick is to prepare for these.

You can:
• Make sure you do them first
• Find other ways of achieving the same outcome
• Try to understand why you struggle with it and turn it around
• Find ways to motivate yourself through the tough moments

Change the Habit

Yes, procrastination is a habit. One of the techniques for avoiding procrastination is to break the habit. The way to break a habit is to establish a new habit. Habits are ingrained modes of behaviour.

They become a “part of us” – so to speak – by repetition. Changing a habit therefore means repeating our new behaviour until it becomes our new (and improved) way. Often we have been repeating habits for many years, so, the alternative approach may take some time to instil. Do not despair or give up!

Procrastination lurks around most tasks. Rather than let it grab hold of you when you are trying to achieve something, implement some methods in order to reduce the risk of an attack. As they say: Prevention is better than cure.

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