Practical Steps to Overcoming Procrastination: 5 Essential Tips
By: Adam Lewis
Tags: Procrastination Nation, Procrastination Quotes, Procrastination Links, Procrastination, Procrastination Causes

Overcoming procrastination is no easy task for anyone to accomplish due to our natural human tendency to take the easy way out. We all fall victims of procrastination at certain points in our life but it is our ability to recognize the negative consequences of procrastination and resolve to do away with it that makes us eventually rise above procrastination.

To achieve your goals and live a fulfilled life, you must break the habit of procrastination. The ability to overcome procrastination and get things done is an important skill to master if you must make consistent progress in life. You cannot overcome procrastination by merely wishing alone; if you want to stop procrastinating, you have to be willing to learn and let go of old habits.

So what is the way out of procrastination?

Keep Things Simple

Many times we put off important tasks because we feel that they are difficult and cumbersome to accomplish. When tasks are simple, you can accomplish them easily without feeling the need to procrastinate. Some people have a knack for complicating things. Even the smallest of task can become a big deal if you over think it. You can save a lot of time and energy by keeping things simple.

Don’t crowd your schedule with so many unnecessary activities and don’t blow a task out of proportion. Determine the things that are most important to you and do them first. Let go of the excess baggage and don’t bite off more than you can chew. We must learn to keep things simple so that we can easily get the job done and avoid the procrastination trap.

Manage your time

Some people think they do not have enough time to complete their daily tasks. Others think they have more time so they tend to put things off till later. Either of these behaviors can lead to procrastination. We all get the same amount of time to work with everyday. Why then do some people accomplish more than others in a day? The answer lies in the concept of time management. When you learn how to manage your time properly, you would be able to maximize your time and accomplish more in a short period of time.

Effective time management comes easily to some people, but others have to make a deliberate attempt to learn if they must be effective time managers. You can read books and listen to tapes that teach on the subject of time management. You can also register for a time management class to learn more about the subject.

Don’t try to do everything

Sometimes we have a tendency to want to do everything by ourselves because we think that nobody else may do it as well as we do; this attitude could lead to procrastination. If you have a lot on your plate, it is important that you delegate to lighten your work load and keep you focused on what is most important.

There are certain tasks that you find difficult to accomplish and most times, these constitute the bulk of tasks that you procrastinate. You can learn to avoid procrastination by letting someone else handle these tasks for you. You could employ an expert, or you could ask a friend for help, either way you need to delegate so that you do not procrastinate.

Celebrate new heights

Breaking the habit of procrastination is no small task. As such, you should reward yourself for any new height you attain. When you make progress in overcoming procrastination no matter how little it is, learn to reward yourself. This will keep you motivated and remove the drudgery from work. When you know there is a reward for completing a particular task, you are less likely to procrastinate on it.

Tune out distractions

Some people are very busy doing constructive things but not really paying attention to the things that they consider most important to them. They end up putting off the important tasks and leaving the things that bring the deepest satisfaction unattended while pursuing other less important endeavors.

If you want to overcome procrastination, you must tune out distractions and stay focused on the job at hand. Today more than ever, social networks, blogs and TV shows constitute a huge source of distraction for most people. Sometimes, friends and guests can also be a source of distraction to you when you are working on important tasks. Decide in advance to invest your time in activities that would give you maximum satisfaction in life and learn to avoid distractions.

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