How to Stop Procrastinating — Pave the way to Productivity
Tags: Virtual Assistant, Productivity, Time Management, Stop Procrastinating, Procrastination

It does not matter who you are — everybody struggles against the sin of procrastination. Completing the task in panic mode the night before the deadline can be avoided with a little practice and the help of these few simple tips.

1. Planning is Everything.

Poor planning equals poor performance. It helps to create a list of all tasks, including big projects and small chores. Do not be afraid of the length — you are not obliged to do all assignments at once. Prioritise them by importance, deadline and scale: stay realistic — you probably won’t be able to do three presentations and five reports of good quality in one day. The list will allow you to manage your time more efficiently. It is likely that you already know when during the day you are energised and ready to work. If your peak productivity tends to be between 9am till noon — deal with the most demanding personal tasks in this period of day and save monotonous, small chores for the evening.

2. No Distractions, Please!

Once you get down to work make sure you get rid of distractions. We all know how hard it can be, but put your phone away (or turn-on the “Do not disturb” mode, so you can receive the most important calls or texts — but no Facebook or Twitter alerts), switch off the TV if you work at home and clean the table (the last one may sound strange, but, surprisingly, empty table helps to concentrate on your task). If the Internet is your main opponent here — use apps that can restrict you from social media for a specific time or limit the usage of web to a certain amount per day.

3. Break Up Bitesized Chunks .

If you are a chronic procrastinator then the prospect of a whole day of work, or a whole list of tasks, may seem like Mount Everest. But by breaking the tasks down into smaller and more achievable chunks, suddenly the task in hand seems much more doable. Reward yourself with breaks after you have reached each goal post, and soon your list will be complete. A timer can be used for your breaks — it is easy to get carried away and extend your rest time for longer than you should. Keep track of time and be strict with yourself…remember it is your time that you are wasting, and it is you who will have to make it up at the end of the day.

4. Buddy Up.

If the desire of time wasting is too overwhelming and you know that you will let yourself escape from working, you can ask a friend or your personal virtual assistant (preferably one more disciplined in time management) to keep an eye on you. Having somebody watching may be an extremely useful way of dealing with idling.

5. Stay Motivated.

Seeing your to-do list diminish can inspire you to work more. Once you crack procrastination, suddenly you are confronted by a world of productivity. If procrastination really is getting the better of you then take a break…come back fresh faced and ready to work. You are your own worst enemy when it comes to procrastinating, so motivation and a clear goal is key to making procrastination a thing of the past. Promising yourself a reward at the end of a productive day also can persuade you to keep going.

These steps are not mandatory — everybody works differently. Use the most suitable for you and alter them, if required. Now you are ready to start a new super productive life!