New Year, New You: End Procrastination For Good

As the old adage goes, don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do TODAY!

I procrastinate. And I hesitate to admit it.

To be honest, guys, I read a few fashion articles, checked Instagram and emails, made a cup of tea and created a holiday playlist before I sat down to pen this article. Now, as I sit at my kitchen table and gaze around, I wonder if I should actually get up and start watering my plants. If I had a dog, I’d probably go walk it. But no, I’m going to focus — I’m going to finish this story! Wait, I should probably make a snack first…

Does this sound familiar to you, too? Please, just one person say yes? Procrastination is a time, energy, money, and motivation killer. And somehow it seems to strike at its worse when a) you least expect it and b) when time is of the essence. This new year, I am staring procrastination in its face. And I’m going to learn how to beat it, once and for all. Procrastination, no more! Here are some tips that might help you beat it, too.

Focus on one thing.

More often than not, we think about all of the things we have to do, which can be extremely overwhelming. Instead, pick just one task to focus on at a time. Let the others go for the moment until the chosen task is finished.

Begin immediately.

Now that you have narrowed down your focus to only one task, start immediately. That’s it — just go! Hone in on that momentum!

Set a goal and limit distractions.

Start with a set time of fifteen or thirty minutes (even five is a good start!), devoted to focused energy. Turn off your phone  — or any other distraction — and mentally and physically lock into your task. Once you hit your set goal time, pat yourself on your back, take a small break, and…

Reward yourself.

Take a minute to stretch, have a snack, or check out your social accounts. Post-treat, start your timer again and get right back at it.

Still having trouble?…

Give yourself a break.

In a Forbes article written by Vanessa Loder, “research shows that the more you can forgive yourself for past procrastination, the more likely you are to overcome your current procrastination and take action. Practice self-compassion when thinking of your past experience procrastinating.”

Ponder what’s happening in your head.

Ask yourself why you think you are procrastinating on the task at hand. Realizing why you are putting it off can actually set you free.

Ask for help.

Tell a friend or your partner about the challenges you’re facing. Share your goal and ask for help in keeping you held accountable.

+Leave your thoughts on procrastination in the comments.  

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I am the queen of procrastination… never changed since high school, and I always use “I work better under pressure” as an excuse. It’s time to stop! Great post!! :)

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

Anonymous
7 years ago

I’ve been dealing with procrastination for as long as I can remember. It’s really become a part of who I am, so much so that I’ve learned to plan everything around it. I know I’m going to procrastinate for moths, so I start important tasks months ahead and slowly (sooooo slowly) inch my way towards the finish line. I suspect that I may be experiencing some form anxiety, adult adhd, or a mixture of both. Even as I write this comment, I should be working on a PhD application.

Thanks for this post–it’s comforting to say the least! :)

Tarryn
7 years ago

Awesome post! My husband & I are both horrible procrastinors. We’ve been discussing what we can do each day to break our habit of putting everything off, & these tips really help. Thank you & happy holidays!

7 years ago

Being a college student procrastination is the death of me! These tips are super helpful and I definitely plan to use them to limit my procrastination in 2k17!

https://www.wish–bone.com/

7 years ago

Love this post! Very inspiring.

x Annabelle
travelsandtea.com

7 years ago

Procrastination has to be one of the most common New Years resolutions and yet the steps you outlined are so simple–and so effective!

xx

bombshell-to-be.blogspot.com

Amy
7 years ago

For an article about not procrastinating why would you use a photo that shows a person who is procrastinating??? LOL

Thank you for this one, I needed it <3

7 years ago

I always procrastinate but by the time finals come about I was so stressed because of all the things I needed to do!! This is super helpful!!

Penny Lane | a new lifestyle blog

7 years ago

Yes, yes, yes. This is great! :)
Merry Christmas!
xx finja | http://www.effcaa.com

7 years ago

I like the tip portioning to not beating yourself up! We always critique ourselves when we have to know that we are only human.

xoxo
Isaly Holland
http://www.memoriesbyisaly.com

Ari
7 years ago

These are great tips, especially the one about focusing on one thing. I tend to multitask and get nothing done when I could complete one thing.

Gyovanna
7 years ago

This life advice is too accurate!

7 years ago

This was way too accurate and ironic since I was procrastinating while reading this article! Ha! But I want to do so much that my mind go overboard then I wind up doing nothing. Go figure! This will change though!! Thanks for the advice!

http://stellarinclifestyle.blogspot.com

PLL
7 years ago

It finally dawned on me that my procrastination is the cause of all my stress ultimately. It has become such a way of life that I no longer recognized that I always put things off to the last minute until recently when there was too much to overcome. So I am resolving to overcome and rid myself of a procrastination lifestyle in 2017.

Anonymous
7 years ago

Helpful thoughts! I’ve pondered on my procrastination A LOT (just thinking about what I should be doing is another way to put things off). I’m going to practice using your guide and get better at not putting things off.

Rachel Perkins
7 years ago

OH, I hate my procrastination. It always comes when I have work to do :) I’ve tried several methods after reading articles but none of them was helpful. It even affected my grades at college. I started to read BestCustomWriting.com Review to find the best writing service to order an essay online. After that, I decided to stop procrastinating and finally get to work. It took me 3 years to beat my procrastination and I am still fighting it.

7 years ago

Such good advice, I need to remember to give myself a break! Very helpful! Thank you!
Tien Austin | http://www.tienaustin.com