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Break the habit of procrastination with these productive tips
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Do you have a hard time staying on task? Do you constantly leave things on your to-do list till the last minute? If so, you’re likely procrastinating. Procrastination can stem from stress, frustration, or perfectionism. No matter why you may be procrastinating, there are many ways to break the habit and get back on task. Check out this list of the best tips and tricks to overcome procrastination and stay motivated.
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QuestionWhat is the main cause of procrastination?Sharon Lee is a Success Strategist and the Owner of Fearless Pursuits. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in helping others gain clarity on their goals, build confidence, and remain accountable towards their goals. Sharon offers advice to others through life coaching, career coaching, and small business coaching. Sharon holds a Strategic Intervention Coach Certification from Robbins-Madanes Training and has additional training from Erickson Coaching International.Procrastination comes out of the obstacles that you fear. If your pain for going through a certain process is greater than the ultimate pleasure you'll get out of it, you won't end up doing it.
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QuestionHow can I stop procrastinating if I have trouble with distractions?Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.Some of the techniques above will help, such as doing your work in environments without distractions and using timers to hyperfocus for 20 minutes at a time.
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QuestionHow can I stop procrastinating when I am always stressed and tired?Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.Identifying and fixing the source of stress may be the first thing you need to do to help the procrastination.
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Tips
- If you’re suffering from anxiety or depression associated with your procrastination, talk to your doctor or therapist. It’s okay to ask for help. You don’t have to go through this alone. [18] X Research sourceThanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Turn off the Wi-Fi on your devices and do any work that doesn't involve the internet first. That will help you eliminate the internet and social media as a distraction.
- Make it a game by racing yourself. For example, if you have to clean your room, set a timer for 10 minutes. During that time, try to get as much done as possible.
- Each day, choose 3 important tasks that you need to do. Reward yourself in some way once you've done those things. It will help motivate you to get more done.
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References
- ↑ Sharon Lee. Success Strategist. Expert Interview. 2 December 2021.
- ↑ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/why-wait-the-science-behind-procrastination#.WVK-49Pytok
- ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/04/27/why-you-cant-help-read-this-article-about-procrastination-instead-of-doing-your-job/?utm_term=.b97d4925d499
- ↑ Sharon Lee. Success Strategist. Expert Interview. 2 December 2021.
- ↑ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/why-wait-the-science-behind-procrastination#.WVK-49Pytok
- ↑ https://blog.innerdrive.co.uk/5-reasons-to-do-that-hard-task-early
- ↑ https://asana.com/resources/eisenhower-matrix
- ↑ Sharon Lee. Success Strategist. Expert Interview. 2 December 2021.
- ↑ http://www.pcworld.com/article/2094846/read-this-now-7-clever-mobile-apps-to-conquer-procrastination.html
- ↑ https://zapier.com/blog/stay-focused-avoid-distractions/
- ↑ https://www.boisestate.edu/coen-mbe/2021/04/20/5-ways-to-stop-procrastinating/
- ↑ https://www.nu.edu/blog/can-music-help-you-study-and-focus/
- ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2013/03/25/why-you-procrastinate-and-how-to-stop-it-now/#534f88081837
- ↑ Sharon Lee. Success Strategist. Expert Interview. 2 December 2021.
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201505/the-voice-reason
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/2021/01/11/955692434/procrastination-is-more-than-putting-things-off-heres-how-to-kick-the-habit
- ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/procrastination/
- ↑ https://www.npr.org/2021/01/11/955692434/procrastination-is-more-than-putting-things-off-heres-how-to-kick-the-habit
About This Article
Article Summary
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To stop procrastinating, turn off your phone and play white noise or music without lyrics to help you focus. Break your task into small chunks that you can tackle one by one and work hard for 15-minute intervals, giving yourself short breaks in between to help you stay on task. Aim to finish the task, not make it perfect—you can always fix it when you’re done. Give yourself a quick pep talk to get you going and promise yourself a reward, like a sweet treat or funny video, when you’re all done. If you want to learn how to make a distraction-free space where you can focus on work, keep reading the article!
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Reader Success Stories
- "It gave me ideas on how to actually get on with the work and keep from putting myself off. I keep looking at it as the mountainous heap it is instead of breaking it down to bite-sized chunks. Also doing something for a set period of time, then breaking off for a bit. That helps with the discipline. " ..." more
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"It gave me ideas on how to actually get on with the work and keep from putting myself off. I keep looking at it as the mountainous heap it is instead of breaking it down to bite-sized chunks. Also doing something for a set period of time, then breaking off for a bit. That helps with the discipline. "
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"I am not a chronic procrastinator, but I found myself procrastinating and not being able to do anything to stop it. This article provided valuable advice to stop my habit before it started to create problems for me. Thanks for the article. Continue writing more!"
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"Breaking down my work into small parts to work on at a time sounds smart and I plan in trying it in the near future. This tip helps me feel a little more motivated, as I always procrastinate."
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