Stop Procrastinating & Increase Productivity with a Strategies Mindset

You probably think of doing something else right now. That movie you have wanted to watch, feasting your eyes on some cool outfits, or going to that newly opened food joint. You must be thinking something along these lines. 

Sometimes we want to have fun and do it at the expense of productivity. There may be a couple of tasks that need to be done, but still, we choose to overlook them. Though we throw those away for the time being, it resides at the back of our mind as a nagging presence. The end result is that we complete those activities at the eleventh hour with feverish haste. 

This habit of throwing caution to the wind might initially seem enjoyable, but not as nice as the clock ticks. Procrastination is home to every person. Everyone would have struggled with it at some point. 

Why do we procrastinate?

Often, the reason we put off doing our work is because we find it stressful. Whenever we think of a task to be stressful, we tell ourselves, “I shall do it later!” and run off to do something that isn’t stressful. That includes the time we spend, or rather, squander on gadgets, mindlessly scrolling, etc. 

We perceive in our minds that a particular task is highly tiring and that we would like to put off doing it as long as possible. Sometimes, the task we feared doing might turn out to be easy as pie, astonishing us. However, procrastinating will get you nowhere, except for you ending up with a lot on your plate. It takes a good blend of averting procrastination and time management techniques to become proactive. 

How can you become productive?

As you would have guessed, becoming productive takes time. You decide to turn over a new leaf; you have to be consistent for that. Several habits must be acquired to evade procrastination and turn on your productive self. While you can discover what suits you best, here are some standard practices:

Create a Table of Now and Later On Tasks

Grab and pen and paper. Draw two columns and name them ‘Now’ and ‘Later on’. Think what all activities you need to complete. Think of one if that specific task is essential, and put it under ‘Now’. If that task is not that important to be done right, write it down under ‘Later On’. Remember, you should not abandon the work listed under ‘Later on’. This is just a way to differentiate the tasks you ought to prioritize clearly. 

How much time?

Now that you have your list of significant tasks, pick the first one, and analyze how long you would take to do it. Make sure you give 2-3 breaks in between to freshen your mind. Take shorter breaks of 10-15 minutes. Set the timer; more than that, set your mind to it, grit your teeth, and get to work. This is a little tweak given to the famous Pomodoro technique. 

Time for a reward

You get a well-deserved reward once you have completed the task within the stipulated time. Sweet titbits, doing a happy dance, or spending a tiny amount of time on your phone and strictly putting it away can serve as rewards. After all, the best reward is the contentment you get once you finish the task and strike it off!

 

Chuck Distractions

Remove anything that might distract you while you are working. When you take those short breaks between your work, stay off gadgets as much as possible. Taking a calming walk, looking out at the sky, or dancing to your favourite song are better alternatives.

Power Naps

Sleep is essential, but it is frustrating to end up sleeping while you are supposed to work. Power naps are shorter periods of sleep and are a great alternative to sleeping for longer hours, as it not only makes you refreshed but also do not take up a lot of time. A power nap of thirty minutes will give your brain some rest.

 The above are some methods to prevent procrastination and get more work done. These methods may seem complicated and uncomfortable to pull off initially, but they get better when you keep practising. You can always craft your techniques and become a more productive person, which will be greatly rewarding in the long run.