How to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done

We all know the feeling. You’re staring down a mountain of work to get done, your inbox is overflowing and you’ve even got some deadlines to meet. It’s enough to make you want to curl up on the couch and watch Netflix all day. Unfortunately, this isn't an option. Sorry, but it's time to put your "big girl" pants on.

Most people procrastinate because they don’t know how to get started. There’s no doubt about it—there are far too many of us who are procrastinators. But the good news is we can learn to get our lives back on track. If you’re stuck, this blog is for you.

"The only way to get things done is to start doing them.

Do you feel like you're always behind schedule, never finishing anything, and getting bogged down by endless tasks? We all have that feeling, and it's a bad one. Procrastination is a powerful emotion that leads to lots of bad decisions. You've got so much to do. So why aren't you doing it? And why are you putting off tasks that need to be done right now?

Procrastination is a major factor in why many people give up on their dreams. That's why, when I started working on this post, I wanted to make sure that it would offer practical and proven solutions for overcoming the most common reasons why people procrastinate.

If you are not careful, procrastination can ruin your productivity, your relationships, and your happiness. So, how can we stop procrastinating? It starts with understanding why we are so drawn to procrastination in the first place. In this article, we will share with you 15 ways you can stop procrastinating and get more done.

1. Take on one small task at a time

I was feeling overwhelmed and had lots of projects to complete. I wasn't very organized and had to decide on the best way to get stuff done. And then it hit me. I needed to take on one small task at a time. It was easy for me to keep focused because I could see the progress I was making. It helped me to build a foundation of success and I felt better about tackling bigger projects. This is a great strategy for procrastinators as well. It helps to break large projects down into smaller, easier-to-complete steps.

2. Plan every day in advance

Do not get caught off guard. When you plan your day in advance, your work will be more organized and less stressful. Planning will help you stay on track and make sure that you are achieving what you want to achieve. You can start planning by looking at the goals that you have set for yourself. Then you need to choose a time to work on these goals.

3. Set specific, achievable, time-bound goals

How many times have you told yourself, "I need to get this done"? You put it off until tomorrow, the next day, next week, or even next month. The result is that you've procrastinated and never got around to it. There's a chance that the task will need to be completed at some point, but you're left feeling guilty because you didn't finish it.

It's hard to set goals if you don't know where you're headed. Setting clear goals, instead of vague ones, is the first step towards achieving any kind of goal. It is possible to set specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and timely (SMART) goals once you know what you want to achieve. If you want to improve your business and be successful, you should write a short-term plan of action and keep working until you reach your goals.

We all know it takes a long time to build a business, but sometimes you have to hit the ground running. You need to set time-bound goals for yourself. It sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how often people let themselves slip into procrastination when they’re feeling overwhelmed or just don’t know what to do next.

4. Choose the most important tasks first

When I asked for advice on getting more done, one of my favorite answers was “do the most important thing first". Otherwise, you'll spend your time on the things that are important to someone else if you don't, like answering emails or taking a phone call.

This means you’ll miss deadlines, and it also means you’ll make yourself less productive by spending time on tasks that aren’t important to you.

We all have different priorities. It’s important to understand our priorities and what is important to us. Doing the most important things first is one of the most effective ways of getting more done. If you don't do that, then you’ll waste a lot of time doing tasks that are unimportant to you.

The best way to get more done is to complete the most important task first. Then, you can cross off the next most important task. This makes your work more organized, and you’ll get done more quickly. If you do this, you’ll also be more productive.

"Stop procrastinating and start producing."

5. Prioritize by importance, not difficulty

We're often afraid to start because we think it's too hard or that it's not worth it. This is because our brains prefer tasks that are easy over those that are hard. So we always tend to choose easier tasks instead. This is why we procrastinate. If you don't know whether your task is worth the trouble, you will tend to focus on the top task.

You'll be more likely to start working on the more important items if you prioritize by importance instead of difficulty. Once you finish that task, you'll have the motivation and momentum to tackle the next task.

6. Make each task a game, with rewards

It is important to have fun with the process of getting tasks accomplished and to reward yourself every time you finish one. Every time you complete a single task, make sure to give yourself a little reward. For instance, maybe you could treat yourself to a cup of coffee after you complete a task. This is an easy way to develop a habit and stick with it.

In short, make sure that everything you do requires effort. It’s only when you work hard that you gain skill, knowledge, and confidence.

1) Write down tasks on a piece of paper and give yourself a deadline.

2) Set up a system to reward yourself with small prizes.

3) Give yourself a daily goal, which you’ll mark off each day as you complete it.

7. Break large projects into small steps

If faced with a big task, procrastination is often the result of overthinking a project. The solution? Start with the small tasks. Start with smaller goals. Make sure you are constantly getting closer to your goal. Tackle the larger task later—if you need to.

One of the most common excuses that entrepreneurs give is that they can't get anything done because they have so much on their plate. Breaking a big project down into smaller, more manageable pieces is the strategy I use to combat this problem. Focus on one area at a time.

Let's say you want to start a business, but you've been putting off starting because you don't have any real plan yet. Well, it's okay to start with a small project.

Choose something that you could complete quickly, like creating a landing page or writing a blog post. Now, instead of thinking of that big project as a whole, you can think of it as a series of smaller projects. This helps you stay focused and excited about it while avoiding the overwhelm that can happen when we have too much on our plate.

8. Visualize the outcome

Procrastination is a huge problem when building a business and trying to get stuff done so it is important to identify our constraints to deal with them. Most people procrastinate because they don’t see the point. So, how can we convince ourselves that our actions now will help us achieve a goal that we desire in the future? The answer is visualization. A visualization is a powerful tool for making progress toward any goal, and it can be applied to anything. It’s easier to visualize a positive outcome than to imagine the negative, so try it. Discipline your mind to be able to see the "big picture".

9. Create a positive environment

Procrastination is a habit that many people struggle with, myself included. It happens because we’re not sure if we have the willpower to do something that requires effort. But when we understand that procrastination is a form of avoidance behavior, we gain insight into why we may be afraid of starting or doing something new.

This one is a bit more subtle than the other tips on this list, but it's the key to achieving a successful life. If you want to achieve more, focus on creating a positive environment. You can start by creating a distraction-free space for yourself to work in, or you can just try to remove as many distractions from your life as possible. The point is that if you have a good environment, you're going to be more productive than you otherwise would.

10. Do only one thing at a time

To build confidence, do only one activity at a time and finish it. If you try to do too many things at once, you'll feel overwhelmed. You'll also be more likely to get distracted from the task and fall behind on it.

The more you develop the skill of working on one thing at a time, the less overwhelmed you feel. If you have more than one project going on, you'll be overwhelmed. If you work on one thing at a time, you can always stop working on it once you've finished, no matter how long it takes.

You should limit yourself to one task at a time and work as long and as hard as you need to to achieve it. You’ll probably find that once you’re able to get one thing done, other things will fall into place and you’ll have the energy and enthusiasm to tackle whatever else comes up.

11. Use the right technology

One of the factors of procrastination is the fear of failure. The result is that people wait for a perceived certainty before they start on any project, which gives them more time to think about whether they should be working on it.

By using the right technology, you can help yourself to get things done by taking away some of the time-consuming parts of the process. Technology can help you to organize your work schedule, help you track your progress, and help you be reminded when it’s time to get started.

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to get something done but not having the right tools. Most people use procrastination as an excuse to avoid getting stuff done. They’d rather just sit around and think about what they should be doing, instead of doing what they should be doing.

Procrastinators tend to think there is a big list of things to do that they just don’t know where to start. But the reality is that there isn’t a list. What you need to do is take steps towards doing what needs to be done. There are a ton of online tools that can help you to break down all your projects into smaller pieces and manage them in a way that makes them easier to complete.

• Use a timer to stop the constant interruptions.

• Set your deadlines.

• Make a list of all your goals and milestones in ClickUp.

• Automate your to-do list with Trello

• Use voice-recognition software so you can keep track of what you're doing.

• Use a project management tool like Basecamp to manage your projects.

• Track your progress by using a notebook, blog or notes app like Noteshelf.

• Use your calendar to schedule meetings and appointments.

12. Consider the consequences

Procrastination is just another word for the delay. Delays cost businesses money, time, and resources. There are many reasons why procrastinators put off projects, but one of the main reasons is that they don’t consider the consequences of their actions. For example, if you fail to do something, then you will lose the opportunity to have a great experience. For example, if you don’t write your business plan today, you may miss out on an opportunity to win the business of a major client.

13. Focus on key result areas

Procrastination is a killer of productivity. Why? Because we often let our lack of focus, or our lack of knowledge about what we need to do, keep us from taking action. We think about what we need to do next and then put it off until the next day or next week, etc.

The best approach to overcoming procrastination is to focus on the key results or milestones that will lead to success. Get clear about what you need to do and set yourself deadlines for completion. This can be done by visualizing or mentally creating a picture of your desired outcome. By setting goals for yourself, you can be sure that you’ll get the things done that you need to.

14. Motivate yourself into action

If you’re looking to create a sense of urgency to get stuff done, the key is to keep reminding yourself why you’re making this change. Why should you be doing this now, and not tomorrow? Make the case to yourself. Think about your internal motivation, and be sure you feel empowered by your decision. If you’re feeling frustrated or like you need to give up because you just can’t do it, remind yourself that it’s worth the effort.

15. Learn to say "no"

When we have a million things to do, we usually feel overwhelmed. The problem is we never stop to think about what we could say yes to instead of what we have to say no to. If we spend time saying no to any activity that doesn't need our immediate attention, we can free up our time to work on those things we want to get done. Saying no to things that aren’t that important can have a positive impact on your happiness, energy, and productivity levels.

You have to develop the ability to set boundaries and prioritize. If you’re not sure where to start, here are some questions to ask yourself: Am I afraid of saying no? Or am I afraid of having to say yes to something I don’t want to do? Are there tasks on my list that I can say no to? Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll have a better idea of what your priorities should be.

Conclusion

You need to become aware of your procrastination triggers and avoid or neutralize them. Then you can use other tactics to tackle your procrastination such as the tips we have shared in this post. A better mindset and better habits will give you more motivation and determination to reach your goals.

As for my advice, I’ve learned that you can overcome any habit, whether it’s procrastination or another bad habit, with willpower and discipline. So, I urge you to focus on your weaknesses and fix them by creating new habits.

If you procrastinate, you’ll always put things off until the last minute, and you’ll never achieve the goals that you set for yourself. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s a reason that we procrastinate: we fear the unknown and what might happen if we do something differently.

But, the truth is that there’s nothing scary about doing what you know to be right and what you know needs to be done. And, when you get started on a new habit or project, you’ll soon find that you’ve accomplished more than you ever thought possible.

Your Take Away

I’ve been there too, but it’s not about feeling guilty or beating yourself up – it’s about getting started. Check out these tips on how to get started.