Procrastination unfortunately seems to plague all of us at one time or another so here are 60 great tips to help overcome it!
60 Overcoming Procrastination tips
1. Put tasks you procrastinate over into a real Job Jar. Do one task from the Job Jar before you do anything else each day.
2. If you procrastinate on a certain task and not generally, the task is the problem – not you. Identifying the issue will help you fix it.
3. If you procrastinate because you hate doing it, you’re human. Try bribing yourself as shamelessly as possible.
4. If you love doing it, but find yourself procrastinating, you’re afraid of either failure… or success. (First step: Identify which one!)
5. When facing a difficult task that is causing procrastination, tackle the task step by step.
6. Did you know that an overwhelming majority of people who procrastinate had at least one controlling parent?
7. Procrastination can be the result of mental clutter. Review your to-do list and eliminate everything not necessary today.
8. When perfectionists procrastinate, it’s especially hard. They’re dealing with the cause of the procrastination plus not being perfect.
9. If the word “procrastinate” is your ultimate nightmare and secret fear, you can pretty much bet you are a perfectionist!
10. There’s often a disconnect between a task and its goal. This leads to procrastination, so connect the dots by planning steps.
11. Procrastination often accompanies a confidence crash. Do small related tasks. These successes will help you face the big one.
12. Procrastination isn’t always avoiding a task: We also sabotage ourselves by being overly busy with unnecessary tasks.
13. Are you researching the right facts on the right sites – or are you procrastinating by distraction? Learn to tell the difference.
14. Procrastination is insidious. It gets you doing it in many ways. Learn to recognize your procrastination habits – then change them.
15. Setting a goal can help overcome procrastination – but make the goal something immediate that you really want to do.
16. Set three goals for procrastination-busting success: An immediate small reward, a more challenging and a dream goal.
17. When fighting procrastination, use visual mind maps or vision boards to lay out complex tasks. Cross off or highlight components completed.
18. Do you ever procrastinate by *doing things*? If so, write down your top three priorities for the day, and work on only those.
19. Procrastination is the small-child response of someone who doesn’t think she has power over her outcomes. How can you “grow up” today?
20. People who procrastinate put things off for “later”. Simple fix: Get into the habit of doing it “now.”
21. Doing a long-put-off project with a friend works because it not only holds you to a deadline but puts the fun into a hated activity.
22. Whose voice is chiding you when you procrastinate? If it’s not your own, have a “talk” with that person – even if they’re long dead.
23. With procrastination, the hardest step is the first one. Just do it. Write one word. Pick up the phone. Take out your tax file.
24. If you procrastinate say: “I’ll only do it for 10 minutes”. Do it. Even if you “can’t” go on, you’ll feel better for those 10 minutes.
25. To eliminate procrastination, toss your tasks into three “boxes” (lists?): Keep, donate and throw away. Then do it!
26. Use mantras to help yourself beat procrastination, such as: “I’m making success happen, one step at a time”.
27. If you hate a task so much you procrastinate, stop and consider if someone is violating your boundaries. (Maybe it’s theirs!)
28. Having problems with procrastination? Break that task down into its smallest components. Tackle one at a time.
29. Use alarms to help beat procrastination. Set alarms to beep when the 20 minutes you promised you’d invest in the hated task is up.
30. People with low self-esteem often have issues with procrastination. The key lies in racking up small, achievable successes.
31. Switch your self-talk up to positive and look for things to be thankful for: You’d be amazed how much this helps kill procrastination.
32. Consider seeing a behavioral therapist if your procrastination problem is systemic, controlling your life.
33. If you want to beat procrastination, focus on your successes. And that means the small step you took this morning.
34. Find yourself endlessly researching before writing? Organizing before working? Assess to see if this is efficiency – or procrastination.
35. To get rid of chronic procrastination, first get rid of bad “messages” from your past. E.G. “You’ll never do it”, “You’re stupid”.
36. “Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday” – Don Marquis
37. If you always procrastinate when facing a specific task, don’t sweat it: Outsource it instead!
38. Changing your self-talk from critical to solution-based, positive self-talk can help you get on top of procrastination.
39. If you’re using rewards to help overcome procrastination, make sure the rewards are totally worth it!
40. One of the most important things to recognize about procrastination is that people do it to escape. (What are you escaping?)
41. Procrastination can be a signal that a task out of your comfort zone. Will you increase your skill set, delegate or outsource it?
42. Endlessly wondering why we procrastinate can be just another type of procrastination. (Sometimes, we need to “just do it” – Agree?)
43. If you find yourself procrastinating over mundane tasks, try to make it more fun. Play music; ask a friend to help or ______?
44. One of the best people to talk to about procrastination? Your business coach or mentor. (Have you done this yet?)
45. When scheduling tasks you tend to procrastinate over, find the time slot that works best for you in actually getting them done.
46. If you procrastinate over a repetitive task you can’t outsource, try getting into the habit of doing it on a particular day and time.
47. Procrastination is like the bad wolf in the “Grandfather” proverb: If you feed it, it will overpower you.
48. Go through hated tasks that make you procrastinate and assign them a label: Delegate, Organize, Automate or Delete.
49. Constantly losing things you need to complete a task can be a sign of disorganization – or sub-conscious procrastination.
50. Procrastination may be a sign you’ve outgrown something or need to reassess and reorganize it so that it’s easier to do.
51. If clients procrastinate in sending you project specs, help them out by designing and providing helpful forms with prompts.
52. If clients procrastinate in paying you, don’t procrastinate in dealing with that. Decide on a strategy and implement it now.
53. Unclutter your life. Clean up your inbox. Reorganize your office. Get rid of unnecessary tasks – and see if you now procrastinate less!
54. Do not procrastinate about learning to use new time management apps, alarms and scheduling aids!
55. If you are procrastinating because you don’t know where to start – call in an expert, a family member or a friend.
56. If procrastination is a result of confidence issues, make a personally inspiring iPod “tape”. Play it when facing scary tasks.
57. If you are having trouble with procrastination, make sure your systems suit your learning style and personality. Do it your way.
58. Make a 2-column chart: Where You Are Now and Where You Want to Go. When procrastinating, reference this chart for inspiration.
59. “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today” – Abraham Lincoln
60. When tackling procrastination, remember: “You cannot manage time – you can only manage yours