One Habit Everyone Wants To Get Rid of, It’s Procrastination

If there’s one habit everyone wants to get rid of, it’s procrastination. The destroyer of productivity and the creator of undue stress, the art of putting things off have never been as prominent as in today’s society. Our lives are so cluttered with distracters and time-wasters that, without taking proper cautions, one could easily waste a whole day without crossing a single item off of the to-do list. So how can you banish this negative habit once and for all? Read on to find out.

If you are working or studying, turn off the internet. That way, you can have access to Power point and Word without feeling tempted to go on Facebook. If your discipline really needs work, take your books and supplies and head over to the library, and either study in a cubicle or use one of the computers. The computers in the library usually block most social media and ‘fun’ websites, leaving the online dictionaries and encyclopaedias untouched.

Another mistake people make is to leave their day completely unscheduled and up to them to fill it up however they please. The misconception here is freedom means getting more work done. Contrary to popular belief, too much freedom will just give you excuses to slack off and be LESS productive. In order to make the most of your day, you have to set up a schedule. List off all of the things you have to do, then estimate the amount of time required for each item and plot it into a day planner. This way, you’ll know exactly what to do at what time and not a minute will be wasted.

Sometimes, you just don’t feel like working. You’re tired and cranky, and all you want is to sit down on the couch and watch reruns. If this happens, just remember your biology textbook isn’t going to study itself and the power point you need to make for work isn’t going to make itself neither. The best thing to do when you’re lethargic is to do a few minutes of quick exercise to get the blood pumping then go work simply to get it over with. After a few jumping jacks, sit down at your desk and work uninterrupted for five minutes. Usually, after five minutes, you’ll be in the zone and ready to keep working.

Although these tips may seem hard to follow at first, you’ll find being productive gets easier the more you practice. Like with all other bad habits, procrastination takes time and conscious effort to overturn. However, if you do manage to stop wasting your time and be more productive, you’ll feel more confident both at home and at work. In addition, you’ll have more free time unencumbered by the nagging guilt of not finishing your work. Remember, the more effort you put in now, the more fun you’ll have later.