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Conquer Procrastination Using These Techniques

By Njideka Agbo
30 April 2018   |   7:00 am
After a missed deadline, many procrastinators promise themselves that it will never happen again, but then go on to repeat the same cycle all over again. So, how do we make things different next time? These techniques, along with you understanding the reasons for your procrastination, could just help you take total control of your…

After a missed deadline, many procrastinators promise themselves that it will never happen again, but then go on to repeat the same cycle all over again. So, how do we make things different next time?

These techniques, along with you understanding the reasons for your procrastination, could just help you take total control of your time.

Clearly define your goals

Try to make your goals or tasks more specific and break them down into small steps you can cross out as you go. For instance, instead of saying that you’ll get organised, put down things like: fold the laundry; sweep the room; take out the trash.

Allocate a timeframe to it

Don’t just say you’ll reply all your emails over the weekend. Set a timer to sort out all your emails in an hour on Saturday before you watch a movie or a football match.

Tell the time accurately

Procrastinators tend to either overestimate how much time they need to do something and wait until they have a lot of time (which hardly ever happens) or underestimate how long it will take to complete a task and not allow enough time to do it. Record the amount of time you take to complete tasks and take note of them.

Reward yourself

Reward yourself with things you love doing after you have completed a task to keep you going. You can allow yourself binge on social media for a guilt-free 15 minutes or watch an episode of your favourite show.

Prepare for setbacks

Do not expect everything to fall into place once you start working on a task. Always prepare yourself for obstacles along the way. If you do your homework way ahead of time and your dog eats it, then you will still have some time to redo it.

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