Did you know that 88% of the workforce procrastinates?

The easiest way to stop procrastinating is to put systems in place that will help you tackle those

• boring

• complex

• confusing

• nerve-racking

• time consuming

• overwhelming

tasks that we all have to face in our every day life.

Let’s start by defining procrastination.

What is Procrastination?

Procrastination is when we find ways to keep ourselves busy and away from what we have to do. It’s when we put off a task we know we have to complete. 

Some tasks that many people procrastinate:

• Completing a project for school or work

• Cleaning a cluttered area of your home

• Saving money

• Choosing healthy food

• Nurturing existing relationships with family or friends

It is difficult to stop procrastinating because it is a habit that we have been practicing since we were little. 

Do you remember when your parents had to remind you innumerable times to do your homework, clean your room, or do your chores?

Common Excuses

To stop procrastinating let’s first take a look at the most common excuses we tell ourselves:

• There is plenty of time

• We got this under control

• I will do it later

• This is the last candy I will eat

• I am just taking a break

• This is the last game I will play

• As soon as I win this game I will stop

• I feel so frustrated right now, I need a break

• Better ideas will come to my mind after first doing something else

• I will start tomorrow

What are Your Options?

When you have to complete a task that you do not feel like doing, there are two options:

1. Ask Someone Else to Do it

This is a great option because the task gets done and you don’t have to worry about it anymore.

You may have to pay or owe a favor to someone else.

Younger siblings are usually good at asking older siblings for help and many times the older sibling ends up doing all the work.

2. Motivate Yourself to do the Task

Wouldn’t it be nice to want to do what we need to do?

What about feeling excited to clean out the dusty and cluttered basement or feeling happy about filing taxes?

It is not always easy to motivate ourselves into doing what we are supposed to do.

Below you will find 10 steps that will help you complete the pesky tasks effortlessly and stop procrastinating.

10 Steps to Effortlessly Stop Procrastinating

1 – Find the Pattern

There are usually a few activities that we use to distract ourselves from what we need to do.

We may procrastinate by:

• watching TV

• checking social media

• surfing the web

• playing online games

• checking all our apps or searching for new ones

• doing online research

• checking our refrigerator or pantry every 5 minutes

• doing something we like and is easy

The first step to effortlessly stop procrastinating is to find out your favorite distractions.

What do you like to do instead of what you need to do?

When I looked at my patterns, I found that playing online games, surfing the web, and checking social media were my favorite ways to procrastinate.

Moreover, playing online games was the activity I found most difficult to stop. 

Once I started playing, I kept repeating to myself, “This is the last one.” For hours, every new game was going to be the last one.

The worst part of playing online games was that I would feel frustrated because I would always lose, time would go by, and work did not get done.

I do not play online games anymore because once I start I cannot stop, especially when I have to do something I am not very interested in doing. 

Now it’s your turn. What do you do when you don’t feel like doing what you are supposed to do?

2 – Tackle Tiresome Tasks One at a Time

I used to schedule for the weekend, a long list of tasks that I had procrastinated during the week. 

However, during the weekend, I would complete maybe one task and tell myself that the weekend was to rest and relax.

As there was still some time left, I would figure out how to complete the remaining tasks during the following work week.

Instead of feeling happy for the task completed, I felt frustrated for all the tasks that I did not even start.

That made me think that it does not matter how much time there is available but for how long we can motivate ourselves to do the tiresome work.

Start scheduling one annoying or boring task per day so you will have plenty of time to schedule other activities that you enjoy doing.

Moreover, if you schedule only one task per day, you will celebrate the completion of the part and you will feel motivated to complete the next part of the project tomorrow.

Here are more tips on How to Plan Your Day for a Happy Life.

3 – Divide Complex Tasks into Step by Step Instructions

Start with the end result in mind. What is your goal?

Then, make a list of the different steps that you need to complete the task. This is a tentative list with the information you have available right now. It may change as you move forward.

If you don’t know where to start, schedule some time to figure it out. Sometimes we wish we could do things fast and efficiently without any planning or thinking involved.

Rushing into the task usually ends up in disappointment because there are always details we did not know we had to consider.

The first task will be to make a list of where to start.

4 – Strive for Completion not Perfection

When we think about the end results, our imagination likes to produce perfect pictures.

We hope that our project will look a certain way or be the best report ever written.

Having excessively high expectations, will slow us down because it will add fear of not rising to our own expectations instead of focusing on the task at hand.

While working on your project keep in mind to put forth your best effort and do the best you can given the current circumstances.

Striving for perfection can lead to more procrastination because we are afraid of failing before we even start.

We may feel stress or anxiety as we set goals that are not realistic.

If you feel that stress, anxiety, or perfectionism are obstacles to achieve your goals and enjoy your life read Turn Your Happiness On.

You’ll find out how to light up your days and fill your life with joy by using research based strategies.

5 – Have a Clear Daily Goal

What do you expect to accomplish today?

What is a measurable goal?

How long will it take you to complete the whole project?

Find out How Working on Your Goals Makes You Happy. 

6 – Schedule 20 Minutes Today

Make sure that your daily goal is achievable in 20 minutes.

In addition, getting started with an easy task will motivate you to keep going.

As you feel more comfortable you may increase this time. The purpose of working for 20 minutes is to get involved in the project with a positive feeling of being able to complete it.

Our mind can focus on a single project for 20 to 30 minutes. You are giving the project your full attention and at the same time it will not feel overwhelming.

Define one short task to complete in this period of time. 

7 – Set a Deadline

How many 20 minute segments do you need to complete the task?

Keep track of the different tasks and the timeline.

Seeing your progress and plan will give you confidence to work on and complete the task.

8 – Make Decisions Beforehand

Many times what slows us down are the decisions we have to make along the way.

Reduce the number of decisions or think about them in advance so that you have an idea of what to do next.

When decluttering, cleaning, or organizing we are confronted with the difficult decision of what to keep, what to discard, and what to give away. Once you decided what to keep, the next question is where to keep it. 

9 – Prepare Your Workspace

Make sure you have everything you will need to complete your task.

In addition, take a few minutes to prepare the area where you are going to work.

What will you need? 

What would make the task more enjoyable?

Could you listen to music, cuddle with your pet, stretch,  or enjoy your favorite drink while completing the task?

Having a distraction free environment will help you to focus and concentrate on the task at hand.

10 – Reward Yourself

Once you completed the 20 minutes of work, enjoy a reward.

You may do anything yo want or enjoy.

Follow these 10 easy tips to effortlessly stop procrastinating.

What works for you when you don’t feel like doing something that you need to do? Let me know in the comments below.