How to Avoid Procrastination
In the day and age of the internet, there are more people working remotely now than ever. Especially after the global pandemic, where many haven’t yet returned to their office full-time. With the many distractions of your personal life just outside your door, it can become quite easy to procrastinate — especially on the smaller, nagging tasks.
Procrastination can have a negative impact on productivity, mental health, and overall well-being. As a business that operates remotely, we’re definitely not immune. Along the way, we’ve picked up quite a few quick strategies that you can easily implement to help prevent procrastination and achieve your goals.
If you find yourself putting something off, try to identify why.
There always seems to be a reason, no matter if it’s big or small. Be honest with yourself. Identifying the root cause of the problem can help you develop an effective solution to overcome it. Procrastination can be caused by a variety of factors:
- Mental health
- Sickness
- Poor work/life balance
- Fear of failure
- Lack of motivation
- Too many tasks on your plate
- The task is too challenging
- The task is too confusing
Use a planner or a to-do list.
It may seem trivial for some, but setting up a simple planner or to-do list can help you keep yourself on track. Organize them however they work best for you. Make sure to set strict deadlines and schedule specific times to work on each task. This will help you spread out the work and avoid procrastinating and ensure that you make progress towards your goals.
Eliminate clutter and minimize distractions.
You would be surprised — it’s often the simplest things that can distract us the most. Take measures to prevent the buildup of any clutter or mess in your workspace. Do what you can to keep the space physically organized. This includes excess decoration, as your workplace should ideally be minimalist and simple. Try to set up your office in a quiet space and inform your household of when you aren’t to be disturbed.
Try the Pomodoro technique.
The “Pomodoro” technique is a time management strategy that involves working for a set period of time (usually 25 minutes) and taking a short break afterwards (usually 5 minutes). This technique can help you stay focused and avoid procrastination by breaking up your work into manageable chunks, while also preventing burnout over long periods of time. If the technique isn’t working right away, try different periods of time. Everyone is different and it’s a matter of finding what works best for you.
Give it a try!
Now that you have a few strategies under your belt, we hope you’re able to find success in the near future. If none of these methods seem to work for you, there are sure to be plenty out there that can do the trick.
