We all struggle with procrastination. It’s a struggle! Well have you ever thought about why you procrastinate? Have you really dug deep down? Well that’s what today’s episode will be all about! I am going to cover the the 3 Ws of Procrastination: What, When, and Why. Knowing these can help you know how to stop procrastinating!!
Why Do You Procrastinate?
What are some ways that you procrastinate? Is it with Netflix, social media, or by doing something else other than what you’re supposed to do? If you know what you do when you procrastinate, it can help you recognize when you’re procrastinating so you can overcome it.
When do you procrastinate? Are there times in the day when you are naturally more productive? Or do you tend to procrastinate just when you have certain tasks to do?
And lastly, why do you procrastinate? Is it because what you should do isn’t enjoyable? Is it fear of failure or being afraid of making a mistake? Or maybe your project is overwhelming. Or perhaps you haven’t broken it down into smaller steps or you don’t have a plan.
Knowing WHAT you do to procrastinate, WHEN and WHY you procrastinate can help you overcome it. We think procrastination is about managing time. “I can’t get things done!” I need to be better at time management!” And those things are helpful. I have a whole course about productivity and we get deep into time management and getting things done faster.
But when it comes to procrastination, it’s is less about managing your time and more about managing your emotions
How to Stop Procrastinating
1. Don’t Skip the Essentials
Make sure you are getting good exercise and you’re practicing healthy habits. Get your quiet time in in the morning and be sure to include things in your routine that bring you joy. Since procrastination is more about managing emotions, it’s important to do things that help you regulate your emotions.
2. Make a Plan
To beat overwhelm and fear of failure, it’s impportant to have a plan. I’ll talk more about how to plan a project in the next episode. In general though, make sure you have your steps broken down into actionable steps, not vague steps. And ask for help when you need it.
3. Start Small
You’ve probably experienced the fact that the first step is the hardest. It’s so true! If you start small, it can help you get into action. I love the phrase “action precedes motivation.” Get moving and start small!
4. Use External Motivators
Have accountability partners, get involved with other people, have cowork sessions. These things all help to incrase your motivation! You can also try changing your environment, which can be an external motivator. If you have trouble getting work done at home, go to a coffee shop or another place!
5. Use the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity technique where you set a timer for 25 minutes and work without distraction. After that you set a timer for 5 minutes and do whatever you want. It helps when you have to get a lot of stuff done and you don’t want to.
6. Make changes where you need to
If you struggle with certain tasks, perhaps you can automate them or outsource them! Or are there things that you can eliminate altogether? If you can find where the breakdown is happening you can make changes to fix it.
Thanks for reading/listening! I hope now you feel more empowered to stop procrastinating! If you need more help with produtivity, goal setting, or getting to those deep WHY questions, check out my course The Freedom to Flourish Course!
You can also join my free Facebook group if you have any questions! I make my podcast episodes based on the requests of the people in the group! You can also ask questions for live Q&As after my recordings. I hope to see you there!
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