In this pandemic, with the changes and upheaval we’ve all experienced in the last few months, many of us are procrastinating like champions. Procrastination is rife right now!
Even if you’re usually someone who’s ruthlessly disciplined, you might find there are some items on your list that are starting to recur. So how can you overcome procrastination – and what if that thing you’re avoiding isn’t actually procrastination at all?
Procrastination is defined as: The act of putting off an IMPORTANT task or decision
This is the list of multiple strategies, some simple and others less so, that independently or combined can help you greatly reduce your level of procrastination:
Use the Two-Minute Rule : The Two-Minute Rule says that if you are planning an action that can be done in less than two minutes, don’t continue planning; just do it. You can extend this time to 10 or 15 minutes. If you turn this rule into a habit, there will be a multitude of tasks that you will not have the opportunity to postpone.
Take a small step : “Every object remains in a state of rest or uniform motion unless it is acted upon by an external unbalanced force.” - Newton’s First Law.
According to Robert Maurer, director of behavioural sciences at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, the challenge of taking the first step has to do with fear. When you are faced with a new challenge, it means you have to leave the safety of your routine behind. Your brain’s amygdala, which likes calm, clarity and predictability (because they’re good for survival) sets off an alarm, and a blockage appears.Taking the first step helps you beat the resistance and you start to see things that before seemed impossible differently. So stop thinking and start doing anything !
Routines help : We try to avoid routines to feel more alive, more human. But let me tell you some positive points of the routines, they allow us to tackle complex situations of life in a simple way & since they are habits that we do almost unconsciously so less efforts are required!
Make decisions : Sometimes you are unconsciously postponing a task, simply because you don’t think about it. Take a few minutes to clarify what that task really means and make a decision. You may decide to put it off in a rational manner, in which case you’re not procrastinating so do not feel bad about it.
Track your time : Keep a journal about which tasks you perform each day and the time you spend on each. By recording how you spend your time, you create an internal commitment that makes you more responsible about how you use it.
There are many other ways that you might break the procrastination habit, but these 5 techniques are tried and true activities that can get you started. Once you have momentum, it’s easier to keep going.
Breaking the procrastination habit is a good way to get started on the road to a less chaotic life.😊
