Procrastination – or the art of not getting anything done

​Procrastination is something that can affect us all – and affects some of us constantly. Why is it that some tasks seem to never be ticked off your to do list? 

There are various theories about why people procrastinate, but what I want to look at here is how can you stop procrastinating and just be able to get on with things.

• Setting realistic, manageable goals is essential. How can you achieve your goals if you don’t know what they are? Also, you have to realise that there are some jobs that just have to be done. Putting them off won’t make them go away.
• Make sure you have a timescale for when the task needs to be completed. Some items have built in deadlines, but others need you to impose a deadline for when you will complete the task – and to stick to it!
• Maybe you are the kind of person that responds well to rewards. So, think what you can reward yourself with once you finish your task(s).
• Think about what made you finish certain tasks in the past and see if you can use that as a learning to achieve your goals this time.
• Be realistic about what the steps are you need to take with any given task. Often we do not allocate sufficient time to a task and then are surprised when we are unable to complete it.
• If your workload really is unmanageable, talk to your boss/ colleagues/ partner and see if there is some additional support available to help.

Most of all remind yourself how great you feel when you do cross items off your list. Wouldn’t you feel great if you were able to cross more things off each day? Stopping procrastinating will allow you to do that.
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Some of the best advice I ever heard was, ‘just start’. It really is as simple as that.