Life is too short to procrastinate! Use these tips to help get you out of a slump.
Know your why
Even the most basic task needs a reason behind it, or it’s unlikely to be accomplished. If you’re having a hard time motivating yourself to take out the garbage, take a moment and think about reasons why the garbage needs to go out, like
- It’s more hygienic to remove trash promptly
- No trash means no trash-related odors
- If you take it out routinely, the garbage won’t get all the way to the top of the bin and start overflowing, meaning it’s easier to take out in the first place.
Know how YOU are motivated
What keeps you motivated? The answer is different for everyone. Maybe you like checking something off a list. Maybe a gold star in your calendar makes chores fun! Talking about what you’re trying to accomplish with someone else can be great motivation, too.
Whatever motivates you, use it!
The bigger picture
It can be easy to procrastinate on a project when you’re deep in the weeds. It often helps to zoom out your focus and look at the bigger picture. Think about how accomplishing a small task helps you reach your overall goals. Even something as simple as envisioning cooking in a clean kitchen can help push you to get the dishes over and done with.
Break it down
If a task seems too huge, break it down into smaller pieces that you feel you can accomplish. When I help someone organize their home, I start working with them on one small area first, instead of trying to organize the whole house at once. Smaller tasks are easier to accomplish, but the sense of accomplishment that comes with them is just as motivating! Break a job into pieces so you can celebrate success more often.
No excuses
Don’t give yourself any room for excuses! Including other people in your project is a great way to do that. Accountability partners help keep you on task. It’s easy to tell yourself, “I can do that later” when you’re the only person involved, but if someone is relying on you to finish part of a project, that external motivation can go a long way.
Talk to your friends, family, and coworkers about projects you’re involved in, especially ones you’re stuck on.
What motivates you? Tell me in the comments below—I always love new tips and tricks to increase productivity!
I am motivated by checking off the box on my list. I know this sounds silly, but if I write it down on my list, I am much more likely to do it because I dislike having unfinished tasks. Also, crazy as it may sound, I am motivated by not having much time. When I have a lot of time I tend to talk myself out of doing things I don’t want to do, or overthink when to do other tasks. When I’m pressed for time, I just have to do it now!
None of that is silly or crazy, Seana! You have valuable information about yourself and use it to be more productive. I’d call that awesome!
I love procrastination tips! Thanks for sharing. I am glad you mentioned determining the why. People who procrastinate really do not think of the why.
Thanks, Sabrina. The “why” is so crucial!
Smart stuff! Without knowing your “why” (as Simon Sinek says), it’s hard to stay motivated; you just feel like you’re going through the motions, and it’s easy to rebel against a task that seems arbitrary. (It’s hard to convince someone to file their piles of papers because of hygiene, so without a visceral “ick’ factor, digging deep for that why is, indeed, key. I like how you focus on seeing the big picture AND breaking it down, because the forest view prompts motivation and the tree-view encourages getting started. You pack a lot of good advice into a short post!
Thanks so much Julie!
I love your suggestion for applying the “why” even to tasks as simple as taking out the garbage. I often think about the whys for larger projects or goals. But you demonstrated how well it could work even for more mundane things…and the ones we might tend to procrastinate about.
Thanks, Linda! Yep, the best principles apply to big and little pictures.