It’s a tough life when you’re a procrastinator, but there’s one good thing about being your own worst time-management enemy: you can easily fix it.
It’s time to start writing that memo for your boss‌ but your desk is so messy. First, you should probably take everything off, dust it and re-organize your papers, pens, and tchotchkes. And then you see that your email inbox is kind of a mess, too. As soon as that’s sorted, your phone rings. Your instant messenger blinks. Your stomach grumbles for lunch.
Do you even remember what you were supposed to be doing?
It’s a tough life when you’re a procrastinator, but there’s one good thing about being your own worst time-management enemy: you can easily fix it.
Below are five productivity hacks that will make you a focused force to be reckoned with.
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Make a List
Perhaps Santa Claus once procrastinated on his holiday gift prep, because he’s all about making lists. It’s true that a simple to-do list can keep you on track for the day. You might start to feel overwhelmed if you have a never-ending list that you simply add to whenever a new task pops up. Instead, invest in a dry erase board and re-write a day’s worth of goals. You’ll feel satisfied erasing them as you complete them.
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Say ‘No’ to Noise
Imagine you’re doing something important, like plunking out a quarterly report, filling out your taxes or penning an email to your mother to ensure her that you take the vitamins she sent you.
It’d probably be hard for you to fully focus with noisy coworkers in the background, right?
The same goes for anything else that might be a distraction: an exciting television program, a busy coffee shop or even an open window that lets in sounds of a busy street. Cutting out the distracting noises and activity will have you more focused – and relaxed – than ever.
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Clock Yourself
We’re not promoting violence here: we just want you to take full advantage of your time each day. First of all, you should try to get out of bed earlier. That gives you more time to finish everything on the to-do list you’re going to write. If you need help, set as many alarms as you think it’ll take for you to get out of bed. We don’t want to generalize here, but some procrastinators might be super friendly with the old snooze button.
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Prep Yourself, Don’t Wreck Yourself
Do you find yourself scrambling to find your keys, purse, cell phone or coffee mug in the morning? If so, make it a point to have everything located and placed out the night before so that you’re ready to go. Starting the day off on a focused, relaxed and organized note will set the tone for the rest of your day.
Take it one step further by organizing your living and workspaces. A spring cleaning to tackle clutter, for example, will allow you to feel even more focused, relaxed and organized because you’ll be surrounded by order instead of chaos.
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Now, You Get a Cookie
Ever since you were little, you have been rewarded for your good behavior. The doctor gave you a sticker post-shot, and your parents gave you a big scoop of ice cream when you finished all of your veggies at dinner. Lucky for you, the adult world can work in much the same way.
If you strive to cut down on your procrastination, set yourself a goal. Perhaps, for example, you want to clean out and re-organize your email inbox by the end of the week. If you complete the task, get yourself a cone of frozen yogurt or a ticket to the latest blockbuster.
You can tier your rewards to match the size of the project you completed, too. You’ll be inspired to follow through and you’ll get a prize for your efforts when you succeed.
I call that a win-win.
Any more productivity hacks for procrastinators? Share it with us below!