Simple Ways To Beat Procrastination
If you’re not careful, procrastination can zap all your energy. Putting off important tasks can cause you to lose sleep, impact your health, and cause personal and business relationships to suffer. Luckily, there are ways to limit your tendency to procrastinate so you can get things done.
Make a To-Do List
One of the easiest ways to get stuff done is to just do it. This means creating a daily to-do list. After creating this list, outsource as many of these tasks as possible to a virtual assistant. Not only will this save you valuable time, outsourcing also ensures these tasks will get done. Take a look at the remaining items on your list. Complete the easiest ones first – this will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to move on to the next task.
Start Working First Thing in the Morning
For most people, the morning is the best time to focus on items in a to-do list. Use this time before your office becomes too busy or distracting. To keep your momentum going, close your office door to deter people from walking in. If possible, avoid checking email until the afternoon or let your VA check your email for you.
People who procrastinate often focus on less important tasks to avoid having to complete the important ones. By delegating less important tasks to a virtual assistant, you will have no choice but to focus on the important tasks at hand.
Take Frequent Breaks
Sitting for long periods of time isn’t good for your health. Take a walk or meet a friend for lunch to take your mind off of what you need to accomplish. Taking a break also allows your brain to become less cluttered. During the day, take several five-minute breaks to stand, stretch and move away from your computer.
If you forget to take breaks, have your VA add these break times to your calendar. Highlight break times so you see them easily.
Determine Why You Procrastinate
If possible, determine the reasons why you feel compelled to put off completing important tasks. If you feel overloaded with work, have difficulty making decisions, or you enjoy the challenge of meeting tight deadlines a little too much, you should make some changes to avoid those destructive behaviors before they negatively affect your career.
Delegating tasks to your VA is a great way to lighten your workload, consistently. Making decisions quickly without mulling over them for long periods of time helps you feel more in control of your career, which can help prevent future procrastination. Creating unhealthy challenges for yourself like racing around last-minute to meet a deadline is a sign that you’re bored with the task. Consider outsourcing it so you can focus on tasks that have more meaning for you.
Over time, you’ll notice the benefits and rewards of meeting deadlines and business goals. With the help of a great VA, you will finally have that extra time to work on passion projects, to explore new hobbies or new business opportunities that may have escaped your attention if you were still stuck in that dreaded procrastination cycle.