[Story] My anti-procrastination strategies. From a sad story to a happy ending ✌️

Submitted by MRaspb3rry t3_xsyz1f in GetMotivated

Procrastination hit me badly. My house was a terrific mess; I worked late at night to catch up with delayed work and put a couple of pounds on my belly.

I needed a strategy to change, so I created one. Here are some tips that helped me to keep the house clean, enjoy my nights, and fit into my bride's wedding dress.

(1) To-do list+Calendar=I do it <<To-do list, this is Calendar. Calendar, this is to-do list>>. I used to dump all my tasks in a todo-list and, well... forget about them. Since I started scheduling my to-dos in my Calendar, I just get more stuff done.

(2) Fake pressure #1: Set deadlines It's fictitious, but I set deadlines to get stuff done. I am not perfect as every now and then I cheat, moving the deadlines but.. most of the time it works. I get more stuff done quickly. I set deadlines in my Calendar and color them with an intimidating shade of red :D. Note: self-imposed deadlines may not work for everyone; research says that.

(3) Fake pressure #2: Track my time Having something or someone tracking my time was putting me off before. I hated the idea and felt anxious. This is precisely why I got a time tracker when I hit rock bottom. My tracking app is connected to an 8-sided die that I flip when transitioning from one activity to another. The die sits on my desk and is a constant reminder to track my time and stick my butt to the chair to get things done.

(4) Pomodoros all over the place When I don't feel like doing something, I use the Pomodoro technique because I say to myself <<It's just for 25 minutes, after that, I'll have a break>>. The break gives me enough motivation and hopes to start the task.

(5) Hide my phone I know it may sound silly... but while working I hide my phone below a cushion of a chair. If it's out of my sight, I would forget about it and keep working.

(6) Mix tedious and entertaining tasks Tedious tasks like cleaning, decluttering, work-out, and throwing garbage are my favorite <<I'll do it later>> tasks. Now, when I have to do some of those, I put some nice music on, a podcast, or call a friend and ta-da. Done.

I hope those points will be helpful for you too. Happy weekend to everyone ✌️

212

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

loginorregister9 t1_iqqjep8 wrote

Nice tools. I was told get an accountability partner. Text or call someone and say I'm going to work on X for the next Y minutes. If you have a friend that has the same issue, ask them if they'd like to match you timewise. Now if you don't do it you're letting them down too.

4

JesterRaiin t1_iqx7bso wrote

The hard, unforgiving approach to "I will spend only x minutes on this" is damn good advice. No, NOT one minute more.

3

One_Froody_Dude t1_irqdgmj wrote

Thank you for sharing this, procrastinating can seriously ruin everything; sometimes it feels like fighting against a tsunami. Even with all the tools, we learn to use, it's the knowledge that there are others fighting and holding their own against this tsunami, that's better than any tip or hack :)

I hope everything keeps improving for you and know that your consistency will reward you for your efforts.

1

tallmayoh t1_irrbtz0 wrote

Awesome! A lot of these techniques are great and I will be incorporating them into my own routine.

(5) Hiding your phone - love this one! Reducing my screen time was one of the best things I ever did to become more motivated to achieve my goals. Hiding my phone is what I used to do before I started using this app Present which turns staying off your phone into a game. It was the first tool that actually worked for me because it motivated me and kept me accountable. You can check it out here if you're still looking to reduce your screen time: iOS Download

Glad these strategies worked out for you! It can take a while, but once you find the tools and techniques that make a difference, it just gets so much easier.

1