Four ways to stop procrastinating

Emily Turner, 22nd Oct 2019
Tags: Life Blog Education Exams University

It's so easy to get into a habit of procrastinating. As annoying as it may be, we all do it at some point. I bet you’re reading this as you’re procrastinating on doing something else, right?

Well, read on and be inspired by these tips and hacks.

Split up bigger tasks 

If you feel overwhelmed by the size of a project or task, break it down into smaller and more manageable ones.

Image Credit: Giphy

As you tick the smaller tasks that have been completed off the list, you will feel as though you are getting more done. It's a great feeling, and in turn, motivates you to carry on. 

Prioritise the harder workloads

If you leave the most time-consuming and hard workloads till last, chances are you will either run out of time to do them, or not do them well enough because you're stressed for time.

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Prioritising these tasks and doing them first will get them out of the way. This improves your productivity, and you'll have fewer meltdowns.

Put a timer on your phone

Chunking work down into 25 or 30 minute intervals is a great way to stay on task and get the most productive work done.

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Set a timer on your phone for half an hour, put it on airplane mode, and set it away to the side to avoid distractions. Once the timer goes off, you can reward yourself with a 5-10 minute break and check your phone.

Reward yourself

And finally, after doing the above, reward yourself.

Done a couple of the harder tasks? Catch up with Netflix.

Done 30 minutes of work? Have a browse on your phone.

Been working all day? Go for a walk at the park, around the block, to the shops. Maybe buy a chocolate bar?

Having breaks and rewarding yourself is so important for your mental health and sanity. 

Don’t beat yourself up about procrastinating, you're not alone in this.

Instead, stay happy and positive. This will actually help you to be more productive.