10 point blank ways of overcoming Procrastination

Just like the other common addictions. Procrastination is a horrible waste of time and energy. It is not just a series of actions in which we put off things until later; it is a life of addiction (yes! that serious). Just like the chain smoker who craves for a stick, a member of this club indulges in the thought of doing something without actually getting near to doing it at all. Like a severe compulsion, procrastination is expressed in the smart reasons we give ourselves so as to feel the high we get from doing things just when we have to, just in time, and only doing things when we have to. And also like addiction, it takes; it will take inner strength and will to break it. 

A procrastinator has mastered the art of putting things of till a later date. They may decide to keep putting it off indefinitely or wait until the very last minute to begin the job (tyranny of the urgent). Either way, life becomes stressful because of these choices.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

How do you recognize whether or not you have a problem with it? When does it become a serious issue? If you find yourself explaining to people why things have not been done, and will probably be done next week. If right now you have up to five assignments or responsibilities that you have not yet done and have pushed to a later date more than once, you are comfortably a member of this club. Have you out up some ideas to be done this year? So when will you get it done? I mean, if your plan for the year 2008 is still half long, chances are that you’ve being procrastinating.The most powerful way to combat procrastination is to make a start. That’s because thinking and doing each possess a completely different energy. Thinking is passive, inert and internal, while doing is active and external. It requires gusto (initiative) and confidence, the simplest way to defeat procrastination is to follow Nike’s cliché… just do it!

This feeling of inertia can easily be overcome by staring on the spot. Inertia is defined as the reluctance to start motion, and once started, the reluctance to stop. If your situation stops while doing it, your case may be more critical, for every task once stared, progress makes you feel good and accomplishment wants you to do more.

1. Make a schedule. Creating a schedule can actually be quite helpful in attaining a series of tasks. For me, I have a weekly plan and before I leave home or sleep the night before, I make a list of tasks or responsibilities I have to do every day. There is a glow of accomplishment that seeps through your body when you know you have done all that you need to do for the day. Creating set times for tasks can give your day structure and discourage aimless activity. Making a plan will change the way you think about your day. If you’re bored, unhappy, or just unmotivated, it can drive you to spend more time seeking out other stimulation than your scheduled work. Try approaching your job/tasks with more enthusiasm and reward yourself for a job well done.  
2. Set your clock ahead. Part of the problem with idle time wasting is the idea that you always have more time, so it won’t hurt if you just look a little longer. This addiction is busted by setting your clock 15 minutes faster, I had always laughed when people used this strategy but at some time I decided to try it, and saw it was a beautiful way breaking the lateness disease. 
3. Remind yourself of the consequences. It may seem harmless to stall on tasks but remembering the consequences of being late will jolt you out of laziness. Understanding the that the pleasure of a lackadaisical attitude, when you’re supposed to be working, can cut into your personal life, leaving you stressed out from trying to complete work at the last minute and giving your toga of irresponsibility can have a tremendous effect on you. Do not accept any excuse why you want to put it off. I used to remind myself of an important quote when I was an undergraduate. 

Excuses are for the incompetent;

They are monuments for fools.

Those who use them are not wise.

Say that every time you give an excuse, and watch yourself refuse to be a fool!

1. Create a deadline and a reward system. Set up quotas for yourself that if you complete a certain amount of work that you are rewarded with a certain reward system. This way, both the need to get things done and the need for idle entertainment will be met. Most time it helps if we knew there was a deadline attached to the project/assignment we are handling. Create smaller deadlines within this timeframe to help motivate you and keep you from looking to other activities to fill your day. Place a reward for the accomplishment of your task to help keep yourself inspired to work.
2. Know your personal high and low productivity hours. Most people who get things done know their optimum productivity hours and they make best use of them. There are the night owls, early birds or the afternoon hares. Do you knock out weak after eating? Hate mornings? Don you feel a surge of energy to work after eating? Try to schedule your work around these high points of your day so that you’ll be able to use your peak periods to tackle your most challenging tasks.
3.  Change location. For most people, the willpower to stay on seat and do a job is because of their location. Some people are distracted because of the proximity of their location to distraction-prone areas. Areas around televisions, games and any other preference that may be a source of distraction to the task to be accomplished.
4. Stay organized. One of the biggest obstacles to productivity is disorganization. If you don’t have to sort through stacks of papers, files, or your email inbox to get started on what you need to do for the day you’ll be much more likely to get to the task. Setting tasks and project accordingly will not make work cumbersome. It also makes them easy to approach thus making work less stressful and tedious.
5.  Announce your “strength” to others to be accountable. Telling your customer when to come and collect their job/work will fire your energy quotient or it will mark you as an irresponsible worker. Therefore, tell as many people when the task will be accomplished and you will be asked if it has been completed. In creating a product, you need to make announcements that will create a people rush for your product. Promise people you will get it done by…..it may be nice to tell other people to also look over your shoulder. Ask a co-worker or friend to give you a little nudge to get back to work, especially at times of the day when you know you’re less productive.

While some of these tips may not work for you, you can use them to get on the right track to responsible Internet usage. They are quick bullets to help you defeat a foot dragging illness that can take over your life. It’s all up to you to use them.