The Art of Productivity: Tips and Tricks for Getting More Done in Less Time

Introduction:

Do you often find yourself procrastinating important work and instead opting for Netflix or scrolling through social media? Congratulations, you have become a victim of procrastination. Most of us have experienced a situation where we have important work to do but still, we waste time. We know the consequences of not doing the job, but we still procrastinate. The question is, why do we procrastinate? In this article, we will break down the types of procrastination and the reasons behind them. We will also provide five tricks to overcome laziness and procrastination and boost your productivity.

Types of Procrastination:

Procrastination can be broadly classified into two types:

1. Productive Procrastination: This type of procrastination is when a person does tasks that are less important or not urgent to avoid doing something that is more important or urgent. For example, a person who has an exam the next day but spends the day cleaning their room or doing laundry instead of studying. Even though they may feel productive, they are still avoiding the important task at hand.

2. Decisional Procrastination: This type of procrastination occurs when a person knows what they need to do but can't make a decision or take action. For example, a person who wants to start a business but spends months researching and planning without ever taking the first step to actually start the business. They may set unrealistic goals or have a fear of failure, which stops them from taking action.

Why do we Procrastinate?

We procrastinate for various reasons. One of the main reasons is our fear of failure. We may be scared of doing something, and our minds repeatedly tell us to do it tomorrow. We may also think that the workload is too much, leading to stress and anxiety, which our minds tend to avoid. Our minds make us feel happy in the present, whether it is through watching Netflix or scrolling through Instagram without thinking about the future workload that will become tenfold.

Tricks to Overcome Laziness and Procrastination:

• Identify the Reason for Procrastination:

Before finding a solution to procrastination, we need to identify the reason behind it. Is it the fear of failure or giving ourselves too many tasks? Once we identify the reason, we can start working towards a solution.

• Include the Task in your Routine:

When we include a habit in our daily routine, it becomes almost impossible to avoid it. For instance, brushing our teeth is a habit in our daily routine that we cannot avoid even by mistake. We should try to include the work we want to do in our routine. If we want to meditate, we can try to inculcate that in our routine and meditate after bathing.

• Trick your Mind with Clothing:

The clothes we wear affect our behaviour. If we want to work out, we should dress like that, wear those shoes, take the yoga mat, and trick our minds into starting the workout. If we want to stay productive while working from home, we can wear our office formals during work hours.

• Set Small Goals:

We often procrastinate because we set big goals for ourselves with unrealistic timelines. If we are not able to complete the goal in the given timeline, we become demotivated. Therefore, we should set small goals for ourselves. For example, instead of meditating for 20 minutes every day, we can meditate for just 2 minutes. By dividing big goals into small tasks, we get the feeling of a winner and stay motivated to finish our goals.

• Create a Sense of Urgency:

We tend to procrastinate if we think there is a lot of time left to complete the task. However, if we create a sense of urgency, we will be serious about completing the task.

Conclusion:

Procrastination can be a serious issue that affects our productivity and quality of life. It is essential to understand the types of procrastination and the reasons behind them to find effective solutions. Fear of failure and stress are some of the primary reasons behind procrastination. However, by following simple tricks, we can overcome procrastination and increase productivity. Identifying the reason behind procrastination, including tasks in our routine, tricking our minds with clothing, setting small goals, and creating a sense of urgency can help us overcome procrastination. If you want to know why your first attempt always sucks.  By implementing these tricks in our daily lives, we can increase our productivity, accomplish our goals, and achieve success.

"Procrastination is the thief of time, but also the thief of self-respect and potential."

Share this post