How to Stop Putting Everything Off Until Tomorrow, Today

We have all done it.  You have got a million and one things to do and there is always one task which you put off until tomorrow.  ‘There’s no rush, it can wait.’  we tell ourselves.  The only problem is, as my mum used to say – tomorrow never comes!

How can we get out of this bad habit?

Have confidence in yourself.  I know it is easier said than done, but procrastination is often linked to a lack of self esteem and low confidence in our ability.  We think if we don’t do it, we cannot fail.  Believe you can complete the task and then prove yourself right. 

Learn how to manage your time.  Write yourself a to-do list.  Don’t overwhelm yourself with three sides of A4 every morning, this will only make you feel worse when you don’t achieve them.  Instead, stick to three or four things at a time.  You will get a great sense of achievement when you cross each task fro your list. 

Get rid of distractions.  There are so many things to waste our time when we should be busy.  It is too easy to spend hours browsing the internet, watching TV or chatting on the phone.  If you save these things until you have finished the job in hand, you can do so without it hanging over your head.

Break it down. If it is a big job you are putting off, try breaking it into smaller parts and even spread it over a few days. It will seem so much more manageable.

Imagine. There’s always a nagging task that you really don’t want to do, try doing it first to get it out of the way.  Or, you could imagine how good you will feel when it is done, and use that as motivation.

Good luck!