25 Apr Tips on Procrastination: It’s Almost Human Nature
We all fall victim to procrastination at some point in our lives when faced with difficult tasks, such as bailing someone out of jail. Whether it was in 5th grade turning in a science project, or if it was last week submitting a project for work, procrastination affects all of us. It’s something no one plans on doing, yet we’re all aware it will probably happen.
Procrastination is your enemy, especially when you stress easily. However, if you’re a perpetual procrastinator there is still hope for you. Accepting that you have a problem is the first step on any road to recovery. Wanting to change your procrastination habit is the next step.
Once you’ve accepted that you’re a procrastinator and you are willing to change, you can start making changes in your life. One of the changes that you can make is to stop thinking and just start doing it. If you’re stuck on writing a paper, just start writing. Even if what you are writing is complete gibberish, just plan on proofreading and editing it later. The hardest part is often just taking that first step.
Plan on taking breaks at appropriate times. Don’t be your own slave driver, give yourself breaks along the way to get up and walk around. The average human attention is 15 minutes. This means that working on a task for more than 15 minutes is a strenuous activity. Plan to take breaks every hour, but also plan to only let yourself be on break for five minutes.
Blocking out distractions will help in the long run. You may think you’re able to work with the TV on in the background, but you really can’t. Turning off all noise, and blocking out voices allows you to focus on your own internal voice. Being able to hear your own thought can help drive you to finish your task.