By Tanyika Rai

Let’s be honest, everybody procrastinates. 

Sometimes we can’t help but put things off till the last minute, it just happens. We lose motivation, get distracted or get tired and then, well, we say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’. But does tomorrow ever come?

Not always. There are times where because of procrastinating we miss deadlines or we just forget. But most of the time, we’re trying to finish all that we had to get done at the last moment.

Procrastination can not only affect our stress levels but also the quality of our work.

Obviously, we don’t want that. So how do we beat procrastination?

Here’s 6 ways to get things done on time.

Eliminate Your Distractions

The simplest and most obvious way to stop procrastinating is eliminating distractions. 

It’s hard to get anything done when you’re constantly getting distracted by social media notifications or text messages. So in the time period that you’re supposed to be focusing on the task at hand, get rid of the distractions around you.

Make a To-Do/Goals list

What are your goals for the day or the week? What do you have to get done on this particular day or week?

Write it all down. Always make sure to write down the estimated time you need for the project and by when you would like to finish it. Having all the work you need to do written down somewhere instead of just stored in the back of your head will stop you from forgetting it and it will also motivate you to get things done.

Writing your goals and aspirations too, serves as good motivation and encouragement.

Fix a proper system or schedule 

Fix a particular time period in the day when you can get things done and work your best accordingly. 

Take 5 min breaks at regular intervals and do something productive in them like exercise. Do a couple of jumping jacks, maybe some on the spot jogging or walk around. Just don’t sit on your phone and scroll through social media. Trust me, once you get sucked into that world again you will not be able to focus on your work.

Try working at 15-25 minute intervals to prevent getting bored or distracted easily. Our mind and body works best and without getting restless in this time frame rather than hour long intervals. 

Get A Work Buddy

Find someone who would be there to motivate you to get back into the game and get things done. 

We all get bored and can quickly lose the motivation to complete a task. Having someone by your side to motivate and encourage you is always a good idea. Someone who you can work with together without getting distracted, someone who you can share your goals with and will help you achieve them. And this can go both ways too.

Forget About Perfectionism 

Perfectionism is overrated. A lot of the times we start putting off tasks because it isn’t perfect.

But nothing is ever perfect because perfection is an illusion. ‘If it isn’t perfect, it isn’t good’. If we constantly have this idea of perfection in our head then we won’t be happy with the work we’re doing and in the end, it will never get done.

So ditch perfection and focus on getting things done. 

But this does not mean you don’t try your best. It means give it your best shot and get things done but don’t be hung up on it not being good enough.

Reward Yourself

Try and reward yourself on a job well done after you finish your tasks.Do not, let yourself get distracted by social media or Netflix calling out you name until you finish all your work for the day.

Once you’re done, go watch that new show or movie you’ve been wanting to watch for so long and treat yourself. Indulge all you want.

The urge to put things off till the end is quite strong. It’s your easiest way. We all  struggle with it a lot too, so you’re not alone.

Pick a couple of these tips and implement them. While you might not always be able to beat procrastination, it’s worth a try and you probably might become better at fighting it.