Beat Procrastination and Stay on Schedule
We all have our lazy periods. Whether it’s lying in bed until noon, or putting off housework, there is nothing wrong with taking a little down time and throwing our schedules out the window.
When you work from home, procrastination can become a huge stumbling block. There are so many distractions, and any little thing can take your mind off work. My biggest problem is surfing the Internet. I’ll sign onto AOL’s homepage, and a headline will immediately catch my attention. Before I know it, I’ve wasted fifteen minutes reading the latest health trend or gossip news. Oh, and I can’t forget my favorite blogs. Reading the main post isn’t enough. I also have to read the latest comments and offer my two-cents.
When my load is heavy, I can’t afford to waste time. I prefer not to work evenings or weekends. I like to reserve this time for family, household chores, cooking, and other interests. For this to happen, I’ve got to stay focus during the day.
For the habitual procrastinator, here are a few tips to help you stay on track.
- Stick to a Schedule: Some people are able to work without a schedule. They have a clear idea of what needs to get done, and how much time they have to complete the task. Many people don’t possess this gift. If a task isn’t written down, it doesn’t get done. Procrastination can simply result from poor time management. Get a day planner and map out your day.
- Create Goals: Everyone has goals. Maybe you want to become a well-known writer or break into a tough field. Fear of failure causes many people to put off their dreams or goals. Put your goals down in writing, and attach the list to a wall or board. Next, create a realistic plan that’ll help you achieve this goal.
- Tackle Distractions: This is a big one, and likely the top reason why many people procrastinate. The best way to overcome this problem is to remove the source of distraction. Rather than spend the entire day worrying about laundry, paying bills, and so forth - take care of these issues before you start working. Put your day planner to good use and jot down non-work responsibilities on your daily to-do-list.
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I have tried to tackle procrastination all my life with little success. Tried scheduling and creating goals but noticed that my worst friend has always been distraction. I love information and can be quite spontaneous about it. So when am tackling a task and something else comes along I easily drift off and end up coming back to what I was doing much too late. I can’t seem to find a solution to that. Maybe some of us are just meant to be procrastinators.