Thursday, October 30, 2008

Ten Tips To Beat Procrastination


M.M.M.Ahmed, Editor, Proactive Personality Developer

* Visualize the outcome. Picture the benefits of completing your task. Imagine how good you'll feel once it's done.


* Turn off the TV and Internet. These are two of the greatest time-wasters. Unplug them until you've finished your task.


* Just do it for 10 minutes. It's usually far easier to start something you know will only go on for 10 minutes. Then, Once you've started it,you'll tend to work on for longer.


* Let go of perfectionism. If you're putting off starting a job because you want to get it perfect, set aside this goal and forge ahead as if your aim is to do it imperfectly. You can always improve it later.


* Constant reminders. Set a timer to go off, say, every hour as you're working, so you can stay aware of how fast time is passing.


* Make it fun. Do the most(or least painful) part of the task first. This will get you into the swing of it.


* Catch yourself procrastinating. Watch for the moment when you first put off a task. If you can resist that first impulse to delay, it's far easier trying to fight it later. Resisting procrastination can also become a habit.


* Do you secretly like procrastinating? Are you addicted to the rush of completing a task just in time?If you are,try giving yourself just a little bit more time by creating your own deadline, which is earlier than the real one,so that you have a margin of safety. Get into the habit of starting a project as early as you can, rather than as late you dare.


* Accept mistakes as inevitable. Fear of making a mistake can deter you from making a start on a new task. Remind yourself that mistakes are a natural , unavoidable part of life that could ultimately teach you how to do something better.


* Should you really be doing the task? Sometimes procrastination can be a subconscious sign that you want to avoid the activity altogether(beyond sheer laziness). Re-assess whether you really want or need to perform the task.


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