How to Overcome Procrastination….What Worked for Me
It was time to buy a new laptop. My current one was 5 ½ years old and just not as fast as it used to be. This sounds like it should have been an easy task…. After all I have purchased 3 or 4 laptops since starting my company. But it just wasn’t happening. I had been putting off buying the laptop since February. In my mind, this was going to be a huge, time-consuming project so I kept procrastinating. In September, I decided that it would be best to buy a laptop while my current one was working fine. So, here’s my advice for how to overcome procrastination. It’s how I moved this project across the finish line.
I started by taking a step back and thought about all those time management workshops that I‘ve attended over the years and the strategies that I learned that I now share with my clients. Those are the very ones that I immediately followed.
Set a Realistic Goal
I allowed 4 weeks to complete this project. This would give me sufficient time to make a selection, order the laptop, and accommodate the delivery schedule while leaving plenty of time for the setup.
Create a Task List
My list included asking my IT consultant for guidance concerning the computer specs, researching the available choices, and placing the order. I would then need to declutter and organize my current computer, draft a list of what needed to be done for my consultant and schedule a date for having the computer setup.
Choose the First Task
As getting started was the problem, it is best to pick an easy task as the first one. In my case, this was to email my IT consultant for his advice concerning the best computer specs for my needs. This took less than a minute to do. I checked it off my list, felt good that the process was beginning.
Block Time During Prime Time
It is best to work on a project that has been constantly postponed during your time prime. This is the time of day when your energy is highest and your most focused. By doing this, you’re giving yourself the best chance for success. In my case, this is first task of the morning.
Schedule the Remaining Tasks
Having a schedule for completing the tasks to be done will help ensure that your project gets done by the deadline. This not only builds momentum but also keeps the project on your radar. Consider your deadline and the type of project when blocking time on your calendar as the frequency of when this time is blocked will vary. In my case, I blocked small chunks of time over the course of a couple of weeks.
If you’re also facing similar challenges and looking for strategies for how to overcome procrastination, check out my blog for other tips.