How to use time management to fight procrastination
Proper time management is crucial for almost every profession today. Being organized and knowing what to expect can solve many problems and reduce anxiety. However, as always, there is a “but” and in the case of time management, that is procrastination. This notion is a threat to job productivity, especially because there are literally countless reasons individuals choose to procrastinate on doing what they are supposed to do.
What is procrastination
PRokrastination is the tendency to evade, delay, or inappropriately postpone a task. It’s a habit that affects everyone to a greater or lesser extent. Common symptoms are:
- Regular distraction from work with non-work related activities such as checking Facebook or email;
- Save everything until the last possible moment;
- Constantly worrying about work but not getting anything done;
- Complete spontaneous tasks that you would not normally be enthusiastic about, such as B. Housework;
- Feeling that nothing you do is good enough;
- A feeling of futility or hopelessness as you feel like there is too much to do.
On the other hand, developing effective time management skills is a tool to achieve our goals. Although they are enemies, procrastination and time management are related. Because effective time management can help us feel in control of our workload, increase productivity, and boost confidence. As a result, we feel less inclined to procrastinate and can enjoy a healthy balance between work and other activities.
How to fight against procrastination
It is very important for everyone to understand that procrastination is nothing to be ashamed of and that everyone goes through this stage at some point in their life. So how can we enforce this and achieve our goals?
#1 Emotional journey through time: If you rebel against the feeling of having to work, try to project yourself into the future. Imagine the good feelings you will have when you stop procrastinating and complete a project.
#2 Just getting started: If your fear of failure is preventing you from completing a task, just start. Tell yourself that you don’t have to finish the whole project now, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just take the first steps or hire a manageable one.
#3 Address unhelpful thoughts: If you feel guilty about procrastination, stop beating yourself up. Replace the self-critical thoughts with more helpful ones. That doesn’t mean pretending you don’t have the thoughts and feelings—it just means you don’t engage with them or add to them. Nor does it mean that you allow yourself to perpetuate the procrastination pattern with excuses.
#4 Do simple things first: This correlates with point number 2. When a task seems overwhelming, small steps will go a long way. If you’re terrified of something specific on your to-do list, start with something else, preferably the task you most want to get done. This way you will gain momentum which will later help you start the more difficult task.
