20 Winning Ways to Avoid Procrastination Part I ...

List-making is an excellent way to get started. The beauty of making lists is that you have it written down in black & white (or the colour of your choice) what you need to do. Then you can work your way through methodically, and as you tick items off your list the sense of achievement will encourage you to keep going.

Making a timetable is particularly useful when it comes to revising for exams, but can be used to work on any project. This breaks down the task(s) into manageable sections and gives them a time slot, so you know what you need to be doing at any given time.

One of the simplest ways to avoid procrastination, and yet at the same time the hardest, is to just get on with it! Stop looking for excuses not to clean, tidy up, work or whatever task you are avoiding, and just do it.

Procrastinators who are easily distracted may find it helpful to allot tasks to certain slots during the day. Schedule them for before or after your favourite TV show, for example, or for a time of day when you are most energetic.

If you´re forever putting things off, then enlisting a ´buddy´ can be a great help. This doesn´t mean that they have to supervise you – who´s got the time to do that? – but if you tell someone that you have a task to achieve, it can provide an incentive if you know that they will check up on you later.

Encouragement from others can be a great way of motivating you to get on with things you´re avoiding doing. We often avoid tasks because they are unpleasant or because we don´t think that we´re capable – ask someone to give you that push you need.

One of the best ways to avoid procrastination is to be disciplined. Of course it´s not easy, but it works, especially if there is something that you frequently put off doing. If this is the case, make it part of your routine.

If there´s something you particularly dislike doing but you can´t avoid, give yourself a little reward once you´ve completed it. Pick something simple, such as relaxing with a cup of coffee, or watching an episode of your favourite DVD.

Sometimes, finding a store of determination is the best way of getting on with jobs you´re avoiding. We all have to do things we don´t want to – such is life. So decide that you´re just going to start and keep going until you´ve finished it.

Try applying yourself to the job that you have to do. Treat it as a necessary task and sit down (or go out) to complete it. It´s a question of concentrating and focussing; don´t think of anything else, but get on with the task methodically.

If you´re prone to putting things off, then try these ways to avoid procrastination. Obviously it takes some mental effort, but it can be done, and you´ll feel so much better for it! Are you the world´s worst procrastinator? Then check out the second part of this list for more ideas!

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