By Yoni Lewin
Look, you can either read a productivity book, colour code your life, or even force yourself to start a task.
Or you can just try these five simple solutions that require about 0.1 per cent motivation and make tasks just a bit more bearable.
No.1: Do the smallest possible version of the task
Forget doing the whole thing, or even a large chunk.
All you need to do is one minute’s worth.
• Write one sentence.
• Reply to an email
• Even fold just one shirt.
Your brain will immediately say: “Fine, I guess it’s not that bad”. And before you realise it, you’ve achieved so much more than intended.
Very sneaky, very productive.
No.2: Change your environment – just a little
You don’t need to do anything crazy so don’t worry.
• Open a window
• Sit in a different chair
• Turn on the light
• Put your laptop in a different room.
The placebo effect is very powerful.
If your brain thinks something new is happening, it will stop being so dramatic.
No.3: Start the task in the most unserious way imaginable
This will allow some pressure to be taken off your back.
Try:
• Talking the task out loud rather than doing it “properly”
• Write in bullet points and skip every unnecessary word
• Open the doc and start typing, “Ok, here we go!”
• Start with the wrong idea on purpose.
If you have momentum, you will reach perfection.
No.4: Bribe yourself like you are a child
If you want a reward, then bribe yourself. It always works.
• “If I do all these dishes, I get 10 minutes of TV time”
• “If I finish this task, I get to have a nap”
• “If I finish this paragraph, I can get a snack”
No matter how old you are, everyone responds well to treats.
No.5: Convince yourself there is a ‘fake deadline’
People only move once fear kicks in.
So, create a small panic:
• “This must be finished before the next song ends”
• “I have 5 minutes before I make my coffee”
• “I have to get lunch in 10 minutes”
You can even turn it into a game if you want to enjoy yourself more.
Short deadlines = tiny wins = momentum
And there you have it: Five super easy and ACHIEVABLE ways to stop procrastinating.
Featured image: Don’t mess about, it’s time to stop procrastinating. Photo: Lynn Friedman/CC/flickr