• Home
  • About
  • Pain Management
  • My Chronic Diary
  • Self Care
  • Personal Development
  • Gift Guides
  • FREEBIE LIBRARY

The Chronic Diary

Chronic Pain & Lifestyle Blog

How to Stop Procrastinating – 15 Tips To Get More Done

January 10, 2020

This post may include affiliate links. If you purchase any products or services provided in these links, I may earn a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you and you are not obliged to purchase, use or recommend anything provided in these links. For more, please read my disclosure page.


woman using latptop

Procrastinating is something we all do, you find yourself binge-watching a Netflix series instead of finishing a task. There have been many occasions where I’ve made a to-do-list and completed not one thing! I noticed the negative impact it was having on my life. I had to work out how to stop procrastinating.

Leaving it till tomorrow or the “I’ll do it later” attitude was no longer cutting it.

I graduated from university and was in at the right at the deep end as a Medical Recruiter, it’s a fast-paced industry, meaning you have to keep up!

But I was delaying tasks and only getting things completed when I had no other choice.

I kept being told that I have “great potential” but need to push myself more. Hearing this all the time got me down, so I had to figure out why and how to stop procrastinating.

Often we get into the cycle of procrastinating, which turns into a filthy habit. But we never ask ourselves the reason.

How often have you made an excuse for missing a deadline because you procrastinated and left things to the last minute?

Do you find yourself :

  • With a long to-do list that you never get around to doing?
  • Trying to work out how to stop procrastinating
  • Hating the fact that you can never get things done? 

Well, you’re in the right place!

I’m here to give you 15 useful tips on how to stop procrastinating and finally get more done.

Some links in my posts are affiliate links to products or services that I have used myself or believe will be useful. If you purchase any products or services provided in these links, I may earn a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you and you are not obliged to purchase, use or recommend anything provided in these links.

15 TIPS TO STOP PROCRASTINATING

How To Stop Procrastinating – 15 Tips To Get More Done

1) FIGURE OUT WHY

Many people assume procrastination is just laziness. And all you need to do is get up and get your sh*t together. And as someone who procrastinates, I know it’s not that simple.

There are other things to consider, particularly if you procrastinate regularly. Aside from laziness, several other factors can cause us to procrastinate. Such as fear of failure, lack of control, indecisiveness and anxiety.

But the only way to work out how to stop procrastinating is to figure out why we do it. Once we find out the root cause, we can start using some strategies to stop doing it.

Start by thinking of tasks you put off and why. For example, I procrastinated at work when I should have been dealing with emails.

When asking myself why, I realized it was because I wasn’t confident in my ability to write a professional email.

I also noticed that my fear of success, need to be perfect and anxiety was causing me to procrastinate.

Just the thought of being successful or remotely good at something made my palms sweaty. Being praised or put in a social environment was so daunting. I did not understand these were the reasons I procrastinated.

2) ASK WHY 5 TIMES

Sakichi Toyoda, the inventor, and founder of Toyota Industries created the 5 why’s technique. Toyoda used the technique at Toyota as part of employees’ problem-solving training. It is simple and easy for anyone to follow.

The technique revolves around asking why? 5 times. Asking a question five times can lead to figuring out a problem allowing for a solution to become clear.

So, try it, get out a pen and paper and ask yourself why? Here’s an example:

1. Why do I feel guilty or regretful?
A. Because I haven’t been to the gym.


2. Why haven’t I gone to the gym?
A. Because I have no one to go with and I don’t want to go on my own.


3. Why don’t I want to go on my own?
A. I’m afraid I’ll look silly by myself.


4. Why would I look silly?
A. Because I have no clue what I’m doing,.


5. Why do I not understand what to do?
A. Because I haven’t asked a professional for advice or invested in a personal trainer.

Solution–hire a personal trainer or ask a professional for advice.

Asking those five why’s helped understand the issue and then find a solution. I know this is a simple example, but I just wanted to show you how easy it is to apply this method when you are trying to understand why you procrastinate.

 3) BLOCK YOUR TIME

round brass and white bell alarm clock

Allocate a specific amount of time to complete tasks. This will help you get things done hastily and not focus on unnecessary details.

For example, setting two hours to write and complete a blog post. Having a time limit will force you to get the post completed and move on to the next task.

Time blocking tasks can also help reduce the feeling of dread when you have something to complete.

For example, if you hate going to gym, blocking out 30 minutes can make it feel like less of a burden. You know the exact time you have to get in and out. Therefore, you won’t delay or waste time.

4) EAT THE FROG – Do The Hardest Task First

What frog? 

When I first heard this phrase, I had no clue what it meant. But in learning more about it, I realised how useful it can be.

If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first. - Mark Twain

There is always that one thing that we do not look forward to doing, whether at work or at home.

Instead of putting it off for as long as possible, complete your hardest or most important task first.

Get it out of the way and off of your mind so you won’t have that feeling of dread lingering until it’s completed. Also known as ‘eating the frog’, the frog represents the worst or hardest task.

5) HAVE A ROUTINE

Having a routine gives some structure to your day.

For example, if you choose a routine to get up early every day, eat breakfast and leave a little earlier for work. You will then miss the morning rush and have time to plan your tasks, to have the most productive day, rather than rushing.

Make self-care a part of your routine, not looking after yourself can cause you to feel tired and stressed, which can cause you to procrastinate even more.

Related – 50 Self Care Ideas After Having A Crap Day

6) TIDY YOUR SURROUNDINGS

Your environment is so important and believe it or not plays a major part when working out how to stop procrastinating.

Think about it. If your house or workspace is cluttered or disorganized, your mood reflects that without you even realising it.

Look at your home or even your desk at work. Is it swallowed by a pile of paperwork and endless dirty coffee mugs?

Well, take a moment to clean up, declutter and throw away anything you don’t need. Create a clean, peaceful and inviting environment that entices you to be there and be productive.

Add things to your environment to make you feel more comfortable or inspired, like pictures of loved ones or something that reminds you of a happy time.

For example, I have plants, desk lamps and ornaments from my travels on my desk and in my home to remind me of those amazing experiences.

 7) WRITE A TO-DO LIST

mug of coffee, watch and planner on a brown wooden surface

Write a to-do list to identify your goals and how you plan to action them. This will help you remain organized.

Break down goals, prioritize them and put them into your schedule with realistic deadlines for each of them.

Having a to-do list can also help you feel more accountable and less likely to procrastinate.

There is a great satisfaction when you get to the end of the day having crossed everything off your list.

You can use a pen and paper or write out your list on your laptop or phone. The choice is yours to see what fits you best.

I prefer the good old pen and pad. I’m kind of obsessed with notebooks and stationery. I love Pukka Pad notebooks; they are super affordable and have different sections so you can organise your notes.

8) PRIORITIZE YOUR TASKS

A brilliant way to stop procrastinating is to prioritize your tasks. From your to-do list, order your tasks from most important to the least and write a deadline for each of them.

Doing this will stop you from wasting time focusing on tasks that aren’t important. And it will also stop you from feeling overwhelmed because you do not understand where to start with your list.

There are so many ways you can go about prioritizing. I love the Ivy Lee method; It is simple and straight to the point.

With this method, you write the six most important things you have to do the next day, in order of importance, at the end of each night. The next day, you work on your list one by one following that order.

GET THE FREE TO-DO LIST PLANNER!

Stop putting things off. Plan your day to stop procrastinating and get more done! Get more organised with this FREE to-do list planner.

We won’t send you any spam. You can unsubscribe anytime. 

Thank you!

You will receive your planner shortly!

.

9) BREAK LARGE GOALS INTO SMALL STEPS

When you have larger tasks or goals, it can become overwhelming, especially when you haven’t planned how you will achieve or complete them.

Make your goal or task specific before breaking it down into smaller steps. For example, rather than a goal being to ‘get a new job’, the goal instead could be to ‘get a new job by July 2020’.

Once you have your goal/task, write an ordered list of the steps needed to achieve the goal or complete the task.

For example, the goal is to get a new job by March 2020, the list of steps may be to, “research different career paths”, “update your CV”, “create a LinkedIn profile”, “sign up with job agencies” and so on.

Using smaller steps helps you stay organized and in control of what you’re trying to achieve. Because having smaller steps prompts you to take action.

So, get started, write any goals you need to achieve or tasks you need to complete. Break them down and get going!

But please, don’t get too obsessive over lists!

Having a plan and trying to being organized is great. But don’t allow that to be a cover-up or excuse to procrastinate. Once you have your goal and small steps written, use them and take action.

10) BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF

Be honest with yourself. See what can be delayed or removed from your goals or to-do list. This will make an enormous difference when working out how to stop procrastinating.

For example, if you planned to meet friends for dinner three times a week but end up being swamped by work commitments. Delay it until you will have time, rather than feeling guilty about not going.

Or maybe you planned to wake up at 5 am on weekdays, knowing off the back that you will snooze your alarm and wake up at 6 am. Take it off your list until you’re ready to commit.

Being honest with trying to decide what is and isn’t working takes a lot of discipline and hard truths. But it can help you stop delaying things and build healthier habits.

Once you decide what is working, you can focus on that instead of worrying about all those things you said you would do, but haven’t.

11) BE KIND TO YOURSELF

be proud of how hard you are working written on a blackboard. Beside a pink mobile phone, black headphones, a notebook and pencil on a fluffy pink rug

Procrastination is often accompanied by guilt, so try to be kind to yourself and remember that you are only human.

How many times have we talked to friends about going to the gym, “I really should have gone to the gym today, BUT…” Followed by an excuse about why we didn’t go.

Making excuses or brushing things off is something we do because we feel guilty or regretful.

Forgive yourself for watching an entire series on Netflix instead of finishing a project. That time has passed, don’t let that influence your future decisions. Instead, use it as fuel to act differently.

Procrastination is usually centred around our emotions. Feeling guilt or regret will only keep you in that mind frame and cause you to put things off even more.

Focus on being kind and forgiving yourself. It will help you break the cycle of leaving things to the last moment or not doing them at all.

12) STOP TRYING TO BE PERFECT

Trying to be perfect can make you procrastinate more than ever!

You can put off doing things because you worry it won’t be perfect. Or even spend more time than necessary on a task, because of nit-picking at every minor thing.

If this something you do, start by accepting that not everything will be ‘perfect’ and it is okay for things to have flaws.

If you find it hard to start something because you think it will suck, start it anyway. Everything is a process you can always add and tweak things and still achieve amazing results.

Or, if it scares you to submit something that you feel isn’t perfect, get advice from a trusted friend or colleague.

Most of the time I’m not sure if my blog posts ‘perfect’ but getting a friend to give it a quick look over, is an opportunity for me to get honest feedback and make adjustments.

Something not being perfect is not the end of the world. What is perfect anyway, does it even exist? It’s okay for things to have flaws, it can add character or a bit of charm.

13) VISIT YOUR GP OR COUNSELLOR

Something I realised is, procrastination can sometimes be related to the state of our mental health. For instance, depression.

Depression can cause you to feel de-motivated, unable to concentrate, fatigued and have a decreased interest in doing things you usually love.

If you feel this is something you experience, visit your GP or health practitioner to get advice or treatment. This will in the latter affect your level of productivity and help you deal with procrastination.

14) TELL SOMEONE ABOUT YOUR GOALS

Tell someone about your goals or something that you are working on, ideally someone you trust.

Once you tell someone what you are up to, they are more likely to follow up with your progress.

For example, when I started my blog, I told a close friend, and she continued to ask how it was all going. It made me want to get my act together and hold myself accountable.

Knowing someone is interested makes you not want to let them down and not look like you are all talk and no action.

I know you shouldn’t do things based on others, but it can give you a kick up the butt when trying to stop procrastinating.

 15) GET RID OF DISTRACTIONS

woman reading a book whilst on the phone. Croissant and coffee mug besides the book

Removing distractions will allow you to focus. There are so many ways you can go about doing this, it all depends on your distractions.

For example, if your phone is a major distraction, put it on silent or there are apps that you can use to block notifications.

Or remove your phone from your environment completely.

I don’t mean throwing it in the bin, but maybe lock it away in a drawer or put it in another room. If it is out of your reach, your less likely to get distracted by it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Procrastination is a pain in the butt. But if you create a plan and use the correct steps to deal with it, you have a greater chance of limiting how much you procrastinate.

But remember, if you don’t put your plans into action, you won’t see any results. It won’t happen overnight, but it is still doable. So, believe in yourself and do it!

How To Stop Procrastinating – 15 Tips To Get More Done
How To Stop Procrastinating – 15 Tips To Get More Done

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MAILING LIST!

Subscribe for weekly pain management, self care, and personal development tips!

By signing up you agree to receive emails from the Chronic Diary and declare you have read the Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.


.

Filed in: Personal Development • by thechronicdiary • Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

ABOUT ME

Author Photo

Hi, I'm Keisha and I'm here to give you an honest insight into what it's like living with chronic pain. I share my personal diary of experiences along with pain management, self care and personal development tips.

READ MORE

contact me

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Get Your Free Chronic Pain Tracker

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.

Search The Blog

Categories

  • Chronic Illness
  • Gift Guides
  • My Chronic Diary
  • Pain Management
  • Personal Development
  • Self Care

Unlock the freebie library

Sign up to access the Freebie Library filled with resources you can make use of today!

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Your password for the freebie library is on it's way :).

.

Follow me on Instagram

Happy Valentine’s Day Gorgeous People !🌹💜 Happy Valentine’s Day Gorgeous People !🌹💜

#valentinesday #chronicpain #chronicpainsucks #spoonie #chronicillnesscommunity #chronicillnessblogger #chronicpainsupport #illness #chronicillnesslife #spooniecommunity #chronicallyill
Happy Galentine's Day! 💜🤗 "Uteruses before Happy Galentine's Day! 💜🤗

"Uteruses before duderuses… Ovaries before brovaries." — Leslie Knope

#galentines #galentinesday #girlpower #chronicpain #chronicillnesscommunity #chronicpelvicpain #chronicillness #spoonielove #leslieknopequotes
Chronic illness can really suck the romance out of Chronic illness can really suck the romance out of Valentine’s Day... A sexy night out isn’t always possible when you're fatigued or in a hella' pain. 

Unfortunately, we can't turn down our symptoms and turn up the sexy. 

Whether it's Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or a Tuesday... Flare-ups and fatigue can hit us hard at any time. 

So, what the hell can we do? 

We want to show our partners some tender lovin’ and affection. But, our energy levels are depleted or pain is kicking our ass…

Don’t worry, I’ve got you! 😉

In this week's blog post, I’ve put together some low-key, chronic illness-friendly, date ideas that’ll help you show your bae how much you love them! 💜💜💜

Link in bio! 

#valentinesdateideas #chronicillnesscouple #chronicallyillbae #spoonie #chronicpainflareup #chronicillnesscommunity #chronicillnessawareness #chronicillnessblogger #chronicpainawareness #chronicpainsupport #illness #chronicillnesslife #spooniecommunity #spoonielife #sickofbeingsick #chronicallyill
Chronic illness, a full-time job, with no pay, ben Chronic illness, a full-time job, with no pay, benefits, health insurance, free lunches or vacations. 

Do NOT apply. I would NOT recommend! 

#chronicpain #chronicpainsucks #spoonie #chronicpainflareup #chronicillnesscommunity #pelvichealth #pelvicpainsyndrome#chronicillnessawareness #chronicillnessblogger #chronicpainawareness #endo #chronicpainsupport #chronicpainsupport #illness #chronicillnesslife #spooniecommunity #spoonielife #sickofbeingsick #chronicallyill
Chronic illness is a full-time job, with no off da Chronic illness is a full-time job, with no off days or vacations. Everything revolves around our health. 😓Over time, it can leave you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or even depressed. 

That’s what led me to take such a long break from the blog and socials! 

It took me a long time to shake that feeling. But one thing I know for certain is, I never want to feel like that again and I don’t want you to either. 

But things get tricky when you have a chronic illness. It’s here to stay. We can’t hit the kill switch on our illness. So how on earth are we supposed to ‘recharge’? 

It’s something I’ve been trying to figure out for the longest…

In this week’s blog post, I’ve put together some helpful strategies that have helped me, and will hopefully help you, deal with burnout. 

I break down what chronic illness burnout is, some signs to look out for, as well as some simple things you can do to combat it. 

I hope you find it helpful! Link in Bio.

#chronicpainblog #pelvicpain #chronicpainawareness #chronicpaintips #chronicillnesstips #chronicillnesslife #chronicillnesswarrior #flareup #spooniesupport #spooniecommunity #chronicillnessawareness #mentalhealthmatters #burnout #burnoutawareness
Saying 'NO' or setting boundaries when you have a Saying 'NO' or setting boundaries when you have a long term illness can be hard. It can make you feel like a bitch or even a little guilty.But sometimes it's necessary in order for you to prioritise your health.

Here are few kind ways you can say no without feeling guilty.

What other ways do you say no? Drop it in the comments 👇🏾 

#settingboundaries #nomeansno #spoonie #chronicpain #chronicpainflareup #chronicillnesscommunity #pelvichealth #pelvicpainsyndrome #boundaries #chronicillnessawareness #chronicillnessblogger #chronicpainawareness #endo #pelvis #chronicpainsupport #chronicpainsupport #illness #chronicillnesslife #spooniecommunity #spoonielife #sickofbeingsick #chronicallyill
Todays officially the worst day of year..aka Blue Todays officially the worst day of year..aka Blue Monday. I don’t really believe in it but I get the idea. 

I do know that things can feel a little ‘blah’ and dreary around this time of year. 

The holidays are over, and with them can come a wave of sadness. The decorations have been taken down; the presents have been opened, and all that's left is to face the reality of January and the cold winter months ahead.

You might feel a little down, anxious or disorientated. You’re not alone, so many of us are feeling the same right now!

So after a long break,I’ve finally gotten my writing juices flowing again, and put together some tips to help shake off the post-Christmas blues, and start feeling happy again!

I’d love for you to check it out. Link in bio. 

#bluemonday #bluemonday💙 #postchristmasblues #holidayblues #mentalhealthmatters #selfcare #januaryblues #newyearnewgoals #chronicpainsucks #mentalhealthmatters#chronicillnesscommunity #chronicillnessawareness #chronicillnessblogger #chronicpainblogger #blog # #illness #chronicillnesslife #spoonielife #chronicallyill
Bad days come and go, but they don’t last foreve Bad days come and go, but they don’t last forever. 

If you’re having a shit day, just remember better days are on their way! 💜🤗💜

#reminders#selflove #mentalhealthmatters #spoonie #chronicpainflareup #chronicillnesscommunity #wellness #chronicillnessblogger #chronicpainquotes #chronicpainsupport #illness #chronicillnesslife #spooniecommunity #spoonielife #sickofbeingsick #chronicallyill
Rest,Rest,Rest...😴 If you live with chronic pa Rest,Rest,Rest...😴

If you live with chronic pain or illness, you come to realise how important rest actually is❗️

It's the one thing we need to keep going.

However, in a world where 'maximising your time' and productivity hacks are shoved down our throats, particularly at this time of year (New year, new me and all that shit). It's easy to feel you're wasting time or not doing enough by prioritising rest. 

But I'm here to say fuck that! 🖕🏾

Rest when we need it can NEVER be a waste of time!

It's an investment...! Particularly if you have pain or any health condition!

Rest is our time to destress, detach and escape from all things thrown our way, health or life-related.

Let's stop punishing ourselves, or feeling guilty about resting. Instead, let's consider it the best investment we'll ever make... into ourselves!😉

 #chronicpain #chronicpainsucks #spoonie #chronicpainflareup #chronicillnesscommunity #pelvicpainsyndrome#chronicillnessawareness #chronicillnessblogger #chronicpainawareness #chronicpainsupport #chronicpainsupport #illness #chronicillnesslife #spooniecommunity #sickofbeingsick #chronicallyill

follow me on pinterest

Download Your Free Chronic Pain Tracker

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.

Quick Links

ABOUT

CONTACT

PRIVACY POLICY

DISCLOSURE

Copyright © 2023 · The Chronic Diary | Theme by Blog Pixie

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By clicking "Accept", you are agreeing to our use of cookies. AcceptReject Cookie Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
  • Home
  • About
  • Pain Management
  • My Chronic Diary
  • Self Care
  • Personal Development
  • Gift Guides
  • FREEBIE LIBRARY