How to turn procrastination into productivity

How do you turn your procrastination in to productivity? We can all be guilty of delaying an important task or making ourselves busy with one thing to avoid another.

Here are 10 ways to get the most out of your day!

Sleep – sleep is many things to many people, but when it comes to getting your groove on at home or work, making sure you’ve had your optimum hours is a big win.
Switch off from social media – there are all kinds of tips and tricks for this. It’s not so hard to shut down your social media windows and turn off notifications on your phone.
Schedule your day – in the morning or last thing the night before check your calendar, ensure everything in there is relevant and doesn’t clash, then write your to-do list. Mark certain times for certain task and just do them!
Tell people what you’re going to do – it’s a top tip for long term goals, tell your friends that you’re going to save to go on a holiday, or hit the gym 5 days a week. Why not tell your colleagues that you’re going to finish a task today or by the end of the week? Or tell the people you live with that you’re going to menu plan and shop to it? There’s nothing like being held accountable to get you going.
Energy, energy, energy – beat that mid afternoon lag by taking a 15-minute stroll around the block after lunchtime or just as good, find yourself a private space and do a spot of yoga or meditation.
Reward yourself – Depending on the size and time frame of the task you are undertaking, reward yourself along the way or at the end. Maybe finishing the task will be reward enough!
Adjust your attitude – be honest with yourself. Identify your distractions and remove them. Do you keep chatting? Find a bolt hole, a spare office maybe, or a room with nobody in it, shut yourself away for as long as it takes with your distractions safe on the outside.
Start the job – often we find ourselves avoiding a task, it may be easy and it may be difficult. If you can sit down for 2 minutes and focus, often that will give you the momentum you need to continue.
Change your environment – sometimes it’s the same old things that we distract ourselves with. Writing an essay or report at home or the office? Move it down to the local coffee shop. They will be happy as long as you buy yourself a drink, and lots of times you will even get your water topped up for you as you work.
Chunk it down – it’s great to feel that you are on your way to finishing something, or achieving a goal. Make the feeling even better by chunking the task down to milestones that you can be happy you’ve reached along the way.

Do you have anything else to add to the list that helps you stay on track? Please add your comment below.

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17 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 30 May 2021
    9:30 am
Making lists helps.

- - mom94125 said
  - 05 Oct 2017
    4:53 pm
i believe very strongly in keeping your word. you have to be accountable, reliable and trustworthy and these days, these qualities are getting harder to find in an average person. They are invaluable qualities to possess in an individual and will get my respect instantly.

- - mom206279 said
  - 01 May 2017
    2:35 am
Lol. I was out when the first one was get some sleep.

- - ella12 said
  - 24 Aug 2016
    4:36 pm
I think having a diary helps keep me on track.

- - Melissa89 said
  - 26 Jul 2016
    4:35 pm
Really great read. I am the queen when it comes to procrastination

- - deb_gs said
  - 29 Apr 2016
    10:17 pm
The importance of a list can not be emphasized enough. It feels amazing to cross items off when complete.

- - curlytops said
  - 24 Apr 2016
    9:02 pm
Some great tips here which i will try. thanks

- - meedee said
  - 21 Apr 2016
    1:55 pm
Oh boy im a huge procrastinator with somethings and other things I need to get done straight away or it will drive me crazy.

- - rovermum said
  - 13 Apr 2016
    12:00 pm
I love being productive and efficient so I am an organiser and a planner. I find a list makes me accountable. I have lists on lists on lists. And mindset. I have to keep reminding myself to factor ME into everything too.

- - mom134803 said
  - 13 Apr 2016
    3:29 am
I quite like to be productive. I always think priority and do first the things what really needs to be done, after that the things which are less important. When I’m productive for hours I do like to stop here and there in between for a cup of coffee or 5 minutes to soak up some sun, just to reload so I can be extra productive again. Sometimes there are jobs we don’t know how to do it…just start and it will become clear.

- - mom101628 said
  - 12 Apr 2016
    11:03 pm
If I can just get myself to start the job, then I will finish it – but starting it is so hard when you have other things you feel you must do first.

- - mom112217 said
  - 03 Apr 2016
    9:23 am
I like no.8 start the job,then you have to finish it!

- - Nas01 said
  - 03 Apr 2016
    7:37 am
Great tips!! I’m pretty good in getting things done but it’s starting them that can sometimes take a while.

- - mom93821 said
  - 02 Apr 2016
    8:29 pm
Thanks for the list and tips. Being disciplined and staying on task helps, only rewarding when a job is done. I set up goals and rewards and it does help with getting ‘stuff’ done.

- - mom160421 said
  - 02 Apr 2016
    4:52 pm
I always tell myself that it’s easier to do something than to think about doing it, so just do it.
- mom93821 replied
  
  03 Apr 2016 , 7:08 am
  Yep! I agree – tackling the hardest job first is a good idea too.
- - mom90758 said
  - 02 Apr 2016
    2:46 pm
So many important tips here. Organize your day I think it’s really important. And write down a priority list. There are things that need to be done today. Others would be nice if they are done today, otherwise they can wait till tomorrow. Others are not urgent.