Time Management Tip
Stop Procrastinating
We all put things off. Generally, we put off tasks that are boring, difficult, unpleasant, etc. When faced with something we don’t want to do, we can find a dozen jobs of no consequence to fill our time. When you’re tempted to procrastinate, follow these steps:
- Set a deadline —a task without a deadline can be put off indefinitely. Set a date and stick to it.
- Set up a reward system —make it commensurate with the task. An afternoon cleaning out the garage is worth dinner out, while a 14 month software roll-out might warrant a tropical vacation.
- Arrange for a follow-up —assign someone to be a “nag-buddy”. Give them permission to check in periodically to make sure you’re staying on track.
- Do it first —tackle difficult jobs early in the day, when you have the most energy.
- Break the task into small pieces —if the whole seems too big to tackle, break it into manageable sub-tasks.
- Do it now —don’t put if off any longer. Sometimes you just have to jump in and get it done.
[tags] GTD, time management, procrastination, productivity[/tags]
Related Posts:
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There’s More to Productivity Than Time Management
A Personal Time-Management Self-Assessment
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