A huge part of managing your time better is understanding that you procrastinate and why you procrastinate.
The stress you feel from your work, your lack of solid and specific goals, and from your uncertainty might be spilling over to other areas of your life. This stress and uncertainty often leads to procrastination—that’s a problem it’s time to solve.
In surveying many of the professionals and entrepreneurs I work with on a daily basis, I hear time and time again that procrastination is the biggest issue when it comes to time management. People get frustrated with themselves because they have a bad habit of procrastinating. They don’t want to procrastinate, yet it’s their default.
Consider whether these statements are true for you:
- Do you put projects off, even though you know you should be working on them right away?
- Do you find that you get nervous about starting a project because it seems way too difficult to finish?
- Do you always find yourself working at the very last minute, desperate to get your project finished and kicking yourself because you hadn’t even started it yet?
If so, then you have a problem with procrastination. Maybe you only procrastinate sometimes. Or, maybe you find yourself constantly procrastinating. Either way, there is hope for you.
These time management tricks will definitely help you get started on your projects right away so you can complete them on time and with less stress. Best of all, you’ll complete your projects more quickly. The result will be that you’re working better than ever.
Gain a True Understanding
Understanding why you procrastinate in the first place is very helpful. Many of the reasons overlap when you talk about time management in general. For instance, you might procrastinate because you aren’t clear on your goals.
You don’t even know what you’re working to achieve, except in a very general sense. People who don’t procrastinate are generally very specific about what they’re trying to achieve (in the short run and long run) and they know that each action is related to their goals.
There’s Too Much To Do
You might procrastinate because there are too many things to do. Maybe you fill your to-do list to the very brim every single day. There’s absolutely no humanly possible way to get everything done when you have a mile long to-do list.
That’s why you have to be able to filter through your tasks and choose only what is most important. You have to be able to look at your most productive and valuable tasks and focus on those, while delegating, outsourcing, or eliminating the tasks that are not as important.
If you don’t do that, it’s impossible to know what to focus on first. It could be that you have one particular task on your to-do list that has to get done but that you’re frightened to do, for whatever reason.
Maybe that task is just too time-consuming. Maybe you don’t have clarity on the task yet. Or maybe, you’ve undeservedly turned the task into a monster. It might be the case that once you got started on that task, it would be easier than ever.
Perfection Is a Problem
Yet another reason why many people procrastinate is because they are truly perfectionists. They believe, deep down, that they’re never going to be able to perform a task perfectly. So, they scare themselves out of doing it altogether.
Few procrastinators think of themselves as perfectionists, but it’s very often true. Examine your personal reasons for procrastinating and see if this might be true for you. Do you have a fear of not doing things perfectly? If so, then you might subconsciously be using procrastination as a way to put off the inevitable.
That’s damaging because it’s impossible to be perfect. No one is perfect. No project is perfect. You’re self-sabotaging if you expect perfection. Procrastination may also be a convenient excuse, subconsciously.
You know that it’s even more impossible to expect perfection when something is done at the last minute. That way, you have an excuse for yourself for why it isn’t perfect… that excuse is that you didn’t have enough time. And the cycle repeats.
Examine Your Reasons for Procrastinating
If you want to successfully move forward, then you need to examine your reasons for procrastinating. The great news is that these time management tricks will absolutely help you stop procrastinating.
It’s time to turn these tricks into habits of yours. Most, if not all, of these tricks should be incorporated into your daily routine so you can stop procrastinating and get more done.
What to Do About Your Procrastination and Time Management Problems
It’s time for you to figure out how to beat your procrastination and time management problems.
You don’t want to continue on the way you have been. You don’t want to procrastinate and find yourself struggling to get things done. You don’t want to have to be late on projects. You don’t want to have to be unclear about what you’re supposed to be doing and when.
In your ideal world, you would be able to get things done more quickly. You’d be able to earn more, get a promotion, start your own business, and have more time left over for the things you want to do in life. That’s exactly what can happen if you’re willing to put the work in. It can be a struggle to change long-standing habits – but it’s absolutely possible. Here’s how to do it:
1. Make Time Management a Priority
First, you have to make time management a priority. You can’t just read about time management tricks and expect them to just happen for you. You have to focus on each one in turn – making them a habit.
As each one becomes a habit, layer it with another positive time management habit. Focus on what will work best for you. Identify where your stickiest and trickiest areas are and start implementing the time management habits that will help you the most.
The fact is that you are the only one who can make this happen. You have to make time management a top priority so you can finally break out of the stressful cycle you’re in right now. If you make it a priority and make movements toward adopting these positive habits, then you absolutely will be successful.
2. Save Hours per Day
If you adopt these positive time management habits, you can save yourself hours every day. Right now, I’m willing to bet that you’re wasting some time. If you’re working all day long with nothing to show for it, it’s just a waste of time. If you’re stressed out beyond belief and don’t have time to do the things you want to do, you’re wasting time.
You are going to become much more efficient with everything you do. Because of your dedication and efficiency, you’ll be able to achieve your goals much more quickly.
You won’t have to sit around and dream about the things you want in life because you’re finally going to be able to get the things you want in life – faster than you ever thought possible. You aren’t just dreaming anymore, you’re turning your dream life into a reality.
This will help you save a ton of time and get more done. Each of these habits has value for your life. Just keep in mind that some of the tips I share with you will be more relevant to you than others.
3. Make a List of What You Struggle with the Most
I want you to make a list of the things you struggle with the most when it comes to time management. Then, read through and pull out the ones that are most applicable to you and that you struggle with the most.
Tackle these issues first and you’ll be able to save a ton of time and get more done. Perhaps best of all, you’ll feel confident about your work. You’ll be able to identify your downfalls and work to achieve your goals. This is an amazing thing that can truly change your life, so it’s time to get excited.
4. Be Ready For Ups and Downs
I want you to be prepared– you’re probably going to have ups and downs as you work to improve your time management skills.
Sometimes it will be difficult and sometimes it will seem easy. You just have to push through until these habits happen without much active thought or effort from you. You want these habits to be things you do automatically every day, without thinking.
If you can adopt these positive time management concepts and turn them into habits, you’ll find that you get so much more done and that your work is much easier to manage. This is the start of some wonderful changes and an easier, more productive life, all the way around.
If you want to get more done quickly, easily and effectively check out My Productivity Blueprints: A collection of 32 templates unlocking the secrets of productive people in a simple blueprint for action.
