“Procrastination is bad”
While most of us knew just how bad procrastination is, if you are like the majority, you may be wondering why you still procrastinate even though you are fully aware of the negative effect it brings to your productivity.
The problem doesn’t actually lie on the fact that we all procrastinate from time to time, but on what exactly.
If I have learned anything from my past, it will be not to sway around helplessly, not knowing what I want and procrastinate on finding my dreams and goals.
The 44 Techniques
And as you already know, you don’t need 44 techniques to stop procrastinating. Grab a few and you are good to go. I promise.
1. Focus for 5 minutes – The first 5 minutes are crucial to build momentum. Once there’s momentum, everything else will follow smoothly.
2. Make use of your power hours – The best time to work on completing tasks which require thinking is during your power hours. It’s however, different for every person. You might be a morning guy, or a night owl who works best at night.
3. Create a to-do list – By having a to-do list, you will have a clear guidance on what you’re supposed to do for the day. This will also encourage consistency and commitment to your goals.
4. Give yourself credit – Giving yourself credit as you go will motivate you to keep the momentum going.
5. Tackle the hard one first – It’s always best to tackle the hard one first when you’re still in focus and full of energy.
6. Be decisive – Know what you want and get to it.
7. Play the reward game – Having a rewarding system can help speed the process of completing the task in hand.
8. Enlist encouragement – Tell your goals to your friends and family member. Kindly ask them to laugh at you and make sure they share the laughter with their friends if you fail to reach your goals. This will ensure you have all the pressure you need.
9. Decide on the next course of action – Once you’re about to get done with a task, decide on the next one immediately. This ensures you keep your focus and momentum in check.
10. Focus on one task at a time – Overwhelmed can be a good reason not to get things done. Don’t do it.
11. List your priorities – It’s important to list your priorities by writing it down in a piece of paper so when there’s a conflict, you can refer to the list.
12. Ignore the less important tasks – Procrastination is not really as bad as most people make of it, provided it’s on things that do not matter to you. I don’t make my bed because it doesn’t bother me.
13. Turn off your internet connection – Internet can take a toll out of your time. Make it a reward for completing your chores. That way it’s ok to turn it off now and concentrate on your work.
14. Be uncomfortable – Being too carefree and you would lose focus on things that matters to you. Be uncomfortable by constantly reminding yourself the consequences of prolonging your tasks. It works like a charm for me.
15. Celebrate the process as you go – Keep reminding yourself you are close to finishing the tasks and a step closer to your goals as you go.
16. Always go for the last push – After a certain period of time, you will reach a point of exhaustion. By trying for the last push, you will have more done by the end of the day.
17. Wake up early – Waking up early can help get more done. There are things that are best done in the morning. Jogging is one of them.
18. Make it the first thing you do – Working on your important task the moment you got up will help get it off your list of cues and off your back for the day.
19. Forget perfection – Perfection is time wasting and a lame excuse to procrastinate. Period.
20. Find something about it that excites you – Always try to look at the good side of doing the tasks.
21. Just get started – If there’s any secret to stop procrastinating, this is the one. You’re not going to say, “I’m going to stumble this later” are you?
22. Only work on things you want done – Spending time focusing on things that do not matter when there’s something far more important on your list is a procrastination by itself. You might as well take a nap.
23. Keep your workplace organized – It’s no secret that having an organized workplace puts you into the mood for action.
24. Live your goal – If your goal is to become a successful blogger, you need to act, live and breathe like one.
25. Better still, get a role model – Remember how they are all the same before they got to the top. Hardworking, dedicated, persistent and focused.
26. Stay focused at all time – Don’t let your mind wander as you will lose your momentum easily.
27. Keep your goals at a place you can see them – If your goal is to have a lean body or a big bungalow, make sure to place a picture near where you can see it often.
28. Also keep a loser picture near you – Place picture of a fat guy next to the lean mean model picture of your dream. If that doesn’t motivate you, nothing will.
29. Give yourself 5 minutes break in between tasks – Giving yourself short break in between chores help re-energize you. It can also be used as a reward for completion.
30. Recognize your distractions and cut them off until you finished your tasks – Things such as phone, television and computer can often distract you from your priorities and goals.
31. Have a well planned list – A detailed plan will include steps needed to reach your goal. This is important so that you can work on the steps each and everyday.
32. Have fewer goals – Too many goals at any given time will have you overwhelmed and lose focus. Cutting down your goals ensure you can get more done.
33. Turn it into a habit -Make the task a part of your habit. 30 days to develop a habit. 1 year to stick on you for the rest of your life. I think…
34. Expect less from yourself – What’s the point of being productive if you’re not enjoying life? Expect less from yourself can, in effect, make you focus more on what matter’s to you.
35. Take a nap – If you’re tired, take a nap. That way you can re-energized and get ready for round two. It’s better than lying on the couch watching television for the rest of the day.
36. Don’t keep your unfinished task – Left half way? Leave it exactly where it is so you can get back to it as soon as possible. It can also work as a constant reminder.
37. Get caffeine drinks – Caffeine keeps you energized. It is, however, unhealthy and can be addictive, so I would recommend not to depend on it too often.
38. Turn on some music – Unless you are working on tasks that require thinking, music can keep you in the mood for some actions.
39. Make it a lifestyle – Some tasks can be defined as a lifestyle. Jogging, for example, can be linked to a healthy lifestyle. Embody the system and live the lifestyle.
40. No name calling – Don’t identify yourself as a procrastinator. This will only encourage you to keep procrastinating.
41. Place your tasks at the place you hang out often – In front of your computer, on top of the coffee table in your living room maybe?
42. Put a reminder in your cell phone and your computer – Also put on your alarm clock.
43.Get help from others – Before you use the “I don’t know how to do this” excuse to procrastinate, grab that phone and make that call to your friends who do. Come on.. you got his number.
44. Procrastinate the right way – check out How To Procrastinate And Produce More.
If you find the tips useful, consider subscribing. I promise i won’t bite 
Some of the tips are taken from Zenhabits. Credit goes to them.
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Karlil, nice post! I can make good use of this list. i’m going to share this with my wife later. She needed it more than i do. haha, Thanks man
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I’m very interested in the last one. How can procrastinate produce more? It doesn’t make sense….. But overall good list.
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@Pete
Hey Pete, thanks for dropping by. I would really love that.
@Gina
Come back in 2-3 days time and i’ll show you Gina. ;p
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Great post! I especially like #28.
Which one do you apply most?
Nazim´s last blog ..4 Reasons I wish I was more like a baby
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If #28 is your favorite, i would have to go for #29… ;p Jokes aside, my favorite is #33.
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Crap, just realized you ask me which one i applied most instead of my favorite. I would say #45.
I work rather differently than most of those who blog on personal development would. I’m not that disciplined
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Excellent post, Karlil. I especially liked #1.
Focusing on a task we’re hesitant about doing for 5 minutes could make such a huge difference in the long term.
Tim | Inspiration Central´s last blog ..7 Tips for Giving Constructive Criticism (With Positive Results)
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Very true Tim. Much of the problem lies on the first 5 minutes. If you just put focus in it, everything else will fall smoothly in place.
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Hey! I’ve just discovered your blog. I am currently trying to implement the stay focused at all times tip. Nice list.
Oscar – freestyle mind´s last blog ..Why Personal Development Matters
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That’s nice Oscar. Keeping focus at all time works great in the long term. I’m still trying to master it myself.
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Hi Karlil
These techniques are a great reminder.
The most important one for myself is
Be decisive – Know what you want and get to it.
Sometimes I get “analysis paralysis”
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Don’t we all Jai Kai. I try not to think so much these days. I do it by focusing on things that i know which work, and ignore the rest.
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Karlil, my favorite is #14: “be uncomfortable”. It’s like saying ‘be honest’.
Kye
Kye´s last blog ..the red thread
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I like the point about not identifying yourself as (insert negative trait identity). We really do act according to the way we think about ourselves.
JS Dixon´s last blog ..5 Ways Serving Others Will Help You Succeed
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That’s true JS. Most of the time it comes from the mind. Defeat these negative thoughts and you’ll get yourself a better you almost instantly.
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@Kye
Exactly Kye. Most people choose to stay in their own comfort zone and wait for the changes to force them out of it instead of coming out by themselves.
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Karlil
Finally got round to reading your post…….
Seriously some great tips and techniques here which are often unsaid but very important, thanks for that. Trying to improve my focus and reduce procrastination and distraction is my main challenge at the moment as I look to establish myself online.
Thanks for some top tips.
Tom
Tom Harvey´s last blog ..Newbies Nightmare
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I’m glad you found it useful Tom
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Karlil, I like the pick-and-choose approach you used here. Maybe sometimes I would prefer certain techniques and other times I ‘d choose something different.
Probably my all-time favorite on your list is #2, using your Power Hours for thinking tasks. For example, I generally write early in the day when my mind is rested and alert. I save more routine tasks for later.
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Yea, i do that from time to time as well Madelaine. Though i must say my all time favorite techniques are procrastinate the right way.
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