Do you recognise the end of the village sign?
15 Productivity
Hacks For Procrastinators
Jane Dizon
Let me guess.
You should be doing something else rather than reading
this article.
But due to some unknown force of nature, you decided to
procrastinate by reading an article about how to hack procrastination.
You deserve a pat on the back.
Fortunately, procrastination is not a disease. It’s just
a mindset that can be changed,
however, here are some reminders you need to consider for
these hacks to really work.
First, you need to acknowledge that procrastinating is an
unhealthy habit.
Not only you’re prioritizing unimportant things,
basically, nothing gets done.
Still unsure if you’re a procrastinator? Check
this infographic guide.
Second, your commitment to change is very important. You
should be physically, emotionally,
and mentally determined to change this habit. If not,
then you’ll just succumb to the tempting lure of doing other things rather than
your tasks or chores.
Here are some tips to improve productivity and keep
yourself from procrastinating at work:
1. Give (10+2)*5 a
try
Let’s start with a classic but very effective hack
called (10+2)*5 created by Merlin Mann, author
of 43Folders.com. Don’t worry. This is not a complicated
Mathematical formula you need to solve. The (10+2)*5 simply means 10 minutes
work + 2 minutes break multiplied by 5, completing 1 hour.
It is crucial to stick with the time limits and not
skipping work and break schedules.
The point of this
is for you to create a jam-packed routine of work and break schedules.
The result? You will eventually skip your break
schedules.
2. Use red
and blue more often
Clean your desk and remove things that might distract
you. According to a Science Daily study about which colors improve brain
performance, red was found out to increase attention to details while blue
sparks creativity. Surrounding your workplace with these colors not only
benefits
your brain, it’s also pleasing to the eye.
3. Create a break agenda
List all the things you want to do on your break be it
surfing the web, checking your emails,
snack time, taking selfies, Facebook/Twitter—everything.
Like the (10+2)*5 hack, squeeze these
in between work time but the difference is you schedule
these activities for ONLY 20 minutes. Eventually, you’ll take your break
minutes wisely.
You’re finishing tasks while sidetracking to doing the
things you enjoy.
4. Set a timetable
for your tasks
Like any other habits, procrastinating is a tough wall to
break. Replace this habit with another habit. When you’re assigned a task, set
a timetable for each step. Let’s say you have a big research task. Here’s
a sample timetable:
9:00 – 9:10 am – Set up all your tools, browser tabs,
emails, coffee, etc..
9:10 – 10:00 am – Internet research
10:00 – 10:45 am – Look through existing files
10:45 – 11:00 am – Break time!
11:00 – 12:00 pm – Outline the research report
9:10 – 10:00 am – Internet research
10:00 – 10:45 am – Look through existing files
10:45 – 11:00 am – Break time!
11:00 – 12:00 pm – Outline the research report
Deadlines are the best hack for getting things done.
Setting a specific time to finish a task creates time
pressure even if the deadline has passed.
5. Take it
outside!
Do yourself a favor and don’t ruin the comfy vibe of your
home.
If you need to work on a stressful project, do it in a
library or coffee shop. You’ll never finish it anyway. Your cozy sofa and
toasty bed will just lure you into napping yourself to doom.
6. Become
productively lazy
Instead of finding all sorts of ways to unproductively
procrastinate, use your habit
to look for
shortcuts and new ways to finish your tasks. Staple multiple papers at a time
or master the 3-second t-shirt folding technique. A
strong drive combined with laziness
sometimes bring out the productive and creative side you
never knew you have!
7. Assign a ‘Task
Deputy’
It could be your colleague, your supervisor, or your
significant other,
anyone who has the unforgiving guts to reprimand you when
you procrastinate. You could go the extra mile by paying up unfinished tasks or
times you open your Facebook or watch a funny cat video on YouTube. Let’s see how
five bucks every time you procrastinate will change you.
8. Consider a
gadget-free desk
According to a study by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and
Byers, average users check on their phones
150 times per day and having your phone just an elbow
away just creates sizzle to this habit. Removing mobile devices and gadgets
allows you to focus on your work
without the constant interruption from notifications,
calls, and text messages.
It eliminates the very distracting ambiance and the urge
to unlock your phone just because.
9. Prepping the
night
Before hitting the sack to oblivion, prepare everything
you’ll need the next day.
This will probably take you 15 minutes tops, saving you
more time for coffee in the morning.
Spin class at am? Pack up your gym clothes, shoes, socks,
etc. or better, create a checklist so you don’t miss anything. You can also
prep your food into containers and just grab one before leaving.
10. Do a
10-minute workout in the morning
Exercising is proven to increase productivity and stimulate
release of endorphin or
“Happy Hormones”.
Take a jog outdoors and get warmed up for the day.
Don’t feel like running outside? Hop on a treadmilli.
It’s a great investment and there are
a lot of ways you can use a treadmill like
endurance running and metabolism training.
On a budget? Here’s a 10 minute, no-equipment needed
workout you can do at home.
11. Set-up mini
tasks
If you’re given a big project, break it down into mini
tasks. Create a checklist and start with the easy ones until you finish. Got an
article to write? Just start with the title and the first sentence.
Or perhaps you have a visual presentation to make? Spend
15 minutes on your outline,
take five minutes coffee break, then finish the
first two slides.
Accomplishing something, no matter how tiny, still gives
you that sense of fulfillment.
12. Create an
inspirational board or reminder
I found these mini desk chalkboards from Etsy you
can use to write motivating quotes l
like the ones from Pinterest. Or you know what? Just
simply write “Do it now!”
and stare at it for 10 seconds every time you feel like
dropping by on Reddit.
13. Redecorate
your room
Redecorating my room motivates me to maintain that ‘new’
look for some time until I get use to it and eventually stop. So I redecorate
again and again, it became a monthly habit really.
Here are some DIY ideas you can do to any room without spending much.
14. Ready your
nibbles
You know that trip to the pantry? It’s just seconds away
but it took you several minutes
just to get your fruit snacks in the fridge. Before
starting a task, prepare your nibbles on your desk
to avoid zoning out and losing yourself on the way to the
pantry.
Bonus productivity hacks you can do at home:
15. Schedule your
chores
Write down your chores in a weekly basis with matching
day and time when you should be doing these. For the artsy folks, you can
create fun chore charts like these or simply stick the list somewhere
visibly annoying e.g. mirrors, doors, TV.
The trick is listing as many chores as you can for the
week and including unfinished chores
the following week. Who likes seeing a long list of
chores first thing in the morning?
http://aboutjanedizon.tumblr.com/post/138045200210/15-productivity-hacks-for-procrastinators
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To quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read,
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The more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”
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