3 Methods I have learned To Beat Procrastination

For many years, I have been struggling with procrastination. Although I have set many daily schedules on my calendar, I can’t help trapped with it again and again when the time comes. What the consequence is that I have missed many opportunities to be more successful on many things and live in regret and frustration.

After a lot of reading and research, I have explored there major reasons that caused procrastination in general:

💡 1. Problem: Set the goal too big or too far.

I use to like set a long-term goal in my life. For example, in 5 years, I want to level up to the manager in my company. Sounds pretty nice, right? But it’s very vague. How to define the manager level? The salary level? Which department?

Or I want to travel around the world before 30 years old. How to define travel around the world? Do I need to travel to 200 countries or visit several countries in each continent enough?

✅ Solution: Set a small and attainable small goal

To make the goal more attainable, I used the SMART model, which is super helpful!

Specific (simple, sensible, significant).

Measurable (meaningful, motivating).

Achievable (agreed, attainable).

Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).

Time-bound (time-based, time-limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).

For example, I set my goal as writing one article each day for 30 days. And I will spend less than 2 hours on it in the afternoon. The main content is about productivity and design-related topics.

Sounds attainable and more clear now, right?

💡 2. Problem: Perfectionist

Set a high standard to me is not a bad thing, but being a perfectionist is not always good. For example, I was doing a design case study; although I have complete the draft for a while, I still dare not to publish it because I’m afraid it’s not perfect enough. So I keep looking at other designers’ work and constantly revising mine. Which took plenty of time or, say, waste tons of time to be the nonexistent “perfect work. ”

✅ Solution: Do it

The best way to beat the perfectionist is to “ Just do it”! Finish your tasks and do your best is enough. There always be someone doing a better job than you. The comparison is endless and meaningless if you will not work in the same company in the same team!

Just like creating a product, if you are too perfectionist and miss out on the best time for launching. Other competitors might already put their product in the market and take the potential customers.

💡 3. Problem: Connect the task with difficulties and hard feelings

Another thing I realized that I postpone doing most of the time is that the fear of the difficulty and complexity! For instance, writing a research report or doing user interviews. The first thought that came to my mind is that “I don’t like buried in the data, and talking to strangers on the street is torture and embarrassed !”

✅ Solution: Connect the task with joy and imagine the good result after accomplish

But, if I switch my mindset as “talking to different people from different backgrounds is fun and a good opportunity to learn. Although sometimes people reject me, it doesn’t matter. They're always kind people there willing to answer my questions.”

After collecting their answers, I will make beautiful and visualize data in powerful points to present to my coworkers!

The feeling is totally different, right?

Methods help you stay focus:

Besides the 3 main methods above, a lot of time, we need to beat procrastination to stay focused! Here are 3 effective ways I recommend:

🌟 Meditation

I meditate in the morning before everything starts, focus on my breath and drop all the thoughts and enjoy the time flow for 5 minutes is enough. I feel much calm and concentrated after the practice and feel joyful to start all my work for the day!

🌟 Enough sleep

I use to stay up all the time and force myself to get up in the morning. I thought that would be a way to save time, but I lost more time because my body rejected staying focused, and it turns out I spent more time completing all the work.

🌟 Set a daily routine for 21 days

To make a new habit takes 21 days. I followed the schedule I made for myself and forced myself to follow it within the timeframe. I write down all the activities I do every day, including all the details and retrospectives every night, to see how much time I have been using effectively and how much are wasted.

That’s all for today. I hope you find it helpful:)