How to Stop Procrastinating at Work
Visualize the completed task., Break large tasks down., Create a personal deadline., Set up rewards., Take action in the next three minutes., Delegate some tasks.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Visualize the completed task.
Visualization is a powerful tool to help you reach your goals.
You may have trouble getting started on a task because you are disconnected with the outcome.
Envision your desired outcome to get your mojo back.Let’s say you are trying to coordinating a charity event for your office.
You might envision, using all of your senses, the event night.
Notice the decorations, smell the food, admire the attire of the attendees.
Take pride in having put it together.
Spend several minutes imagining the finished product.
Then, get to work. -
Step 2: Break large tasks down.
If you’re staring down a gigantic task at work, the size and scale may overwhelm you and lead to procrastination.
When this happens, devise a plan to tear down the project into manageable chunks.
Determine how much time each chunk will require.
Then, complete the large project bite-by-bite.For instance, if you have to do a presentation, you might first do research.
Then, outline the bones of what you’ll say, write a draft, revise it, practice, and polish your final draft. , Even if your boss or team leader gave you a deadline, you might need to motivate yourself with a stricter one.
Review the task at hand and decide how much time is needed to complete it.
Then, set a firm deadline for yourself.
Place the deadline on a sticky note above your desk to keep you focused., Sometimes, you have to make completing a task more attractive by placing a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Whether you are sitting down to type out emails or needing a boost for a tedious report, set up a reward that complements the task at hand.For instance, if you finish a batch of emails, you might reward yourself with 10 minutes of chatting with a coworker.
If you complete a huge report, you might treat yourself to a nice lunch or dinner at your favorite restaurant. , In general, you probably already know what you need to be doing.
The problem is getting started.
Build momentum by identifying something you can do towards your task in the next three minutes.
Take the slightest action and you’ll likely be on a roll from there., If your project is too much for you to handle on your own, then you might consider delegating some tasks to other people.
Identify what tasks you have to complete that could be delegated to your coworkers or subordinate employees. -
Step 3: Create a personal deadline.
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Step 4: Set up rewards.
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Step 5: Take action in the next three minutes.
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Step 6: Delegate some tasks.
Detailed Guide
Visualization is a powerful tool to help you reach your goals.
You may have trouble getting started on a task because you are disconnected with the outcome.
Envision your desired outcome to get your mojo back.Let’s say you are trying to coordinating a charity event for your office.
You might envision, using all of your senses, the event night.
Notice the decorations, smell the food, admire the attire of the attendees.
Take pride in having put it together.
Spend several minutes imagining the finished product.
Then, get to work.
If you’re staring down a gigantic task at work, the size and scale may overwhelm you and lead to procrastination.
When this happens, devise a plan to tear down the project into manageable chunks.
Determine how much time each chunk will require.
Then, complete the large project bite-by-bite.For instance, if you have to do a presentation, you might first do research.
Then, outline the bones of what you’ll say, write a draft, revise it, practice, and polish your final draft. , Even if your boss or team leader gave you a deadline, you might need to motivate yourself with a stricter one.
Review the task at hand and decide how much time is needed to complete it.
Then, set a firm deadline for yourself.
Place the deadline on a sticky note above your desk to keep you focused., Sometimes, you have to make completing a task more attractive by placing a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Whether you are sitting down to type out emails or needing a boost for a tedious report, set up a reward that complements the task at hand.For instance, if you finish a batch of emails, you might reward yourself with 10 minutes of chatting with a coworker.
If you complete a huge report, you might treat yourself to a nice lunch or dinner at your favorite restaurant. , In general, you probably already know what you need to be doing.
The problem is getting started.
Build momentum by identifying something you can do towards your task in the next three minutes.
Take the slightest action and you’ll likely be on a roll from there., If your project is too much for you to handle on your own, then you might consider delegating some tasks to other people.
Identify what tasks you have to complete that could be delegated to your coworkers or subordinate employees.
About the Author
Elizabeth Wells
Experienced content creator specializing in home improvement guides and tutorials.
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