Whether it is avoiding an activity or chore we don’t particularly enjoy doing, anxiety about working on a project or assignment, or just finding time in a busy schedule, sometimes getting started is the hardest part of getting things done.
The thing is, the time is never perfect, we aren’t going to like a task more at a later date, and avoiding a task does not reduce stress. Even knowing all of this, procrastination can seem like an appealing alternative to getting started. How often do you snooze an alarm or reminder, start another round to a game, or decide to check your social media just one more time? However, the more we avoid a task, the more stress we add to our lives as deadlines loom nearer and nearer.
Did you know that people lose a little over 3.5 hours a day or 55 days a year to procrastination? Loss of time isn’t the only negative impact of procrastination; students lose an average of 5% of their grade points to last-minute submissions. That 5% could be the difference between a passing or failing grade.
So how do we get started?
Step 1: Put your phone down.
So, this is the part that nobody wants to hear. You have to put your phone down. Stick it in a drawer. Silence notifications. There is a direct link between mobile phone usage and high levels of procrastination, especially for people who may experience mobile phone addiction. The average American checks their phone 80 times per day. That breaks down to every 12 minutes.
Consider this, if you have a chore that normally takes an hour of focused time to complete, but you stop to check your notifications every 12 minutes, you will have stopped being productive 5 times while doing that chore. If it takes you ten minutes to look at your phone every time you stop, that is 50 minutes that you have wasted – almost twice the time it would take you to complete the task.
Self-regulating your phone time to make room for chores, homework, and other things you want to get done will lead to more time for you to do the things you love, spend time with friends, or make time to relax.
Step 2: Get in the zone.
The “zone,” also known as a “flow state,” is when you are able to focus on the tasks in front of you from a stance of top performance. When you are in the zone, you can more easily merge action and awareness.
So, how do you get in the zone?
Begin with establishing a routine for entering the zone.
Take a few deep breaths.
Do something physical, like stretches.
Take a moment to focus on the here and now – what is it that you are trying to accomplish? What steps do you need to take to get there? What mindset do you need to have to get it done?
Create an environment that is energizing. Let in some natural light. Listen to music that gets you pumped up. Some people even have a “zone” playlist to help them focus.
Step 3: Do something.
Sometimes it is a struggle to get into the zone. For whatever reason, you just aren’t feeling it. You’ve heard that song too many times. It’s gloomy outside and you just want snuggle under a blanket and cuddle your dog. You’ve written and erased the answer to a homework question 15 times already.
When this happens, it is too easy to resort back to procrastinating. To avoid the trap, just do something. Pick a task and get it done. Skip to the next question on your homework and come back to the one you are stuck on.
Some people suggest taking a step to tackle the task you least want to do. Getting that one task done can make you feel freer and ready to tackle other things on your list that aren’t as difficult.
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