Time-Saving Hacks That Actually Work
Are you looking to take your productivity levels up a notch? Making improvements doesn't happen in an instant, so what steps can you take today to start making gradual changes towards increased efficiency and success? Let me provide some insights on the best ways for high achievers to analyze their performance, pivot accordingly, and reach new heights of progress in this two part series. Today I want to focus on the first step of discovering powerful techniques to outsmart procrastination.
What does procrastination really mean? It means that you are not doing what you know you need to do when you know you need to do it. It's putting things off because in the short term it's easier, it's more comfortable, it's more certain, it's more pleasurable to be distracted or indulge in something else, than it is to sit down and do the actual work to create the outputs that matter when they are needed. We all do this. The issue is, can you set yourself up so you do less of it? I believe you can. I believe there are tactical things you can do to procrastinate less. Those are the things I will focus on the most in this series. I also believe that there are very important emotional things you can do as well. These lay the foundation of the hacks you need to apply to change the script.
Find your worry and debate it. Most procrastination is tied to the emotion of worry. Examples of this are: I'm worried that if I do it, it won't turn out well. I'm worried it will be too hard and I can't handle it. I'm worried I really don't know what I'm doing and I'm going to mess things up, fail or cause ruin in my life. If you do feel as if you are procrastinating this is the best time to sit down with a journal and write out exactly what you are worried about. Just journal about your worries. There is no pressure in this. A lot of the time we are not aware of our worries so we keep thinking that it is the task's fault. Such as, the task isn't passionate or you feel as if you are losing your passion. However, the reality is that unconsciously we are a little worried about something. If we can bring that worry into our awareness then we can examine and observe it. We can start building a case that we shouldn't be worried about or it is something we can actually handle. Take your "what if" statements and begin to flip them to positive ones. Some examples could be: What if it does turn out, what if this is the thing I've always loved to do.
Make sure you have time scheduled to do something. Block scheduled time to make sure that thing actually happens. A Lot of people are procrastinating because they are overwhelmed by the randomness they have in their life. All the random activity creates an uncertainty of mind that is stealing away your confidence. So how do you get back more confidence so you don't procrastinate as much? You have to get more structured with your time. If you start structoring that time for that activity it will actually get done. You can set this in your calendar and also set notifications and alarms to remind you at the appropriate time to get that thing done. The more your brain is in random mode the less you will produce. You have to set out amounts of time to get to work. Most people know they need to do this, but don't actually do it. If I were to come to your house today and look at your calendar, what would it say? Would every minute be allocated to something? Or would there be a lot of white empty space. I challenge you to go into your calendar and literally carve out your entire day and color code it. This means adding in your workouts, drive time, devotional time, family time and even extra curricular activities. Even if there is something you do on a weekly basis such as going to work and church, put those in your calendar. For me, I even set up a 10 minute reminder before that particular time starts to help my brain start to shut down the task I’m doing to get ready for the next. This has allowed me to get more done in my day.
All in all, procrastination doesn't have to be a part of your life. By understanding that it is simply a pattern of response, you can take steps and make the right adjustments to fight the feelings of insecurity, random activity, and worry. When those are replaced with more positive reinforcement, you should naturally feel more motivated and productive. With this knowledge in hand and with the use of three clever brain hacks (which I will cover more on next week) you will be sure to benefit greatly in terms of productivity and time management. Don't forget to stick around for part two of this blog series where I'll delve deeper into how these brain hacks work. In the meantime, sign up for my newsletter so you don't miss the next tip; and don't hesitate to give any feedback or further questions about procrastination or anything related – I'm always happy to help!
As Always: I hope you loved today’s blog. I hope it stretched you, challenged you and grew you in some way. If so, I would stop right now and share this with someone else who may need to read these words. It would also bless me big if you take 30 seconds to leave me a review. Lastly, go sign up for the newsletter where every week brings you insight into creating the home of your dreams to finding balance between family and business. It’s designed as a one stop shop for moms on their journey towards success getting them closer to achieving their goals with God in the center of it all. I pray this blesses you.