Escaping the procrastination trap-how to start your focus era

If there’s anything likely to send me straight to the couch with a cup of tea and a good book, it’s a job I have to do. Even for the most motivated people at work, procrastination can be a problem. Whether you have a looming deadline, a to-do list that keeps growing, or you have a semi serious social media addiction, balancing your responsibilities with your relaxation time can be tricky. With this in mind, I’ve tried some great techniques to help me move into my focus era and conquer the procrastination trap. While some of these are a work in progress, there are some that are already having a real impact.

Getting started with getting started

Before you can begin putting techniques into place, you need to know what fuels your procrastination. Whether you get overwhelmed by large tasks, or complex projects, or you have a fear of getting things wrong, these can all come into play. Once you know your triggers, you’ll be able to target strategies towards them.

Option one – Chunking

If you have very large tasks to get on with, it can be difficult knowing where to start. Sit down with a piece of paper and break whatever it is you’re doing into smaller, more manageable tasks (chunks). You can even put chunking down as one of your to-do list tasks and you’ll be able to tick that one straight away. This will hopefully give you a little surge of dopamine which will see you through to the next step.

Use Pomodoro to beat procrastination

While taking a break every 25 minutes may seem counter-productive, it really does work. Set a timer, and every 25 minutes take a few minutes break. Get up and walk around the room, stretch your legs and look out of the window. At the end of the short break, you’ll be surprised at how focused you can be for the next 25. This is a great technique if you are prone to burn out.

The two minute rule

While I have seen a little less success with this method, one of my friends swears by this one. When a task comes across your mind, ask yourself if it can be completed in two minutes or less. If it can, do it immediately. This can help you prevent small tasks from becoming overwhelming to do lists.

Reward yourself

It might seem silly to reward yourself for posting a letter, or dealing with that return of the unsuitable clothing you ordered. However, rewards help us stick to new habits. And the rewards don’t have to be huge. If you’ve managed to get through a quarter of your to-do list, sit for a few minutes and have a celebratory cup of tea. You’ve earned it.

Don’t be too hard on yourself

Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re struggling with procrastination. I’ve made my peace with the fact that procrastination will be part of my life for the foreseeable future. But using some of these techniques, I feel like I’ve got a handle on it, rather than letting procrastination control me.