Stop Procrastinating

A lot of people find it very hard to get stuff done. We have endless distractions and it’s sometimes easier to put stuff off than it is to crack on with it.

So how can you be more productive? Choose your time wisely. If you’ve just finished work and dinner needs making, you’re unlikely to achieve anything. If you’re feeling tired and grumpy sometimes it’s better to be kind to yourself and relax than it is to start a big job. But what about the little jobs? Just get them done! There’s no point in making a list with ten five-minute jobs on, you’ll stick it on the fridge and ignore it. Just crack on.

If you’ve got ten minutes between meetings or before picking the kids up, then you’ve got more than enough time to get something small done. So put your phone down and get on with it. The more you get done the easier it will become. You need to train your brain to be productive, it doesn’t happen overnight.

If you’re going to do something, do it properly, do it quickly and do it in the correct time frame. There’s no point in picking up a paintbrush to start decorating at 5 pm. You haven’t even prepped the room yet! Instead, get your materials ready and start first thing tomorrow morning. You’re more likely to complete a big task if you give it the time it deserves.

There are endless books that you can read on productivity. If you’re really struggling read one. I think women are way better at getting stuff done… sorry to be sexist, but we have an inbuilt schedule of everything that needs doing in a day and we’re capable of multitasking. It has been built into us since the Stone Age. Men had one job, hunt and provide food. That’s why you all have tunnel vision and literally cannot see the cheese in the fridge that’s right in front of you. Women are built to forage and gather food, keep the cave clean, all whilst looking after the children. Read the book Why women can’t read maps and why men don’t listen. It makes a lot of sense.

Here are some more tips for making yourself more productive:

• Schedule tasks
• Create a manageable list
• Do your prep
• Choose your timing
• Take regular breaks in long jobs
• Start with the hardest task
• Limit distractions
• Fill up on brain food
• Be kind to yourself… sometimes it’s ok to put stuff off.

Good luck with getting stuff done. I know you can do it!