over the past week in my life I have noticed the topic of procrastination turning up quite a bit. Got me to thinking, how do I tackle procrastination, what are some good ways to move ahead and get things done. I hope this list of my “top 10 ways to stop procrastinating” help you to keep moving forward and get done what you need to, so you can continue to feel that sense of achievement every entrepreneur loves to feel

1
Whatever The Task Is, Know WHY You Need To Do It
I put this first, after all, if you don’t know why you need to do something, where’s the motivation to do it? Give yourself a big reason WHY and imagine how good you’ll feel when you’ve completed the task.

2
Break The Task Down into Small Bite Size Pieces
How do you eat an elephant?? One bite at a time. Often people procrastinate because they’ve put the task off for so long it’s actually grown a lot bigger than it is, so they feel overwhelmed. Break it down and completely focus on one small task at a time, let yourself become absorbed in the task, before you know it, you’ll have it completed.

3
Just Do It!
Still don’t know where to start? Think Nike, “Just Do It!” Do it for at least 10min. Just get started. Remember procrastination creates stress, anxiety and depression, so take action and do it, even if it’s just for 10min.

4
Use Pleasure And Pain
Focus on the benefits you’ll receive from completing the task, and imagine the worst possible consequences for not completing the task.

5
Reward Yourself
The mind has a natural tendency to drift after concentrating for long periods of time on the same task. So schedule rewards for yourself to give your mind a break and help you stay refreshed and focused.

6
Build Momentum
Complete some small or fun tasks first so you have that sense of achievement to drive you on to tackle the rest of your project.

7
Allow Sufficient Time
People have a tendency to underestimate how much time it takes to get things done. Allow sufficient time to complete tasks, and if you do get the task completed quicker than expected, reward yourself and then move on to the next task.

8
Create A Sense Of Urgency
Allow sufficient time, don’t let time get away on you though. Create a sense of urgency. Create mini deadlines for your projects and aim to have the project completed by that deadline. Remember to give yourself enough time between your mini deadline and your big deadline though, so that if anything unexpected does come up, you have allowed yourself sufficient time to complete the project on time.

9
Focus On The Task At Hand
Instead of focusing on your fears, focus on the small parts you need to get done, write them on a whiteboard and mark off each one you complete. Allocate a certain amount of time for each task and use a timer to time yourself. This way, instead of focusing on fears, your focusing on what your doing, and how much time you have left to do it. You’re using stress to drive you, instead of letting procrastination overwhelm you.

10
Beat Anxiety
If your still finding it hard to get started and keep going because the project fills you with anxiety, try this tip. Inhale deeply while counting 5 heartbeats (finger on pulse), exhale as you count 5 heartbeats. My skydiving instructor taught me this whilst in the plane, about to partake in my very first skydive. It helps. You’ll notice your breathing slow down and your whole body relax more. When the tension has subsided, get started. Do something, no matter how small. The feeling of accomplishment will help ease your anxiety. Remember, stress is caused when you’re not doing what you should be doing.

Okay, so there’s my top 10 ways beat procrastination. What are the best ways you’ve found to help you keep productive?

Annie