If you continually struggle with procrastination, you’re not alone!

You want to get organized, get in shape, have a clean house, finish an important project at work… but things keep getting in the way. 

If this sounds familiar, procrastination is likely keeping you from getting things done and causing more overwhelm and chaos in your life. We’re sharing why this happens and our best tips to teach you how to ditch procrastination and be more productive!

Why do we procrastinate?

Procrastination is one of most common hang-ups when it comes to people accomplishing their goals. 

Of course it can be really easy to make it a New Year’s resolution to “stop procrastinating“ but chances are if you don’t understand why it’s happening in the first place you’ll find yourself falling victim to it again within a few months. 

So, why do we procrastinate?

Simply put, procrastinating is a tool our brain uses to preserve energy and avoid discomfort.

When we have a mile-long to do list, our brain automatically senses the energy we need to spend on completing those tasks. And it also recognizes that there will probably be discomfort involved. So in the heat of its survival instinct, our brains lovingly offer us the option of procrastination. Because it is far more concerned with our immediate comfort and satisfaction than it is our long-term goals. 

Hence the Netflix-binging, mindless social media scrolling, afternoon naps, or that additional glass of wine. 

If you notice yourself “wasting time procrastinating” you can do a quick personal check-in.

Ask yourself: 

• If I wait to do _____ how will I feel later vs. just getting it done now? 
• How long will it actually take? (Your brain might tell you it will take forever when it will really be done in 30 minutes.) 
• Can I get my task done and still enjoy some time for rest? 

Chances are when you bring logic into the equation over your brain’s survival instinct you’ll find yourself able to ditch procrastination and be more productive!

How to ditch procrastination and be more productive: 

1. Minimize Distractions

Distractions do nothing but aid procrastination.

Think of the things that typically get you off task. Is it your phone? TV? The kids? Social media scroll? 

• You won’t be able to increase productivity until these interruptions are out of the picture. 
• Silence your phone
• Play music that will get you in the mood to accomplish your task
• Turn off the TV
• Focus your attention on the tasks you want to accomplish when the kids aren’t right under your feet
• When you go to work on a specific task, make sure you have everything you need to accomplish it ahead of time. For example, if you need to clean or organize something, make sure you have the necessary items before you start. If you have emails or taxes to get caught up on, make sure your technology is charged, you have all of the documents you’ll need, and a drink or snack at hand! 
• And for the love of Betsy, back away from the social media scroll! (If you must see what the world is up to, set a timer on your phone. When it goes off that’s your sign to stop the scroll!)

2. Set yourself up for success

Use baby steps to accomplish more in less time.

We get it. You have an endless to-do list and it all needs to get done. But it doesn’t all have to get done right now.

Try this method (or a variation that feels good to you) to boost your productivity.

1. Spend time jotting down all of the things (in no particular order) on one big sheet of paper that you want to accomplish. 
2. Go through the list and highlight anything urgent or absolutely necessary that must get done ASAP. 
3. Order those in importance/priority and put everything else on that sheet of paper below it. 
4. Now you have one list of tasks, prioritized by what matters the most, and you work from the top down.

Remember the easiest way to eat an elephant. Take one bite at a time.

Focus your best energy on one task at a time and we guarantee you’ll be much more productive and effective! 

And don’t feel bad if you need to ask for help! Some projects no matter how much you prepare and plan may still feel totally paralyzing because you have no idea where to start. When you ask for help or delegate tasks out to professionals, you then free up time to knock out the other tasks at hand and focus on the things that matter most. 

3. Utilize your most productive times of the day 

Pay attention to when you are most productive and when your body likes to call for rest.

When it comes to productivity and avoiding procrastination there is not a one-size-fits-all fix. 

Notice the times of day you are the most productive. Make a point to avoid the busiest parts of the day or week where trying to accomplish tasks with interruptions may lead to more avoidance and frustration. 

A few examples of this may be:

• Immediately before and after work 
• When the kids are just getting home from school
• Weeknights with other scheduled events
• Trying to wake up earlier when you are typically a night owl or vice versa

Look for gaps in your day or week where there is a little (or a lot depending on the task you want to accomplish) of extra time. Plan accordingly for larger projects like home organization for a weekend afternoon. And use the above tips of minimizing distractions and planning ahead to make even better use of time you set aside. 

Boosting productivity and avoiding procrastination will allow you to follow through with the goals you have set for yourself this year. 

It isn’t always easy to implement at first, but using these tips will certainly help you get the hang of it! 

And if you’re struggling with an organization project that feels really overwhelming or if there’s simply not enough time in your schedule to accomplish it, we're here to help!