How many times have you promised your spouse that you will get some task done and you really mean to, but you never quite get to it? This is the cause of numerous arguments for couples. When your spouse says, “Let’s clean out the garage next weekend”. You agree that would be great because you’re thinking of how wonderful it will be to have an organized garage. It will make it easier for you to find tools when you need them and maybe you’ll even be able to get the car in there. However come Saturday morning, what sounded like a great idea on Wednesday now feels like a miserable way to spend a Saturday. A day of shopping or hanging around watching TV sounds much better. Overcoming procrastination can be tough.

Most of us procrastinate. No matter how well intentioned we may be, we procrastinate because we value an immediate reward more than a far off reward. We are also skilled in using rationalizations to justify why we deserve to take a break to enjoy the present moment rather than doing a task that isn’t so appealing. Here are some steps to help you with overcoming procrastination.

Break down the task into small, doable segments

If you are thinking of clearing out your garage, you may feel immediately overwhelmed when you survey the accumulation of stuff that has grown over years. Catching sight of this is guaranteed to make you want to close the door and postpone the job for another day. It will be easier to focus on one corner of the garage. Clean up one area and you can use this as your headquarters for tackling each remaining area of the garage.

Pair an unpleasant task with a pleasant one

When faced with an unpleasant project that you would rather avoid, the time will go by faster if you pair it with something that is fun. You may turn on your favorite music or listen to an intriguing audiobook. When you’ve completed the task you may also find that it wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be.

Put your money on the line to strengthen your commitment

Here is a concept from the world of Behavioral Economics that will really motivate you to get things done. Ask a friend or relative to hold you accountable. Give them a check of a large enough amount that you wouldn’t want to lose. Their task is to cash the check and use it for anything they wish if you fail to get the promised task completed. Of course if you complete the task as planned, the check is returned to you.

There you have it, simple doable strategies to move you past the all too familiar thought of of, “I’ll just get to it later.”

Leave a comment and let me know how this works for you.

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Source:

Ayres, Ian (2010) Carrots and Sticks: Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done.

Clear, James “Procrastination: A Scientific Guide on How to Stop Procrastination”.