How to Stop Procrastinating: 8 Tips to Increase Productivity

Procrastination takes two primary forms.

1. 1. Acute procrastination: This type of procrastination typically appears particularly when a person is faced with an unpleasant or difficult task. Acute procrastination can often be addressed with time management techniques, proper sleep and exercise, and mental check-ins about negative emotions toward work or chores.
2. 2. Chronic procrastination: This type of procrastination extends beyond a specific task. Chronic procrastinators might regularly miss deadlines, put off tasks on a weekly or daily basis, or find themselves easily distracted. Chronic procrastination can be linked to ingrained bad habits or underlying mental health struggles. Therapy or coaching may be necessary to address some cases of chronic procrastination.

With some dedicated effort and experimentation, it’s possible to beat procrastination. Consider trying the following techniques.

1. 1. Set up an environment free from distractions. If you have a room in your house that can be a dedicated home office, do all your work in there, and keep the room free from distracting items like televisions and tablets. If you have no such space in your house, try working in a quiet coffee shop or your local library.
2. 2. Set deadlines. Make your goals reasonable to set your future self up for success. Meeting one deadline will help generate confidence for the next set of deadlines.
3. 3. Aim for a “done is better than perfect” mindset. If perfectionism is holding you back from completing tasks, it can be an empowering exercise to just do the work even if the end result doesn’t meet your highest expectations.
4. 4. Use technology in a productive way. Set reminders and notifications with your smartphone or voice assistant, which can cue you to get back to work or bring a longstanding goal to the front of your mind.
5. 5. Put your hardest task in the middle of your to-do list. Warm up with some simple tasks, place the hardest tasks in the middle of your workflow, and finish up with something relatively easy.
6. 6. Try the Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro Technique is a time management technique that breaks tasks into reasonable chunks and rewards you with regular breaks. It was invented by Francesco Cirillo, a Berlin-based consultant of Italian heritage. “Pomodoro” is the Italian word for tomato, and Cirillo named his technique after the tomato timer he used to time his work sessions and his breaks.
7. 7. Know, and avoid, the things that trigger impulsive behavior. Know your weaknesses—whether that's TV, video games, the refrigerator, or social media—and do your work in a space where those won't be constant temptations.
8. 8. Take care of your physical health. Getting enough sleep, nutrition, and hydration can be the difference between a day of productive work and a day of zoning out. Take care of your body and make it an ally as you work.
9. 9. Take care of your mental health. People who suffer from chronic procrastination may be dealing with an underlying mental health condition like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or depression. Consult with a health professional to determine the best way deal with these conditions and lead you back to a place of positive thinking and productivity.

Productivity goes beyond avoiding procrastination. When it comes to getting things done, use the following tips to tackle important tasks and make your workday count.

1. 1. Set goals. Identifying and setting both short-term and long-term goals is important in time management. Itemize specific tasks under each goal. Have a plan for what you will do today, tomorrow, this week, and beyond.
2. 2. Do a time audit. Note the amount of time you spend on various tasks. You can write down what you do throughout the day, or you can enlist time tracking software, a time management app, or time management tools.
3. 3. Only do one thing at a time. Multitasking takes away the ability to really focus. Work on one project at a time.
4. 4. Ask for help. Delegating tasks to someone on your team—or even outsourcing work to a freelancer—enables you to get more done. The best coworkers bring out the best in each other, so use your workmates as a resource.
5. 5. Condense related tasks. Reduce your number of tasks by condensing similar tasks. This allows you to focus your time and stay in a zone rather than mentally hopping from one unrelated project to another.
6. 6. Set a time limit. Carve out space to take a break at various points in the day. Set a time limit for dedicated, focused work without interruption. Separate these with short breaks to get up, walk around, and refresh.
7. 7. Evaluate your day. At the end of the day, think back on what you’ve accomplished in the last twenty-four hours. In your phone or a notebook, keep track of all of your wins, no matter how big or small. Looking back on that list will help you find a sense of satisfaction, even when it feels like your intent for the day got derailed.
8. 8. Realize that less work often means better work. Overwork not only hurts you in the long run—increasing your chances of depression, diabetes, and heart disease—it also has the potential to hurt your bottom line. If you find yourself slipping into workaholism, your productivity and creativity may dwindle, and burnout can follow. Your brain needs space to play and rest, which in turn prepares you to come to work with a clearer head.

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