i procrastanate very badly, anybody got any ideas for combating that, and getting better at not procrastaning?

Answer 1

I have that problem too, what you should try to do is take a calender/planner and look at the date something is due, and write it in the calender 2 days before. Like, let's say I have a project due on May 5th, I'll write it in my planner as being due on May third. Then I'll be done with 2 days left to spare.

Answer 2

I have that problem too. Now, I have a day planner with a calendar. I will mark down what I have to do (when something's due or when it should be done by), after that I will give myself a start date and an end date if it's an assignment. This keeps me motivated to do it. Sometimes I will give myself a reward for finishing early; an ice cream cone, a book, a day with friends, or even a CD or DVD. Something that motivates me to keep me on track.

Answer 3

Depends on why procrastination is an issue. Often times it is finding the proper source of motivation--if that is the case then you must turn inward and inspect, but sometimes it is a simple lack of ability to prioritize and then attack the To Do list. The following may help you gain some perspective on your list of things to do...

An Air Traffic Controller has but ONE simple task: Land one plane at a time. If that is the case, then why is the job considered one of the most stressful jobs to engage oneself in year-after-year?

Consider the following factors:

1. Each plane costs $200 million dollars. If that Air Traffic Controller only handles 30 flights a day, then they are only managing $6 billion dollars worth of equipment each day.

2. A 747 has on average 200 available seats. Let's assume that the airlines fill 80% of those seats on average. So our Air Traffic Controller is directly handling 5,400 lives each day. The average household size in America is 2.6, so indirectly their ability to manage their job impacts 14,040 lives each day.

3. The economic impact of losing just one flight. A minimum of $200 million dollars for the plane, the life insurance payouts, the law suits, the cost of finding and training new staff for all those who died (the companies of the passengers AND the airlines) and the list could go on-and-on.

So, I am sure you see where this is going. Although it is easy for the Air Traffic Controller to become distracted by such figures, they still must focus on the simple (and inevitable) truth that only one of those planes can land at a time.

That is your job; no matter what your job is...multi-tasking is impossible, despite the universal requirement for it in every job description I have ever seen. Next time you are on a plane, ask yourself if you want that Air Traffic Controller multi-tasking or on landing your plane!

So, hopefully you can take this illustration and use it. The Air Traffic Controller must prioritize those flights (and lives) and land just one plane at a time. I don't care how far behind you are, you have to start some where.

One project management book I read offered this advice. If you are so far behind that your customers are upset with you, instead of focusing on older requests...consider starting with the most recent and easiest just to give you some positive momentum with your customers and yourself. Then as you make progress, you can start looking at those items that are a month old and then three months and then a year or more. I have often found that if someone asked for it a year ago and they have not gotten it yet, then they have found someone else to give it to them anyway.

So, I am not sure what you procrastinate at, but we all fall into the trap at some point with some aspect of our life. After all, life is full of opportunity cost. The pursuit of happiness in one area means you are procrastinating in another. So you must determine what is most important for you and your long-term goals and pursue with your entire mind-body-spirit.

I wish you luck!
Steve Haffner

Answer 4

I have always been a procrastinator, but I'm getting better. Here's my advice:
1) make a list each night of what you want to get done tomorrow. check it in the morning & get to work.
2) do the toughest thing(s) first.
3) for big projects, break them down into smaller steps. For example, "write term paper" might be a big one. Some possible steps might be: go to library, check out books, research facts, make notecards, write outline, write one page, etc...
Try these tips & see if they help. Start today!
Good luck!

Answer 5

Make lists and cross things out as you do them. The feeling of being able to cross something out on the list and knowing that you finished something on time is very empowering. Just dont procrastinate writing the lists. Pax - C

Answer 6

Do it anyway. Recognize that you don't want to do what you are avoiding and choose do it.

Do some of the things that you want and the try again.

Break the undesired task into smaller tasks.

Don't force yourself to do things. Allow yourself to do things.

Thinking about "why you don't want to do X" is just another way to avoid doing X. Think less, do more.

Answer 7

Whatever it is you have to do, think of the job as already being completed and admire your work. Vizualization to completion, that is the key.

Answer 8

Just keep adding one more straw to your camel's back.
I bet you are already feeling the pain, come on now, more straw, eejit!

Answer 9

I was going to answer your question,but I've decided to put it off until later....sorry!

Answer 10

Why do today what can be put off until tomorrow?