Are you struggling with procrastination? Here are 3 steps you need to take
If you struggle with procrastination, this article is for you. I work with both adults and children that struggle with ADHD in my business: Balance the Energy. Procrastination is often seen in both people with ADHD and people without ADHD. You may be like me and not be diagnosed with ADHD, but as an entrepreneur, you may struggle with procrastination and task initiation. Sometimes procrastination kicks in when we are overwhelmed, distracted, avoiding, or struggling to use our time wisely.
As entrepreneurs with and without ADHD, we often need some help to regain the ability to initiate tasks and get them done. When faced with writing this blog, I found myself procrastinating, so I reverted to the tips/strategies that I use to help my clients out of the “stuck” state and move forward.
Follow these three tips to reduce procrastination:
1. Plan in reverse to help reduce procrastination
This means looking at what needs to be done, writing this down, and assigning time to each part/step of the task. For example, if you have something due 1 month from today, then you would write down all the steps that need to be done to achieve completion of that project. Once you have the due date written down on the calendar then work backward, assigning all the steps with timelines on how long they will take to complete (like will this step take 20 minutes, etc).
This will help give your day structure and you will know what needs to be worked on when instead of waiting until it is due. As a side note, make sure to write the steps down on paper as this makes more of a connection in your brain rather than utilizing electronics.
2. Break down the task to make it achievable
If the task seems to be overwhelming, your brain will go into freak-out mode and you won’t be able to see how to start. So, to avoid being overwhelmed, break down larger tasks into smaller doable actions by considering how long you can sustain your attention on tasks. If 20 minutes is your limit, then you break your tasks down into 20-minute increments and set a timer to help you maintain focus if you’re struggling to stay on task.
3. Use incentives to help reduce procrastination
Utilize incentives to celebrate your success in following through. Have a few things that you can “reward” yourself with for completing the task as this helps build your “trust and consistency muscle” so that you can follow through with tasks and not wait until the deadline to do them, which in turn helps to create habits. Depending on the project/tasks, you can use a smaller reward for smaller tasks (like painting your nails, taking a walk, etc) and a larger reward (buying something you’ve wanted) for completing the entire task by the deadline.
Using these 3 tips will set you up for success in your business and life if you find yourself procrastinating. If you’re stuck in procrastination and need more support, reach out and book a call with me so we can get you unstuck and moving forward in life and business.
Meet Aliza
Aliza Buyarski is an ADHD/Executive Skills Coach working with adults, children, and parents to improve life skills through increasing executive functioning skills. Aliza is the owner of Balance the Energy, LLC.
Book a free call: https://calendly.com/alizabuyarski/30-min
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