Beat the Overwhelm and Take Back Control Of Your Productivity
““One of the greatest labor-saving inventions of today is tomorrow.”
”
Procrastination can happen for any number of reasons. People tend to misattribute it to laziness but, in my experience, that is rarely the case. Most of the time it actually comes down to feeling overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of whatever task is at hand and forgetting to work with intention.
Take a deep breath, make a plan, and be compassionate towards yourself and your efforts.
Here are 5 simple things you can start doing to stop putting off until tomorrow what you can do today:
Remove All Potential Distractions.
Delete or close out all social media apps that you know are proven distractions for you. Remove everything (yes, even your phone) from your reach. If you are home, turn off the television. Start with a clean mental and physical workspace to maximize concentration and motivation. Try a change of scenery if your house or office is too distracting. Go to the library, park, or beach to work on your task. Anything that draws away your focus needs to go.
Make Clear, Prioritized Goals.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed when faced with a large goal. This can increase anxiety and cause you to keep putting off tasks. No matter how big, impossible, and daunting a goal may seem to be, we must never allow ourselves to remain discouraged or intimidated by the sheer volume of it all.
Take a piece of paper and write your goal at the top. What are some of the objectives that need to be accomplished to reach that goal? Write those down. What tasks do you need to do to complete those objectives? Write those down, too. Start there. With one task to complete one objective, then another task and so on. After you are done with one objective move on to the next. Each morning, sit down and decide which tasks you will complete for the day.
Determine Your Prime Time.
Find out the time of day when you are the most productive. Some people are more able to concentrate early in the morning, while others have their peak hours after lunch or in the evening. Figuring out when you do your best work will ultimately save you time and energy. Work smarter, not harder!
Remind yourself why you need to get a task completed.
If you are having a difficult time finding the motivation to start a project, keep in mind what you will get out of its completion. Write it on a sticky note and place it on your mirror or computer as a constant reminder. Make a morning mantra and recite it while getting ready for the day. Reward yourself every time your reach your productivity goals.
Keep Track of Your Accomplishments.
Don’t just focus on your “To-do” list. Make a “Done” list that you add to at the end of each day. It’s common to become discouraged when you have a large project to complete but seeing what you have already successfully completed can motivate you to keep going.
Remember: Make a plan, start small, and keep going!
IF YOU’D LIKE TO TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL WHO HAS HELPED OTHERS OVERCOME THEIR OVERWHELM AND FIND ACTIONABLE WAYS TO REACH THEIR GOALS, WE WELCOME YOU TO CALL US. WE’D LOVE TO HELP YOU TOO.