SaskTel Business Blog - 7 ways to end procrastination

Ways to hack your brain to end

PROCRASTINATION7Presented by

Why do we procrastinate?

We procrastinate when a part of our brain wants to

avoid a potentially painful task—so the other side of

our brain suggests a comforting activity.

“Say you get an email from your boss

that makes you feel angry, fearful, or

just put upon. You might think, ‘I don’t

want to answer that email,’ and you

immediately click away to something

that feels good, like watching a video

of pugs running through a grassy field.

That’s procrastination.”

- Mental Floss

BEAT ITSo how can we ?

CONFESSPROBLEM: You don’t think there’s an issue, but you don’t understand

where the time goes.

SOLUTION: Admit you procrastinate. And start a log book to document

the depth of your issue.

FEAR NOTPROBLEM: You fear your deadline, your colleague’s opinion, or just

general failure.

SOLUTION: Fear grows over time. You can contain it by starting your day

with your hardest tasks.

TAKE THE FIRST STEPPROBLEM: The task is so big, you think there's no point in starting

because it'll take way too long.

SOLUTION: Take your time. Identify each step of the process, and do a

little at a time. Also known as making a list.

TREAT YOURSELFPROBLEM:The work at hand is not very attractive. In fact, it’s di�cult,

boring, or just not worth it.

SOLUTION: Give yourself a reward after every few steps. Even if it’s just a

5-minute mental break watching funny Internet videos.

BE LOUDPROBLEM: You’re secretly ashamed of your procrastination.

SOLUTION: State your goal, no matter how small, to your friend or

co-worker and ask them to hold you accountable.

JUST DO ITPROBLEM: Bad mood, bad boss, bad weather—excuses are just stories

we tell ourselves.

SOLUTION: Grit your teeth, turn o� your phone, and push through to

your goal.