Beat Procrastination Fast: My Simple 3-Step System
8 to 12 seconds.
That is the average attention span for most people.
During that time, if you don’t make a deliberate effort to complete something, it probably won’t happen.
Most people delay completing tasks, believing they have more time than they do.
They lack a sense of urgency.
And this habit is affecting their work, life, and even relationships.
We will explore three actionable steps I took to suppress procrastination.
These steps helped me publish 4 articles within a single month.
It might not sound like a big deal, but for someone who procrastinated for about four years, it was a big WIN for me.
Keep following these steps, or you will return to square one when that spurt of dopamine dies.
Step 1: Atomic Productivity
This means you break down larger tasks into smaller milestones.
For example, you can create a list of activities for your morning routine and tick them off as you complete them.
Do the dishes
Pick up specks of dirt
Cook a meal
Clean your room
This way, you have a clear headspace of what specific tasks you are doing and not randomly performing activities that will waste your time.
Step 2: Cue-Driven Productivity
In this step, you set up intentional cues that remind and motivate you to take action.
This helps you to prepare mentally.
Placing triggers in your environment makes the transition from intention to action easier without overthinking.
It acts as a reminder for an action to be performed.
I apply this step when I want to work out.
For example, I ensure my hand gloves, dumbbells, and resistance bands are beside me before bedtime.
This helps me to start my early morning workout as soon as I wake up.
Step 3: 2-minute Rule of Productivity
This crucial step helps you complete tasks and build a positive productivity habit.
In this step, you ensure you take things, at a simple pace before multiplying it.
If you want to read a book, start with just one page.
If you want to write an article, create a draft and introduction.
When you want to clean your room, start by cleaning a corner.
This way, you ease into tasks gradually without overwhelming your brain with a long to-do list.
Our brain is designed to protect itself from stress.
While a bit of stress can be beneficial, too much of it can shut us down, making it harder to tackle tasks that require effort.
This is why you lie down and binge-watch an entire Netflix series instead of cleaning your room.
Or, you doom-scroll on social media instead of reading a book or finishing your tasks at work.
Bonus step: Reward Your Productivity
This is a known ritual where you pat yourself on the back for achieving every milestone you laid out.
For example, when you complete your chores, you can sit back for an hour of movie time.
Or, when you finish an article draft, you can get your favorite soda or coffee while proofreading.
This way, you are compensating yourself for performing tasks that would have taken days if not weeks to complete just because you took a “STEP”.
Final Words
It is commonly said that procrastination is a thief of time and if you are anything like me, it is a lifelong battle that we fight every day.
The habit is usually spawned out of a lack of urgency.
The three steps discussed are my proven strategy for building a healthy habit of defeating procrastination.
Let me know how you improve your productivity.
I’ll be in the comments to read your POV.
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