Procrastination is a battle most of us face from time to time, and various strategies to tackle it haven’t always proven successful.

We all have a to-do list and goals we want to achieve, but finding the motivation to get started and see things through can be a challenge. This post outlines 5 strategies to finally overcome procrastination and help you get those tasks ticked off your list!

5 Strategies to Overcome Procrastination 

Don’t fret if you procrastinate—you’re in good company. Recent surveys suggest that 88% of the workforce delay tasks for at least an hour each day, and a fifth of people consider themselves to be ‘chronic procrastinators’.

However, we’ll explore 5 strategies for overcoming procrastination and highlight how doing so might improve your financial well-being.

Before diving into those 5 techniques to overcome procrastination, it’s helpful to understand some of the negative ways it can impact your life. This will provide you with even greater motivation to tackle it.

To start, procrastination has a detrimental impact on productivity. On top of that, it can lead to missed opportunities, fractured relationships, mental distress, and heightened stress levels.

Had enough of hearing about the downsides? Ready to discover some time-management techniques? Here are our top recommendations:

1. Break Down Work into Manageable Chunks

The first step in our 5 point plan to overcome procrastination? Divide your work into manageable chunks. The feeling of being overwhelmed by the sheer size of a task can be a major trigger for procrastination.

Large-scale projects can be daunting and lead to paralysis. However, to overcome this feeling, try breaking the task down into smaller, more achievable chunks.

When segmenting a task, first identify the key stages or milestones. Then, subdivide each stage into manageable portions. By doing this, the task may seem less intimidating and more manageable.

Completing smaller jobs offers several benefits. Firstly, it makes the task appear less overwhelming, which can help you get started. Secondly, it allows you to make progress even when time is limited.

Thirdly, completing each smaller task provides a sense of accomplishment, which keeps you motivated. Finally, by making the work feel more achievable, it can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

Achieving even modest financial goals can benefit you in the long run. Many financial goals require taking a series of steps to reach them. While it might seem overwhelming at times, breaking them down into manageable chunks demonstrates that you can indeed achieve your goals.

For example, imagine you aim to secure a higher-paying job. Many people stall their job search because they’re unsure where to begin.

Nevertheless, the job search can appear far more manageable if you break it down into smaller tasks, like this:

• Update your CV.
• Draft a cover letter.
• Network by contacting one person in your network each weekday for two weeks.
• Research the various job categories in your field.
• Dedicate an hour each Monday afternoon to browsing new job postings.
• Submit your CV to three different employers every week.
• Spend two hours researching and practising answers to commonly asked interview questions.

By breaking down your ultimate goal of securing a higher-paying job into numerous smaller steps, you can make significant progress quickly!

2. Set Deadlines

As part of our five-point plan to overcome procrastination, establish deadlines for yourself. A deadline injects a sense of urgency into a task, which can help you stay motivated and focused.

Before setting deadlines:

Identify the key stages or milestones of the project.

Then:

Allocate deadlines for each task, ensuring you leave yourself sufficient time to complete them all.

Remember:

Reward yourself for hitting deadlines and hold yourself accountable for meeting them.

The benefits of deadlines:

Firstly, deadlines promote better time management and prioritisation. Knowing you have a set timeframe forces you to organise your tasks and focus on the most important ones first.

Secondly, deadlines keep you moving towards your goals and ambitions. With a clear deadline in sight, you’re less likely to procrastinate and more likely to make consistent progress.

Thirdly, deadlines provide a sense of discipline and structure, which can help you develop a successful routine and positive habits list. Sticking to deadlines builds self-control and reinforces productive behaviours that benefit all areas of your life, including your finances.

Perhaps you’ve been mulling over launching a side hustle for a while, but haven’t taken the plunge yet. If so, this advice could be just what you need.

Set a clear timetable for yourself to launch your new business. Share this deadline with someone you trust and treat it with the same commitment you would any other important obligation. When your side project is finally up and running, you’ll thank yourself for the push.

3. Minimise Distractions

Distractions can significantly hinder both starting and completing tasks. To overcome this hurdle, try to eliminate anything in your environment that might distract you.

This may involve closing all social media tabs on your computer or learning techniques to minimise phone usage. Working in a quiet, distraction-free environment, like a library or a silent coffee shop, can also be beneficial.

Sharpening your focus saves you time

Eliminating distractions enhances productivity by helping you concentrate on the task at hand. It also frees up time and mental space for what truly matters by preventing you from frittering it away on unimportant activities.

Minimising distractions can save you money too

Distractions not only steal your time, but they can also dent your wallet. Online shopping and following social media influencers are two major culprits.

Start by removing shopping apps from your phone and unfollowing accounts that tempt you with unnecessary purchases. Learning to curb impulse shopping habits can save you money and free up time for the things that truly matter.

4. Identify Your Motivation

Procrastination can sometimes stem from a lack of inspiration or intrinsic drive for a task. Out of these five strategies to overcome procrastination, discovering your motivation or the reason behind completing a task may prove to be the most powerful.

Perhaps your motivation lies in impressing your manager during an upcoming meeting, or it could be something more significant, like providing for your family. By focusing on your ‘why’, you can cultivate a sense of purpose and inspiration to get started (and finish) the job.

Understanding your driving force empowers you to progress

Unearthing your motivation provides a clear direction by helping you identify your priorities and goals. Additionally, it fosters a sense of fulfilment and purpose, imbuing your work with deeper meaning.

Finally, it helps you cultivate an abundance mindset, which encourages ongoing progress and development.

Knowing your goals can help you avoid frittering money away on unnecessary items

Achieving a major financial goal often requires making sacrifices. Without a clear reason, giving up ingrained habits like eating out frequently or taking on a “no new clothes” challenge can be difficult. This can lead to significant procrastination.

Imagine you’re trying to save for a significant purchase, like a house. Listing all the reasons you want to own a home will serve as a powerful motivator when the going gets tough.

Perhaps you yearn to raise your children in a secure environment, host barbecues in your own garden, or simply have a place to call your own. Having a clear reason, any reason that resonates with you, will give your goal greater meaning and prevent procrastination.

5. Celebrate Your Achievements!

Last but not least, rewarding yourself for your accomplishments is a powerful weapon against procrastination. Establishing a reward system can help you associate completing tasks with positive feelings, motivating you to continue striving forward.

Simple activities like taking a walk, listening to your favourite podcast, or indulging in a hobby can all serve as effective rewards.

Before setting up a reward system, consider the specific milestones or even smaller goals you want to achieve. Then, decide on the type of reward you’ll give yourself for each completed task.

It’s crucial to choose rewards that genuinely bring you joy. By acknowledging your efforts, you can transform an activity you dislike into something you look forward to.

Rewarding Good Behaviour with Celebrations

Celebrating your achievements reinforces a sense of progress and accomplishment, boosting your confidence and self-esteem. It also strengthens positive behaviours and habits, making it easier to stay on track.

Treat Yourself When You Hit a Financial Milestone

You’ve put in the hard work, whether it’s paying off student loans,  treating yourself to a coveted handbag, building an emergency fund from scratch, or sticking to a monthly budget. You deserve a reward!

Celebrate Your Wins, Big or Small!

Reaching a financial milestone deserves a celebration, just like any other achievement! The beauty is, you don’t need to break the bank or ramp up your spending to rejoice. Treating yourself doesn’t have to cost a penny. There are a plethora of options available.

After a tough week, take a friend out for lunch, treat yourself to a new scarf, or simply raise a toast to yourself with a glass of wine. Whatever it is, acknowledge and celebrate all your victories to maintain momentum and keep procrastination at bay!

Overcoming procrastination can have a positive impact on both your finances and your overall well-being. A balanced approach, such as setting deadlines and celebrating accomplishments, can help you overcome procrastination more readily.

The Two-Minute Rule: A Simple Weapon Against Procrastination

The simplest way to tackle procrastination is to utilise the two-minute rule. This rule suggests that any task that can be completed in two minutes or less should be done immediately. This not only helps you chip away at your to-do list, but it also fosters a sense of accomplishment and reduces stress levels.

How to Overcome Procrastination Altogether

1. Define Your Purpose and Direction:

Having a clear sense of purpose and direction in life acts as a powerful weapon against procrastination. Whenever you find yourself wanting to put things off, be it at work, with your finances, at home, or anywhere else, you can refer back to this guiding principle. Understanding how a specific task fits into your overall life plan can be a huge motivator.

2. Celebrate Your Achievements:

Remember to acknowledge and celebrate your successes, big or small. This will fuel your desire to keep completing those larger tasks.

In conclusion, procrastination is a common battle, but with these 5 strategies, you can finally conquer it and achieve your goals!  Remember, you’re not alone in this fight. 

By breaking down tasks into manageable chunks, setting deadlines, minimizing distractions, identifying your motivation, and celebrating your achievements, you can transform your to-do list into a list of done things!  

Share this article with your family and friends so they too can overcome procrastination and achieve their dreams!