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Break the habit of procrastination with these productive tips
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Do you have a hard time staying on task? Do you constantly leave things on your to-do list till the last minute? If so, you’re likely procrastinating. Procrastination can stem from stress, frustration, or perfectionism. No matter why you may be procrastinating, there are many ways to break the habit and get back on task. Check out this list of the best tips and tricks to overcome procrastination and stay motivated.

1

Write a to-do list to set goals.

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  1. [1] Include short-term tasks you need to finish daily and weekly and long-term goals that may take months or years to accomplish. Seeing everything written down can help you plan out what needs to be done to meet your goals.[2]
    • Write this list on paper or in your phone—do whatever’s best for you!
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2

Tackle your most important task for 15 minutes.

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3

Break tasks down into small chunks.

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  1. It can be overwhelming to think about finishing a whole essay or completing a week’s worth of tasks. Instead of thinking about everything you must do, like one big obstacle, break it down into tiny pieces.[4] You'll be able to get started on the smallest crumb and go forward from there.[5]
    • For example, instead of thinking, “I need to finish this essay before 10 PM tonight,” tell yourself, “I’m going to make a short outline, fill that in, and then look for quotes.”
    • Consider trying a specific technique like Pomodoro, in which you work from 25-minute chunks and take 5-minute breaks in between.
    • Avoid making a long, disorganized to-do list. This is just setting yourself up for failure. Instead, create subcategories like "Home," "Work," "Family," and "Fun" and try to cross off a few entries from each list every day.
    • Similarly, avoid multitasking or working on more than 1 task at once, as this could make you feel overwhelmed or stressed.
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4

Start your day with the hardest tasks.

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  1. You’ll be most energized in the morning once you’ve eaten breakfast and woken up fully. Tackle the hardest thing on your docket right then. You’ll feel better once it’s done, and then you can move on to a few easier tasks for the rest of the day.[6]
    • Keep in mind that this strategy isn’t for everyone, so stick to tackling your most difficult tasks whenever you feel the most motivated.
    • For instance, if you're a morning person, do your toughest work right after you wake up. On the other hand, if you tend to be groggy in the morning, you risk making careless errors or frustration by going headfirst into a difficult task.
5

Prioritize goals with set deadlines.

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7

Use apps to prevent online distractions.

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  1. [8] If you're working on your cellphone or computer, it can be tempting to open up other apps or browsers instead of working on the task. Thankfully, there are plenty of apps out there to help block this urge!
    • For smartphones, try these apps:[9]
      • AppDetox uses blockage rules that only let you use selected apps for a set amount of time.
      • Forest grows trees for however long you stay focused.
    • For laptops and computers, try these browser extensions:[10]
      • Freedom blocks distractions on all your devices at once.
      • Self-Control blocks a list of websites for set amounts of time.
      • Cold Turkey Blocker schedules system-wide blocking.
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10

Promise yourself a reward.

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11

Give yourself a pep talk for motivation.

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  1. Using positive self-talk can even help you meet your goals. Talk to yourself, using your name. Tell yourself that you can (and will) do this.[14]
    • Self-talk by saying something like, “Dariel, I know this week has been hard, and you’re tired. You’ve written a million essays before, and you’ll rock this.”[15]
    • You can also ask yourself questions: “Amari, why are you nervous about this? You know you can handle it.”
    • Self-talk out loud if you can. It’ll also work in your head if you’re in a public place.
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13

Aim for completion over perfection.

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14

Ask someone to hold you accountable.

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Overcome Laziness and Procrastination with this Expert Series

Are you feeling unmotivated and stuck? Are you just having a hard time getting yourself to do the things you need to do? Then these expert articles are just for you!

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  • Question
    What is the main cause of procrastination?
    Sharon Lee
    Sharon Lee
    Success Strategist
    Sharon Lee is a Success Strategist and the Owner of Fearless Pursuits. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in helping others gain clarity on their goals, build confidence, and remain accountable towards their goals. Sharon offers advice to others through life coaching, career coaching, and small business coaching. Sharon holds a Strategic Intervention Coach Certification from Robbins-Madanes Training and has additional training from Erickson Coaching International.
    Sharon Lee
    Success Strategist
    Expert Answer
    Procrastination comes out of the obstacles that you fear. If your pain for going through a certain process is greater than the ultimate pleasure you'll get out of it, you won't end up doing it.
  • Question
    How can I stop procrastinating if I have trouble with distractions?
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Professional Counselor
    Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Wisconsin. She specializes in addictions, mental health problems, and trauma recovery. She has worked as a counselor in both community health settings and private practice. She also works as a writer and researcher, with education, experience, and compassion for people informing her research and writing subjects. She received Bachelor’s degrees in Communications and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. She also earned an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University.
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Professional Counselor
    Expert Answer
    Some of the techniques above will help, such as doing your work in environments without distractions and using timers to hyperfocus for 20 minutes at a time.
  • Question
    How can I stop procrastinating when I am always stressed and tired?
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Professional Counselor
    Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Wisconsin. She specializes in addictions, mental health problems, and trauma recovery. She has worked as a counselor in both community health settings and private practice. She also works as a writer and researcher, with education, experience, and compassion for people informing her research and writing subjects. She received Bachelor’s degrees in Communications and Psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. She also earned an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University.
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Professional Counselor
    Expert Answer
    Identifying and fixing the source of stress may be the first thing you need to do to help the procrastination.
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Tips

  • If you’re suffering from anxiety or depression associated with your procrastination, talk to your doctor or therapist. It’s okay to ask for help. You don’t have to go through this alone.[18]

Tips from our Readers

  • Turn off the Wi-Fi on your devices and do any work that doesn't involve the internet first. That will help you eliminate the internet and social media as a distraction.
  • Make it a game by racing yourself. For example, if you have to clean your room, set a timer for 10 minutes. During that time, try to get as much done as possible.
  • Each day, choose 3 important tasks that you need to do. Reward yourself in some way once you've done those things. It will help motivate you to get more done.
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About This Article

Sharon Lee
Co-authored by:
Success Strategist
This article was co-authored by Sharon Lee and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. Sharon Lee is a Success Strategist and the Owner of Fearless Pursuits. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in helping others gain clarity on their goals, build confidence, and remain accountable towards their goals. Sharon offers advice to others through life coaching, career coaching, and small business coaching. Sharon holds a Strategic Intervention Coach Certification from Robbins-Madanes Training and has additional training from Erickson Coaching International. This article has been viewed 2,074,002 times.
28 votes - 82%
Co-authors: 191
Updated: December 9, 2024
Views: 2,074,002
Categories: Productivity
Article SummaryX

To stop procrastinating, turn off your phone and play white noise or music without lyrics to help you focus. Break your task into small chunks that you can tackle one by one and work hard for 15-minute intervals, giving yourself short breaks in between to help you stay on task. Aim to finish the task, not make it perfect—you can always fix it when you’re done. Give yourself a quick pep talk to get you going and promise yourself a reward, like a sweet treat or funny video, when you’re all done. If you want to learn how to make a distraction-free space where you can focus on work, keep reading the article!

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