Stop Procrastinating and Get Things Done Using this Simple, 4-Step Method

Every time you want to start working on your project, there’s always this little voice in the back of your head that says, “No way! Do something else first. It doesn’t matter what, just do anything but work on the project.”

You’ve probably heard this a thousand times before: just sit down and do it. It sounds easy, but it’s often easier said than done. Here are some tips that have worked for me in the past.

1. Get your project space ready

First of all, you need a space that’s free from distractions. The place where you usually work is the best, as long as there are no other obligations to fulfill in it. If your project requires any tools or equipment, make sure they are available when you need them. For example, if you procrastinate on coding, have your laptop open and ready. If you have the choice, choose the surroundings that will be most conducive to work.

2. Eliminate distractions

Close all distracting tabs in your browser. Turn off notifications on your phone and computer (both for desktop apps like Slack or Outlook as well as mobile apps like Facebook Messenger). Put your phone on silent (or better yet, on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode).

3. Start with a small task

Set a timer for 15 minutes and work on your project during that time. Focus only on one thing – the most important, most exciting part of making progress! When the timer goes off, take a break. Stretch, drink a glass of water, do something unrelated for a couple of minutes, and then do another 15-minute session.

The idea here is to face the task and finish something small and manageable first. The point is not to actually produce anything that can be put into production or shared with others just yet – just get over the initial hump! Don’t worry about making mistakes, if any – that’s something you can fix later.

4. Challenge your assumptions

Often, we have a picture in our heads about how things are supposed to go and what the intended results should look like. Reality rarely lives up to these expectations, though. So whenever a problem comes up – maybe it doesn’t work as you expected, or maybe you get stuck for some reason – remind yourself that it’s okay, and push through anyway! You’ll be able to fix it later. You can always do another 15-minute session if necessary.

If the ideas described in this article work for you, great! If not, don’t give up. Don’t let yourself get discouraged by failure – it’s a natural part of the learning process.

It takes time, but if you’re serious about the project and put in the work, you’ll finish it eventually.

Best wishes,

Karoly Nyisztor

Check out my blog for more articles: www.leakka.com.