10 creative ways to deal with procrastination

Procrastination: that unwelcome old friend for so many of us! But what's actually going on when we procrastinate? And what can we do to minimise the time we waste procrastinating?

First things first, a reminder that most people procrastinate and there's nothing wrong with you for doing it. Take me for example: in the past I was the queen of procrastination in many areas of my life. Now that I have a 1-year-old and work for myself, I really have very little time for procrastination. But I still find myself in procrastination mode more often than I'd like.

An example: I’ve had “sort business paperwork out” on my list for a while now. Weeks, in fact. Not a very complex or time-consuming task. So why wasn’t I doing it? This got me thinking about procrastination and what's really going on there and how we can better deal with it.

So here are my thoughts on how to approach procrastination with a mindset shift and then some practical tools, tricks and techniques.

Shift your mindset around procrastination:

Please remember that procrastination is not a flaw. You don't do it because you’re lazy or lack self-control. And being aware of the fact you're procrastinating is the first step to coping with it. So, pat yourself on the back for that.

The next thing to know is that procrastination often masks emotions or feelings you're struggling to work through. In this sense you can think of it as a gift: a little signpost of where you can dig a little deeper to uncover what has you stuck. When you work out what has you stuck, you can create space for growth.

To get unstuck, try asking yourself:

• What’s behind the procrastination?

• Is it that the task is hard?

• Are you missing some information that's stopping you moving forward?

• Do you feel nervous about it?

• Are you scared of getting it wrong?

• Do you fear judgement in some way?

• Are you perhaps even scared of success and being seen?

Identifying the root cause will help you find a solution, allowing you to get back on task. However, to get to the root cause of where you're stuck, it may take a few layers of questioning. Keep asking why until you reach the root "why".

Let's look at my paperwork example. On the surface, it seems simple: I procrastinate because the paperwork is in French and it's hard and time-consuming for me to understand. That's not the end of the story though.

If I peel back another layer, I reveal that admin and financial stuff scares me. Why? Because I don’t understand it all and feel lost and scared I’ll fuck something up. So I avoid it or at least put it off. That's still not the end of the story. Let's go even deeper.

Here, I uncover the fear of getting something wrong with the administration related to my business and that the opportunity to work for myself will be taken away. Why? In essence, I'm scared of being forced to go back to a work situation I don't like because I've worked so hard to move away from that. It's taken me years of careful planning, saving money, investing in personal growth and studying while working full-time to get to where I am so I'm understandably terrified of losing what I've built.

Now I'm aware of the root cause of this fear, I can name it, sit with the fear and then ask myself a few questions:

What's the likelihood of this happening? Honestly, not very likely.

And if it did happen, what would I do to get out of this situation? I would do X, Y and Z to avoid going back to a job I hate and keep working for myself.

In creating my "get out" plan, I usually realise that my fear is unfounded or that there are many solutions to course correct if the worst does happen. Working with my fears in this way makes me feel much safer and I can move forward acknowledging my fear but not allowing is to control me.

With this mindset shift, I fear my paperwork a little less. And I understand the importance of doing it asap so I can reduce the amount of time and energy I spend worrying about it and letting my irrational fears get the better of me.

So next time you keep procrastinating with the same task, ask yourself what's really behind it and then get realistic about what you would do if this big, bad fear did materialise. I promise, you'll feel much better after doing this.

Now we know what may lie behind your procrastination and how to manage this, here are some tools and techniques to help you 1. avoid procrastination and 2. deal with it when it does rear its pesky little head. They won't all suit everyone: try them out and see what works for you!

Practical tools and techniques to avoid and deal with procrastination

1. Pomodoros:

This is a simple app that has a timer to help you work with zero distractions for 25 mins followed by a 5 or 15 min stretching/pee/water break. It's based on the idea that we can't focus for much more than 25 minutes at a time and are more efficient when we take small breaks. It's a fantastic way to structure your day into small, manageable bursts of productivity.

2. Eat the frog:

This involves doing the one thing you’re really dreading first so you don't have it hanging over you for the rest of the day. Example: the big scary phone call you have to make or as boring and challenging task. Nip it in the bud and move on so you don't procrastinate about doing it all day.

3. Touch it once:

When you start a small task, keep going until you finish it. Why? You can waste a lot of time restarting a task and getting back into the right mindset every time you revisit it. I'm often guilty of jumping from task to task and having several things going on at once. It's a constant battle for me to master this technique but it’s so effective. This only really works for smallish tasks.

4. Micro task:

If you are very short on time each day but have a big project or goal, then try breaking the task down into smaller manageable tasks so you don't get overwhelmed by the enormity of the task and shift into procrastination mode. For example, if you're creating a presentation, then give yourself one 10-minute task each day for 10 days so you keep moving the needle forward but don't get overwhelmed.

5. 3 to-dos a day:

Feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start creates fertile soil for procrastination to take hold. The solution? Reduce your to-do list to just a few key things each day. As a mum who works part-time for myself around my partner's shifts, 12 creche hours a week, and toddler naps, I need to be super realistic about the amount of time I actually have. If I expect myself to get 12 things done on a non-creche day, I will 100% end up disappointed because a nap might be skipped and I "lose" that time I was counting on. So I limit myself to 3 to-dos. And on days where I have a big work task to do, the other tasks are often things like "reply to an email" or "post a letter".

6. Bookend your day:

Especially for those of us working for ourselves or studying at home, a whole day alone at our desks with no structure can be intense. And full of so many opportunities for procrastination! Try to add in some fixed tasks at the start and end of the day so you can define a starting and finishing work time. Also, starting the day with some me time (things like yoga, meditation or journalling) can really set you up mentally, emotionally and physically for the day. Ideas: a 5-minute meditation or online yoga class before starting work. In the evenings, try scheduling a walk with a friend or a nice dinner with your flatmate/partner/family. If you have something to look forward to, it really helps you get on with things and not procrastinate.

7. Work with your rhythms:

I'm a morning person. Always have been. I work best in the morning and would probably start working at 6 am if I didn't have a baby who occupies the early hours of my day. We've booked our creche hours for the morning session so I know I have time 2 days a week to get some serious work shit done. My boyfriend is the polar opposite: he's a night owl and would always prefer to study or create stuff in the evening. He doesn't try to be efficient in the morning as it would be like trying to get blood out of a stone. Likewise, I try to avoid working in the evenings at all cost because I'm highly inefficient. My point: don't swim upstream and force yourself to work when it's just pointless. Plan your day around your energy and rhythm if at all possible.

8. Get accountability:

We've been programmed to not want to let other people down when we say we'll do something. Got a big project or deadline to meet? Commit to it with another person. Write it down, schedule it in and keep each other updated. Working with a coach can be great for this. Check out my coaching offerings here.

9. Consider your future self:

Don’t sign your future self up for things you don’t want to do. One reason for procrastination can be we just don't want to do the thing. That's ok! But try to take a mental note for next time: if you had a choice about whether or not you could do the thing, could you have said no? Next time, don't sign your future self up for stuff she won't want to do. Simple.

10. Limit social media:

A completely obvious one. But, if you're honest, this is your preferred procrastination playground, isn't it? If so, it's time to set some ground rules. I try for no social media from 8 pm til 7 am and none at all on Sundays. When I have a big project on, I might take a whole week off. Perhaps try it next time you have a deadline or project to finish. It's revolutionary.

One final tip...

There you have it: 10 tricks, tools and techniques to help you manage procrastination. And if all else fails, I can highly recommend having a baby! All jokes aside, I've found that the greatest cure to my procrastinating ways is to have seriously limited time + fierce motivation. These give me procrastination immunity! Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating but you get the point...

Seriously though, I get more good-quality work done in 2 hours a day than I used to in a whole day. Why? Because a) I have zero time to lose because that nap may finish at any moment or the clock is ticking until creche pick up and b) I'm super motivated by my love for my baby and wanting to provide for her and give her the best possible start in life. That drives me forwards and steers me well clear from procrastinationville.

Good luck with navigating your way out of procrastinationville and let me know which tip you find the most useful. I'd love to hear.