This blog post is a part of the Overcoming Procrastination to get more done series:
Overcoming Procrastination to get more done | Part 1
Overcoming Procrastination to get more done | Part 2
7 Hacks To Motivate Yourself To Make Progress
Ready to stop procrastinating and motivate yourself to make some progress?
Try one of these 7 simple hacks to motivate yourself into action. Become a get sh#t done kind of girl!
Give them each a try and find the ones that make the most significant difference for you. Whenever you find yourself procrastinating, come back to this list and try one or several of these hacks. Your productivity will double!
Reading Material:
Overcoming Procrastination to get more done | Part 1
Overcoming Procrastination to get more done | Part 2
Pick something small
One of the big reasons we procrastinate is because something feels overwhelming. There’s too much to do, so we choose to forget about it for a little while. It’s a coping mechanism, just not a very productive one.
Instead, pick one thing, something small that you can do right now to move you in the right direction. This creates momentum and forces you to take action.
The Pomodoro Technique
“One day we will be more creative, more productive and yet more relaxed” – Francesco Cirillo
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management hack to maximise focus and creativity, promoting the user to complete projects and tasks faster with less mental fatigue.
The Pomodoro Technique process:
- Choose the task you need to complete
- Set the timer for 25 minutes
- Focus on the task until the timer rings
- Take a 5 minute break – meditate, grab some coffee, stretch your legs or do something else relaxing (not work-related). Your brain will thank you later.
- After 4 focus sessions, take a 15-20 minute break
The Pomodoro Technique can help:
- minimise mistakes caused by lack of concentration
- to improve motivation
- improve the quality of your work due to mental fatigue
- reduce the stress of working under pressure
- boost your productivity
- helps keep your mind fresh and focused with frequent breaks
- complete projects faster due to sticking to a strict timer
I love this productivity hack because it creates a sense of urgency rather than feeling like you have endless time in the day to complete a task.
The best thing is you can use your phone or your smartwatches timer. You don’t have to use an app, but I would suggest finding an app as they play a soothing ticking clock sound that helps with that sense of urgency.
I use Focus Keeper to help keep me focused when I am working on my blog posts and other twb projects. The Focus Keeper has a preset timer of a 5 minute break then a 25 minute focus session. The timer repeats until you’ve completed 4 focus sessions. It also has that ticking clock sound I mentioned above. I find the sound very soothing and would say it plays a massive part in pulling back my focus when I get distracted.
This technique works just as well for decluttering your closet as it does for filling out those dreaded expense reports. Again, the goal is to just start somewhere and do something.
Bribe yourself
There’s nothing wrong with bribing yourself if that’s what will motivate you. Work on a home improvement project for an hour and then watch an episode of your favourite show. Or promise yourself a new gadget or pair of shoes when you finish painting the living room. Come up with something to motivate yourself and go for it. Remind yourself of the prize at the end of the project whenever you’re tempted to put things off for another day.
Find an accountability partner
Find someone else who’s either trying to be more productive or beat procrastination themselves. Check-in with each other daily. Share what you want to accomplish and what you will get done today. Knowing you must report to someone else makes you take action. It’s also motivating to see the other person do the same. Try it for yourself.
Measure Your Progress
“What gets measured, gets managed.” – Peter Drucker
When you’re working on something long-term like trying to workout 5 days a week, for example, it can be tempting to procrastinate because it doesn’t seem like you’re making much progress. Instead, prove to yourself that you are getting closer and closer by tracking or measuring it. Make a chart, use a spreadsheet, keep a journal. Find a way to measure your progress and use it to motivate yourself to keep going.
Remind yourself of your why
There’s a reason you’ve decided to do that thing you keep putting off. Think about why you want to get it done. Is it, so you get your tax refund? So, you can run around with the kids? So, you can find the clothes you actually want to wear? Find out your why. Write it down and then keep it front and centre. Look at it every day before you get ready to get to work.
Just Start
I’ve saved the best for last. It’s the easiest but also the most powerful. Hear this. Just get started. That’s right, sometimes all you have to do is just get moving in the right direction. Do something. Do anything. Even if it’s something super small. You get over that initial hump and start to build some momentum.
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