Killing The Habit: Being Unproductive

Every night before I go to sleep,I ponder upon what I did the whole day and what I will to in the next. And more often than usual, I contemplate on how unproductive my day was. So I try to make a plan and say to myself that I will do something significant the next day, And again, and the end of the day I still end up doing nothing really productive. This bad habit has been going on for quite some time now. And here comes a point in my life where I would stand up and say this is enough.

I noticed there are also people like me,struggling to kill procrastination. And as I listen to their stories, I begin to see a pattern. I begin to see dotted lines in between what they want to do, and what they actually did. One thing lead to another so to speak as I observed I wrote down particular habits that needed to die to be successful in your quest to be more productive. Below is a list of tips on how you could kill the habit.

Set your priorities

I am not the first to say this, and this might be utterly obvious to almost all of us. Set your priorities, Learn which task is more important than the other. Create a hierarchy of the tasks you need to do and accomplish them in that order. I would suggest a 3-step-system that works something like this;

• Write down your tasks to be done.
• Number them 1 to 3, 1 being MUST DO TODAY NO MATTER WHAT and 3 being Do Today.
• Begin!

Lists are your friends

To have a better understanding of your priorities, you should master the task of making a list. I don't mean a list that just involves writing down your tasks. You need to have a detailed list. Here are some of the things that you MUST do to your list.

• A list of your things to do (Pretty Obvious)
• Order them using the 1 to 3 hierarchy method stated above.
• Include an estimation of time needed to complete each task.
• Use colored markers or paper to catch your attention.
• Put the list where you spend most time in, Like in front of the computer, T.V.

Shut off distractions

The number one killer of productivity is a good old distraction monster. Ever had a trip to the kitchen to open the refrigerator,and then suddenly stop and say What am I doing here again? Distractions could range from food, games to problems. Most often you don't even see any of these as a distraction and therefore subliminally thinking you are doing something but your just killing time. You need to follow your list. Anything that is not on your priority list, you can do it after the items on your list. Try to discipline and regulate yourself.

Focus Fire!

You need to devote your time and skills to one task at a time if you want to be really productive. It is highly advisable to multi-task because this could lead to other distractions and more stress. You might fool yourself that jobs would be faster if you multi-task, But do not fall for this. Just Follow your list as it is and you'll be okay.

Stress is lethargy in disguise

How many of us are just plain stressed of the thought that we are wasting our time? Well you should stop stressing and start doing. Because the fact of the matter is, stress is a productivity killer as well, It consumes a lot of energy and pressures you. Don't stress out, take time to relax and again, follow that list and everything is gonna be okay. To make it clear though, I said take time to relax. BUT not that much time,I mean you might have a task for one hour and rest for 3? NO. You'll have better time to rest and relax if you have already completed all the tasks you have today.

DO IT NOW

The simple fact that you are reading this article means that you are looking for ways to help you get rid of your problem with productivity. This means you are motivated and is willing to do what it takes to kill this bad habit. Right now as you finish this article, you feel as if you're ready to go, ready to take on a new leap. Well, You can! and what better way to start than to start NOW. Start now! Do not let distractions or stress or any of the mentioned above deceive you into a procrastination spiral! You are now well equipped with knowledge on how to avoid bad habits. Do it now!

Good luck!