Image by MoralesDirect
Most of us have procrastinated at some time or the other, knowing fully well that we have things we need to do, yet, delay them because “something else” popped up instead. I have a report that needs to be submitted to a client by the end of the month, the end of month still seems relatively far, and I seem to be filling my days with everything else but the report! With the advancement of technology, procrastinating has become a lot easier. Hours pass by using facebook, twitter and youtube. Even going through my RSS reader and catching up on the blogs that I follow can take hours at a time if I am not careful. All of this has created a greater need for discipline in our daily routines. However, by and large, entrepreneurs do not like following routines very much.
I handle routines by batching my day into several compartments. I allocate time slots for each project that I am working on, and spread them through the day according to what I feel like doing next. My blog gets 90 minutes everyday. During this period of time, I can either write a post, research my blog and figure out how to improve it, or read other blogs within my niche that I follow regularly. Likewise, I have many such time slots that fill the entire day. It is a flexible way to keep on top of your work, and yet not be restrained by having to do any one particular thing at a given time. There are and will undoubtedly be parts of the day when I deviate from what needs to be done!
I use a software called RescueTime.that helps me keep track of time I spend on all activities on my computer. I strongly recommend you give it a shot, it is free, and will help you see just where your time is actually being spent when you are using the computer.
In the end we will all have days when we put off things that need to be done. However, we need to put controls into place to ensure that we do not have too many of these days within a specific period of time. Put checks and measures in place to ensure that you are hitting targets. Use programs like ResuceTime and GTD software to monitor where you are spending time. We should not wait until the last minute to deliver, this will cause our work to suffer and cause unwarranted stress in life. Start by arming yourself with a simple to-do list on a daily basis, and eventually build more sophisticated controls to ensure that you perform at your potential, for a major percentage of the time.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Try this “15 minutes routine” which I do use it sometimes. Basically, whenever we feel like procrastinating, just give yourself 15 minutes to do that thing. 15 minutes is not too long, not too short either. But it gives you the chance to start working on it, and you might just get the ball rolling after that, if not, you’ll be surprise how much you can achieve in just 15 minutes still.
Just a simple “15 minutes do all” routine. It might just do the trick. Of course, it’s only a short term solution, at the end of the day, one must be motivated to do what he is doing.
Interesting exercise. Will give it a shot sometime.
One of the things I do when I am really distracted is to keep a sheet of blank paper by my side. Every time an unrelated thought comes into my head I write it down onto the sheet of paper. I do this for as long as it takes to shift my focus from the unrelated to what I am currently working on.
This exercise also helps to point out the main concerns that may be bothering you. This can help to prioritize getting the other things settled.
Thank you for sharing the tip.