- Think about why you procrastinate: Are you afraid of failing at the task? Are you a perfectionist and only willing to begin working after every little element is in place? Are you easily distracted?
- Break up a large, difficult project into several smaller pieces. Tackle each piece separately.
- Set deadlines for completion. Try assigning yourself small-scale deadlines - for example, commit to reading a certain number of pages in the next hour.
- Work in small blocks of time instead of in long stretches. Try studying in 1- to 2-hour spurts, allowing yourself a small break after each stint.
- Start with the easiest aspect of a large, complex project. For example, if you're writing an academic paper and find that the introduction is turning out to be hard to write, start writing the paper's body instead.
- Enlist others to help. Make a bet with your family, friends or co-workers that you will finish a particular project by a specified time, or find other ways to make yourself accountable to others.
- Remove distractions from your environment or move to a place where you can concentrate. Turn off the television, the phone ringer, the radio and anything else that might keep you from your task.
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Remember that progress, not perfection, is your goal. |
