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Procrastination, a pervasive issue that can undermine productivity and satisfaction in both personal and professional life, has troubled humans for thousands of years. Today, its impact seems more pronounced as modern distractions abound, providing fleeting dopamine hits that often lure us away from our responsibilities.
Understanding Procrastination: The Modern Epidemic
Procrastination is not merely a bad habit; it’s a complex psychological behavior that involves delaying tasks despite knowing there will be negative consequences.
The digital age, full of instant gratifications like social media, exacerbates this tendency by offering continuous distractions that are hard to resist.
Yvonne Heimann, a business efficiency consultant, explains that the root of procrastination often lies in deeper emotional issues such as fear of failure, perfectionism, or overwhelming stress. Identifying personal triggers—whether emotional or environmental—is the first critical step toward overcoming this challenge.
Strategies to Overcome Procrastination
The journey to overcoming procrastination involves practical strategies that foster better habits. Here’s how you can start regaining control of your time and responsibilities:
1. Pinpoint and Address Your Triggers:
Understanding what prompts you to procrastinate is crucial. For many, it begins with an emotional state they’d rather not confront, opting instead for distractions like social media. Recognizing and addressing these emotional triggers can lessen the need to escape through procrastination.
2. Utilize Efficient To-Do Lists:
Effective task management is vital. Instead of an overwhelming checklist, create a structured to-do list with realistic time estimates and priorities. Tools like ClickUp can help manage tasks by setting reminders for billing days, invoices, or any other recurring responsibilities, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
3. Break Tasks Into Manageable Pieces:
Large tasks can seem daunting and may enhance procrastinative behaviors. Breaking these into smaller, manageable actions with individual deadlines can provide a clearer path forward and reduce the urge to put off starting.
4. Set Firm Deadlines:
Self-imposed deadlines compel action and help gauge task duration more realistically. Pairing deadlines with calendar tools like Google Calendar ensures each task is allocated a specific time slot during your day, promoting a disciplined approach to work.
5. Embrace Technology and Automation:
Leverage technology to automate routine tasks. Using platforms like Make.com and Zapier can automate task management and collaboration, from task creation in ClickUp to file organization in Google Drive. Automation reduces the mundane workload, allowing you to focus on more critical tasks.
6. Control Digital Distractions:
Limiting time spent on social media can significantly boost productivity. Setting app timers or using features like ‘Do Not Disturb’ can help maintain focus during work hours. Remember, the notifications will still be there once your primary tasks are completed.
The Role of Self-Compassion and Professional Help
Cultivating self-compassion is crucial in overcoming procrastination. Allowing occasional indulgences like browsing TikTok or taking a day off can be part of a balanced approach but should not become habitual escapes from duties.
Acknowledging and celebrating small successes can reinforce positive behavior and boost morale.
For those struggling significantly with procrastination, it may reflect deeper psychological issues. In such cases, seeking professional help from therapists or coaches can provide tailored strategies and support to overcome these challenges.
Wrapping Up: A Journey Toward Productive Living
Overcoming procrastination is not a quick fix but a journey that requires consistent effort and adaptation of new strategies. By understanding the underlying causes of procrastination, utilizing organizational tools, and embracing self-compassion, individuals can unlock their full productive potential. Remember, every step taken is a move away from procrastination and towards a more fulfilling and productive life.
If you found these tips helpful and wish to delve deeper into productivity techniques, be sure to watch more insightful content from Yvonne Heimann at Ask Yvi YouTube for guidance and support in your journey to efficient living.
Video Transcription:
Yvonne Heimann [00:00:00]:
Have you ever had one of those days where you can’t get anything done? You procrastinate and you find for all your tasks that excuse of do them later. Don’t worry, I’ve been there too. And in this video, I am going to show you how to stop procrastinating for good with a little help from a few apps and habits. Hi, I’m Yvonne Heimann from AskYvi.com and I am a business efficiency consultant and business strategist, here to make your life easier and and your business thrive. If you haven’t so already, make sure you subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss out on any productivity and business tips. What exactly is procrastination and why is it happening so often? Now? Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks until the last minute or past the deadline. We often assume that projects won’t take as long to finish as they really will, which can lead us to a false sense of security when we believe that we still have plenty of time to complete these tasks. Now, procrastination exists for thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of years now, but it has come more predominant today because we live in a world full of distractions and full of things that give you more dopamine than actually getting something done.
Yvonne Heimann [00:01:15]:
Some studies suggest that procrastination is associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as loneliness and reduced life satisfaction. So sometimes procrastination does have an underlying issue that you do want to look at. Everybody needs a rest day. Maybe something you didn’t plan for happened, and that’s okay. Just move a couple tasks around and continue with your day. And I don’t know about you, but every time I procrastinate, I’ll probably be on this thing right here, scrolling on TikTok or scrolling on Instagram. And then I realize, oh, shit, it’s just been three days already. If that’s you, click the like button and leave a comment down below.
Yvonne Heimann [00:01:59]:
So I know I’m not the only one getting lost in the depths of TikTok and Instagram stories. Now, here are a few ways to prevent procrastination from happening. Number one, identify your triggers. I already talked about how my cell phone and social media is quite a trigger for procrastination. But let’s dig deeper. The phone and social media is actually not the trigger. It is often a physical manifestation of the trigger that sits way deeper. A fear of failure, perfectionism, or simply just feeling overwhelmed.
Yvonne Heimann [00:02:33]:
Deciding to avoid what I should take care of by scrolling on my phone and digging through social media, which we all know doesn’t necessarily make it easier. What happened right before you grabbed the phone and just started scrolling? What is that feeling that you had that made you what’s happening? And start distracting yourself from it often enough? It is an emotion that we simply do not want to deal with. Number two, make a to do list. I know, I know, I know. I hear you. Nobody wants to do a to do list. However, a to do list with time estimates gives you, first of all, the boundaries of not putting more on your plate than you actually can handle. But it also gives you the boundaries of saying no to things you don’t want to do.
Yvonne Heimann [00:03:23]:
If you look right here in my ClickUp and as you can tell, it is billing day, it is invoice day, there’s a whole bunch of expenses that are coming down. Hop in your ClickUp. Really sad. Recurring tasks. All the expenses you will see right there, those are recurring tasks. I never touch those, but they are in there so I can set my brain free of, did I pay this bill? Didn’t I pay this bill? Is that coming due? Is that not coming due? All of these recurring tasks are automatically in there and make sure that I take the time to take care of them. What needs to get done today? Really assign your tasks and set due dates. And if you can, even time estimates to first of all, give you an idea of what has to get done today.
Yvonne Heimann [00:04:04]:
So you don’t procrastinate because nothing is on your to do list. You don’t have to do anything. And suddenly it’s like, oh, I was supposed to do this and that and here and there and all the things. Set those boundaries for you. Really plan your day and set your to do list. Some of your tasks are gonna be quite big and this can be really overwhelming. I was like, oh, my God, I’m supposed to do what? So many things are going into every single episode of my podcast. There’s a lot going on.
Yvonne Heimann [00:04:32]:
Break these tasks down from your call of the recording with your asset prep and really pulling all of the assets you just recorded, sending your shorts off, creating the graphics, drafting the show notes, repurposing it, scheduling it, all the things. So much is happening. Take large tasks and really break them down into smaller, manageable tasks. Set due dates for those sub tasks so that you can break them up in your calendar and you really can just look at that calendar and see, okay, let’s do this. I don’t have to deal with the rest it gives you that boundary. It gives you that excuse to not look at all the things that need to get done. You can just focus on today and what needs to get done today. Number four, set deadlines.
Yvonne Heimann [00:05:18]:
Every task is going to take as much time as you give it. Hold yourself accountable by setting those deadlines for each task. Use tools like ClickUp and track your progress in combination with Google Calendar to set those times in your day for every single task. I live out of my Google calendar. If it’s not in my Google calendar, it’s not going to happen. So make sure you connect at your ClickUp with your Google calendar so that between your calls and your to dos, you don’t over schedule yourself. To make procrastination even easier, yes, you can automate things. Use workflow automation platforms like Make.com and Zapier.
Yvonne Heimann [00:05:58]:
They can help you support your project management and collaboration inside of your workspace, no matter if that is your tasks running in ClickUp and you want to generate assets in Google Drive. You might have heard me talk about this automation, one of my favorite automations, because it saves me so much time not creating those folders in Google Drive. So now I’m like, oh yeah, that’s easy. I used to drag YouTube videos on podcasts out because I’m like, I need to create this and that and here and there and Google Drive and do all that. Automate it. Now suddenly you are really more productive and you’re taking away all these tiny tasks like sending emails and notifying your team when the step is done and all the other annoying little tasks. So really make sure you pay attention to automating your processes. If that is internally in ClickUp, if that is using make.com or anything else.
Yvonne Heimann [00:06:52]:
There is so much you can do. Starting with the simple, hey, when a task hits that stage, log in a comment and tag the team member that needs to take care of it. Eliminate distractions identify and minimize distractions. We already talked about triggers earlier trigger right here. Actually manifestation, not necessarily a trigger. I have a timer on my phone. I only get a maximum of 1 hour on TikTok, 1 hour on Instagram and 1 hour on Facebook. That’s still 3 hours.
Yvonne Heimann [00:07:21]:
That’s still more time than I should be spending. But when I have a bad day, I will hit that 1 hour mark on TikTok. It then reminds me, yes, I do get to hang out. Yes, I do get to just mindlessly browse TikTok for a little bit. But girl, an hour isn’t now take it even further. Turn on your do not disturb on your phone. We are not brain surgeons. Chances are no brain surgeons are watching my channel.
Yvonne Heimann [00:07:44]:
We are not wearing surgeons. Put your phone on do not disturb. I did it so I can talk to you without my phone going, oh, bing, bing, bing, bing, bing, bing. All the things. All the things. I don’t even have my tone on anymore. Everything is on silent, but it still vibrates. So I set my phone on do not disturb so this thing doesn’t go off.
Yvonne Heimann [00:08:02]:
And I’m like, wait, what happened? Who texted me? Oh, my God, I’m missing something. I don’t. It’s still gonna be there once I’m done recording for you guys. Comment down below. What usually distracts you? Is it. Is it the dinging on your phone? Is it other people? Is it the fear of missing out? I want to know. So share your thoughts in the comments below. Let me know.
Yvonne Heimann [00:08:21]:
I want to hear. Please tell me I’m not the only one in this now. We talked about triggers. We talked about how you can stop procrastinating in this process of really stop procrastinating. I also want you to pay attention to you, practice self compassion, be kind to yourself. Again, I let myself here and there, browse TikTok, and I’m like, yeah, I know. I spent an hour on TikTok. Go away.
Yvonne Heimann [00:08:44]:
I get to spend another hour on TikTok because it’s my day off and because what do I want to do right now? I’m not going to feel guilty about it. However, and also as a good reminder that I need to get back right. If need to be reschedule tasks. It’s okay to not feel that great on a certain day, ladies, we know that one way too well, but just don’t let it become a habit. Pay attention to you as much as you pay attention to your business. Celebrate your success. Even if it’s just a 1% down on your screen time on your iPhone, that’s a success. You spend less time browsing all kinds of things, celebrating, yet you got a job done.
Yvonne Heimann [00:09:23]:
Celebrating that you got this task done that you’ve been pushing out for weeks now. Acknowledge all you have done so far and celebrate it. And if it becomes a serious problem where it is interfering with your daily life and your business, get professional help. It’s important to state that if you do have a severe problem with procrastination, please go and see a psychologist, a coach. In my case, I went to therapy because procrastination was a coping mechanism for me. For deeper issues that I needed to take care of. There’s no problem asking for help, and sometimes the problem is a mental issue. It’s a struggle.
Yvonne Heimann [00:10:06]:
It’s something deeper laying and it’s okay to seek help. It doesn’t make you weak or problematic, it just means you need to find somebody that can give you the tools to work around it. By implementing these steps consistently, you’ll gradually break free from that constant cycle of procrastination and you’ll unlock your full creative and productive potential. You won’t magically just start procrastinating in one day. It takes time, it takes willpower and it takes developing those habits. And remember, overcoming procrastination is a journey, but with dedication and help from a few habit changes, you can achieve your goals and be more productive. No more missing out deadlines, no more pushing jobs to tomorrow. Feeling confident in that? You are going to get done what you said you are going to get done.
Yvonne Heimann [00:11:01]:
And if you enjoyed this video, make sure to check out my productivity secrets to help you thrive in your workplace. Just click over here and go watch it.
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