How To Complete Your Procrastinated Work

I am a big procrastinator. However, recently, I've been trying to get better at not doing this. Although I am definitely not perfect at it, I have some tips that help break this annoying habit that I wanted to share.

Find The Root Of Your Procrastination

When I procrastinate, there is usually a reason why I'm procrastinating. Am I anxious about it? Do I see this as less important than other tasks? Do I just have little interest in it? Usually, identifying the root of my procrastination helps me figure out how I can reroute my thoughts so that I can accomplish the task at hand.

Building Intrinsic Motivation

People are more likely to accomplish tasks when they have the internal motivation to complete it. Intrinsic motivation is one of the most effective motivations. It involves you doing tasks for your own satisfaction rather than because of external factors. Because of this, intrinsic motivation is more effective long-term. The number one tip I have for getting done procrastinated tasks is to find some internal motivation to complete it. It is so much more effective if you find some internal will or interest to complete your task.

Thus, I like trying to intrinsically motivate myself to complete my procrastinated tasks. I do this by finding little things that excite me in tasks I'm dreading. Utilizing creativity is something that excites me and is enjoyable for me. This one of the reasons why I love doing my study notes. Studying can be extremely overwhelming and boring. However, when I write my doodle notes, I love writing my titles and coming up with new title ideas. This is something that gets me excited to write my notes and study when I feel unmotivated.

With ADHD, I notice that at certain times I feel motivated to do certain tasks and unmotivated to do other tasks. However, at other times I may feel the opposite way. I like to ride on the high of whatever I feel motivated to do at that time. I feel like I am more productive when I complete the tasks I feel in the mood to do it rather than forcing myself to do something else. However, when doing this, you need to plan accordingly (and more importantly ahead) so that you can complete the tasks with deadlines in time.

Here are some articles about intrinsic motivation: article 1, article 2, and article 3

Create An Obstacle For Yourself

I hate putting away laundry. Thus, I always procrastinate doing this. Almost always, I put away my laundry before I go to bed. To get my self to actually do it, I put my laundry on my bed to make a physical and mental obstacle for myself to demand myself that I have to put away my laundry before I go to bed. This actually really helps me, and it keeps me from procrastinating.

Think About The End Goal

Looking at the big picture or end goal of a task helps me combat some of my procrastinating. Why are you completing the task? Is it a little piece in a big goal you want to accomplish? Thinking about this reminds me of why I am completing it and, thus, motivates me.

Talk The Task Up To Yourself

This I actually learned from the I Have ADHD Podcast. If you have no motivation to complete a task, talk it up to yourself. Tell yourself you want to do it/ make it sound appealing to you.

Conclusion

I loved getting to share my tips with y'all. I would love to hear how you guys prevent procrastination. Feel free to share them with me in the comments, on my contact page, or on Instagram.