Define Procrastination: The action of delaying or postponing something. Procrastination may not seem like such a bad thing at the time but when you sit back and begin to work out just how much time you have wasted in the last day, week, month, and even year, it can hit you pretty hard. Let's face it, at some point we all procrastinate. We spend a few minutes engaged in irrelevant conversations within the office instead of sending that all important email. As the clock hits home time we quickly depart from the office rather than filing the backlog of paperwork mounting on our desk. But in a world where we have a ton to do, and not a ton of time to do it, procrastination can have strong consequences. A simple question really - Why Wait? Below are five effective strategies to help you fight procrastination

5 Ways to Fight Procrastination

1. Schedule your day

I have always scheduled my day. I personally find that by creating a list of all my tasks and objectives for the day, then scheduling these into my calendar allocating the necessary amount of time to each task ensures that I am focused and driven on any given day. The beauty of scheduling your day is that if you get thrown off course with an unexpected meeting or receive an unsolicited phone call you are quickly able refer back to your schedule at any given time and know the current task you should be focusing on. An electronic calendar is a fantastic resource to have as this allows you to access your schedule from your desktop, smart phone, tablet and even smart watch! By scheduling your day effectively you are able understand what you can realistically achieve with your time and avoid taking on more than you can handle each day. On the other hand, many people aren't a fan of using technology to manage the to do list though. Many find a lined notebook or tear away notepad the perfect companion to schedule their day.

1. Prioritise your work

Although the overall mission is to get everything complete, It is also crucial that you are able to prioritise your work. Being able to prioritise your work is something that can really help you to become increasingly motivated and avoid procrastinating. You need to identify the most crucial/important task on your schedule, and then complete that first. I personally see no point in wasting your time, energy, and drive on tackling insignificant tasks first despite how tempting it can be if certain tasks are quick and simple. What you will find is that if you do less important work first, by the time you have completed that you will probably feel too drained to effectively tackle the important tasks.

1. Change your environment

It is proven that different environments can have a different impact on your productivity. Take a look at your desk? your office? Do they make you want to work? Do you feel that you can focus on achieving your goals and feel inspired to get stuck into your to do list? If the answer to those questions is no then you may want to consider changing your environment.

1. Use the Internet to your advantage

By using an online tool such as Notion means that you can organise all of your notes effectively and carry them on your electronic device wherever you go! Having access to an app like Notion means that you can take advantage of time spent travelling on the train or bus by opening up Notion and drafting your next blog post, planning your monthly goals, or drafting new website content.

1. Start a done list

At the end of each day, write down what you've accomplished. It will help you realise just how efficiently you're working and shows you exactly what you have achieved. Further to this, having a done list will outline where your efforts are paying off and where they aren’t. Procrastination is something that can be overcome with the right mental attitude and resources. So why not start dedicating yourself to beating procrastination now, set a goal to be motivated, and watch the results materialise as you begin to take action.