Your goal for the week is simple: stop procrastinating and get back on track with all your projects and tasks. Whether you’re working from home, back from a long vacation or spending long hours in the office, procrastination can be a challenge, especially when trying to catch up on deadlines and missed days. 

Distractions are inevitable, but how you choose to overcome them is what will help you stay productive. According to MindTools, research suggests that 95% of us procrastinate to some degree. So, you’re not alone; however, procrastination can lead to low performance which can damage your reputation and give you anxiety. The good news is that you can fight procrastination and become more productive by shifting your mindset. 

8 Tips to Help You Fight Procrastinating During the Day 

If you’ve been pushing your work away lately, here are eight tips to help you stop procrastinating and get the job done. 

1. Use the Eisenhower Matrix 

The Eisenhower Matrix divides your tasks into four quadrants and helps you categorize them based on urgency and importance. By focusing on high-priority tasks, you can prevent procrastination caused by indecision or poor prioritization.  

Four quadrants include: 

• Urgent and Important: Do these immediately. 
• Important, Not Urgent: Schedule for later. 
• Urgent, Not Important: Delegate if possible. 
• Not Urgent, Not Important: Consider eliminating these. 

2. Set specific and achievable goals 

When you set goals that are specific to the task at hand, it will be easier to work. Avoid creating vague goals like, “work on the article;” but instead rephrase it to, “finish report by 11 am.” Set achievable deadlines to manage projects in a reasonable timeframe and avoid increasing stress. 

3. Break bigger tasks into smaller ones 

Big tasks can feel overwhelming if you keep thinking about them as huge projects. That’s why it becomes easy to put them off. Before working on a large project, break your tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. This will not only make the task feel less daunting but will also give you a sense of accomplishment as you complete each step. 

4. Start with the most difficult tasks 

As you prioritize your day, start with the most difficult task at hand. This can help you build momentum for the rest of the day. You will feel ‘lighter’ once this task is done and you move on to the smaller, easier tasks at hand. 

5. Identify distractions 

If you’re constantly responding to texts and laughing at TikToks every couple of minutes, your phone is probably a big distraction. Beyond the phone, you may also want to identify other things that distract you and take steps to eliminate those distractions. Background noise, pets, or laundry may be culprits. Creating a focused environment can significantly reduce procrastination. 

6. Use technology  

An app might help you manage your procrastination. There are many time-management tools and focus-related apps to help you stay on track. Give it a try! 

7. Treat yourself! 

Whenever you accomplish a task, reward yourself! Treating yourself after a completed project is a great way to incentivize yourself to stay focused and avoid procrastinating. Rewards could be a short walk around the neighborhood, snuggles with your puppy, or even your favorite dessert.  

8. Reflect and improve 

In order to stay efficient, it could be a good idea to reflect on what has worked in the past and where you may need to improve. This could mean identifying and eliminating distractions or simply figuring out how to prioritize your day. Additionally, you may also want to focus on changing your mindset. Oftentimes, procrastination is fueled by negative thoughts such as, “I’ll never finish on time.” Recognize these thoughts and replace them with positive affirmations to build confidence.