Overcoming Procrastination When Organizing

Try these 13 strategies to combat procrastination and gain the motivation you need to get organized.

Procrastination is one of the main causes of poor time management when it comes to getting organized.

The definition of procrastination is to postpone or delay action needlessly.

Notice that the definition doesn't say to postpone or delay for a valid or logical reason. The defining word is "needlessly." Sometimes there's a good reason to delay an action or a decision, like if you don't have enough information or if something else logically has to come first.

When you're in the bad habit of procrastinating, you continually add to your "mental pile" of items to do later. Each task often ends up buried in more things you've put off. What you put off for later becomes a less important priority as time goes on, but in reality may become even more urgent.

By using the following thirteen strategies, you'll be well on your way to getting organized in your life and home, and ultimately be a happier, more productive person.

Mental Strategies

1. Vividly imagine the way you'll feel inside after the task or project is complete.
2. Focus on your desired result, not your fear or inaction.
3. Imagine yourself completing the task or project easily, quickly, and with no setbacks.
4. Tune into your procrastination language in your head and derail it with positive thoughts of "I want to," "I can," and "I enjoy" instead.
5. Let go of perfectionism. Many things aren't worth doing perfectly, so just start and do your best.
   

Physical Strategies

1. Get an accountability buddy to keep you on task along the way.
2. Work out the project's steps on paper in advance to clarify your thoughts and eliminate the emotional whirlwind around why you don't want to begin the task.
3. Master the art of starting. Over and over again.
4. Do the hard parts first. Or...
5. Do the easy parts first. Whichever motivates you more is the one you should choose.
6. Keep a progress log so you don't lose sight of how much you have accomplished.
7. Break your project into small, manageable chunks and create interim deadlines for yourself along the way.
8. Build in rewards for yourself as you finish each step and when the project is completed.
   

This artilce was adapted. Article originally written by Monica Ricci.