You know that moment when you know you’ve got quite a bit of work to get through but somehow, you just can’t seem to get it done? Not because you have anything more important to do, but maybe your mind just wanders somewhere else all the time? Yup, I know that feeling- it’s called procrastination. The thing about it is that it never seems like a huge problem until it’s the last minute and suddenly it seems like all your work has piled up out of nowhere and now it’s a mission to get through it all. The good news is that procrastination isn’t the end of the world, because you can overcome it. Here are a few tips on how you can get your work groove back!

Forgive yourself

A big part of procrastination is that you start to feel bad for leaving all your work for the last minute- and this feeling bad can also contribute to you not feeling motivated to do what you need to. So the first step is to forgive yourself, because it’s okay. Almost everyone goes through moments like this. You’re not the first, and it’s definitely not the end of the world.

Commit to the task

Next up, you need to make a promise to yourself to do finish what you have to. Making this commitment is important, and you can do this by writing down everything that you need to do, so that you can see how you’re going to split your time up between those tasks.

Give yourself little rewards

After every task that you cross off your list, give yourself a little reward- whether it’s a short break, a treat, or a little bit of self-care practice, you deserve it! Plus, it’s a great way to keep you motivated to keep finishing your work.

Be accountable

If it’s hard to keep yourself accountable, asking someone to check up on your progress is a great way to keep you committed to your first promise to getting it all done. Ask a family member or a friend close to you to check up on you every now and then to see how far you’ve gotten with everything you need to do.

Cut out the distractions

It’s almost impossible to focus well if you’ve got so many things distracting you all at once. Try turn off your phone, the TV or radio when you’re working so that you don’t find yourself in a situation where your mind keeps drifting to things that distract you.

Be positive

It’s really easy to not want to complete the work you need to when you don’t feel good about it. Keep reminding yourself that what you’re doing is important, and that you’re happy to have to opportunity to do it- after all, being able to go to school and do the work is a great thing, there’s nothing more valuable than being able to learn something every day.

Dealing with procrastination is kind of like dealing with anything else in like- it all starts within you. You have to realise that you have the power and the will to do everything you set your mind to. But you also have to realise that the power to do all these things, starts with your decision to put in the hard work. I know you can do it Choma!

Always remember that if you need advice or help, you can contact me here on Ask Choma, send me a Facebook Message, a Twitter DM, or a WhatsApp Message (071 172 3657)