You may have got a large project and feel overwhelmed with it. Maybe you feel like doing assigned tasks sometime later. It is considered to be an act of delaying tasks of your own free will. In the meantime, you might prefer to complete unimportant tasks. But this does not help promote a Procrastination Productive Workspace. Researches conducted reveal that approximately 20% of employees tend to procrastinate daily.
8 strategies to overcome procrastination at the workplace
1. Create small milestones:
A large project is likely to make any person feel under-confident. The secret is to break it down into numerous small milestones. It ensures that the same task appears easy and doable. Once the entire project is divided into smaller sections, you can get better clarity. Tasks can be delegated among team members considering each one’s strengths. Establishing project milestones and completing each one successfully will help you derive that accomplished feeling.
2. SMART goals:
If you procrastinate, Goal Setting becomes crucial. Peter Drucker coined the term ‘SMART’. It stands for ‘Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound’. Setting goals with proper timeframes will also allow you and your team to know when to complete each milestone.
3. Use Task and Time Management Techniques:
The human brain stores all tasks and information. It arranges them continuously based on priority level. However, mental lists can be managed only to a certain extent. Later, the brain tends to forget things. Hence, it becomes necessary to adopt Time Management strategies to stop procrastinating at work and complete tasks within a specified timeframe.
4. Deadlines:
Establish target deadlines. Create specific goals, timelines, and relevancy to each task. Activities without timelines are better left to be completed later on as they are unimportant. Such tasks may only pile up later, thereby causing delays in project delivery. Setting specific timelines for the tasks will ensure you complete them before the stipulated deadline. Thus, you can focus on work and be under pressure to complete it.
5. Eliminate distractions:
Distractions, such as mobile phones, social media, and gossip, constantly surround people at the workplace. It is necessary to eliminate them to ensure a Productive Workspace. Take adequate measures to stop getting distracted and increase your focus. Establish boundaries with colleagues. It helps maintain productivity. Complete tasks first and then take breaks.
6. Complete challenging tasks first:
You may be more productive at a certain point in time. Use that time to complete more challenging tasks. For some, it can be early morning and for others, it can be evening. You can reach your productive peak during these hours. Hence, utilize it effectively and establish Time Management. It will also boost your morale to achieve much better things later on.
7. Be around motivated people:
Surroundings do play a vital role in the workplace. Be around people who are constantly productive, complete their assigned tasks on time, and stay mediated and focused. You will feel inspired by their company and want to achieve greater things in your career. It will also encourage you to undertake challenges at work. In case you work remotely, an accountable partner can help in Goal Setting and support you to stay focused.
8. Stay active and healthy:
A healthy body and mind can help you stop procrastinating. A healthy lifestyle will make you feel productive automatically right from the start of the day. Get good sleep every day. Stress and overworking might cause some people to get only 4-5 hours of sleep a day. Your brain needs proper rest to function to its optimum. Hence, you need 8 hours of sleep a day.
Use strategies wisely
Often, procrastination is mistakenly considered laziness. Delays at the workplace can cause problems and reflect on individual and company performance. Using the above strategies can help overcome such issues and increase workplace productivity.
