Do you ever feel like a day, week, or month goes by and you didn’t accomplish much of anything? I often do. Despite my numerous to-do lists, many tasks and responsibilities simply slip through the cracks…mainly because I find one reason or another to put them off. So in order to help overcome my natural tendency to procrastinate, I came up with 10 Ways To Be Productive.
1. Write it down. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: writing things down is the best way to turn a dream or idea into a reality. Whatever it is that you’re hoping to accomplish, putting those words onto paper make them much more likely to actually happen. Writing/making a list is also a great way to realize what those things you want to accomplish actually are. I don’t know about you, but sitting in front of a black piece of paper with a pen in my hand pretty much forces me to begin the brainstorming process. And to me, that’s the first step towards being as productive as possible.
2. Prioritize. We all have a million and one things we’d like to get done on any given day, but the odds of them all getting accomplished are slim. So after you write down what you’d like to accomplish, prioritize them from most important to least important. Ask yourself questions like: What is the most pressing? What will benefit me the most in the long run?
3. Compartmentalize. Like I said, it’s difficult to feel like we’re being productive when there are so many things that need to be done. The key is to take one thing at a time. Focus on the particular task at hand and think about nothing else. Set those other things aside for another time. If you dwell on all of your tasks and responsibilities as a whole, accomplishing them will seem impossible. But if you pick away at them one a time without thinking about the others, it will make the process much more manageable and much less grueling.
4. Set time aside. Whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish - whether it’s planning a dinner with a friend or perfecting your budget - you need to set aside an actual date and time that you’re going to do so. Avoiding setting aside a specific, concrete time is procrastination at its finest. And, as well all know, procrastination is the arch enemy of all things productive. Whether it’s 5 minutes a day or 2 hours a day, every minute you put into a specific goal is one step closer to accomplishing it.
5. Break it down (over a few days, a month, etc.) Sometimes the main reason we procrastinate is because the thought of trying to complete something all in one sitting is daunting. But, the thing is, the longer you put it off, the more likely you’ll *have* to finish it all in one sitting (if you’ve ever had to write a college paper, you know exactly what I’m talking about). And like I said - every minute you put into something is a step in the right direction. I find that if I break something down over a few days or a week, I’m not only more productive, but the process itself is more enjoyable. Not to mention that I’m usually more pleased with the end result as well.
6. Get a planner, and use it! Refer to #4 and #5.
7. Find a way to enjoy the process. My pop-pop used to always say “take your time and enjoy it.” That’s such a simple phrase, yet one that we never seem to practice. We’re always rushing from one task to the next trying to get to an end point that may never really come. Instead, find a way to enjoy whatever you may be doing. Light a candle. Drink some tea. Look at the task at hand from a different angle because there is most likely at least some part of it that you can find enjoyment in.
8. SLEEP. I’m thoroughly convinced that our society is suffering from a major sleep debt. Think you can get through the day just fine on 5 hours of sleep and 4 cups of coffee? Just wait and you see how you feel when you get 7-8 hours of sleep. Think of sleep as charging a battery. The longer you charge it up, the more life you’ve got to work with.
9. Set a cut-off time. This is along the same lines at #4. One of my least favorite things about being a college student was that even when class was over, I knew I had hours upon hours of homework and paper-writing to do. In order to manage that stress while still being productive, I set 5pm as my cut-off time. Yes, a college student who didn’t pull all-nighters does exist. You see, knowing that I had a time where I *had* to shut my books and relax for the rest of the evening actually made me a heck of a lot more productive. I would start my papers earlier because I knew that I’d rather have a week’s worth of free evenings than 48 hours of straight work. And like I mentioned earlier, starting tasks ahead of time usually makes for a better end result.
10. Imagine the end result. You know what I’m talking about. There’s nothing like that euphoric feeling of getting something done. Whether it’s a workout, organizing your room, or finishing a project at work, completing a task(s) is both a relief and an accomplishment. Instead of focusing on how much you don’t feel like doing something, imagine how you’ll feel when it’s done and over with. For me, that’s enough motivation to get the show on the road.
- Do you struggle with procrastination? How do you combat it?
- Which of these “10 Ways” do you think is the most important? Anything you’d like to add?
I'm the girl, Gracie Gordon. Here at GML you can follow my journey of dreaming, working, eating, loving, and blogging my way through life in NYC.
AMEN TO THIS!!!
i have to write EVERYTHING down or else I will go crazy!! I def always plan something rewarding after “my list” .. it could be a hot bath, froyo, or a nice sweat sesh!
I am the queen of procrastination. It’s terrible! I was a night-before-its-due kind of girl all through high school and university. I think using a day planner and writing things down really helped me. My calendar at work has all my meetings, deadlines and long term goals and I use my day planner for daily/weekly goals. I usually make a list of things I want/need to get done and then decide when I want to do them and then transfer to my calendar or day planner.
I think this was a great idea for a ’10 ways’ list!
You have just gotten me so inspired Gracie! I LOVE YOU! This is just what I needed to get a ton done that I needed to before this summer really kicked off.
Amen to #9! This was my trick in studio. While all of the other students wouldn’t be caught dead in studio the week before a project was due, I would work everyday until dinner time, and nothing past then. The absolute latest I stayed in my studio was 6pm, while most everyone else pulled all nighters. Suckers
This list is so helpful! I’m stressing right now since I’m moving back to the states in 2 weeks, and the movers will be here in a week! Ack! This came at just the right time! Thanks.
I don’t think I’ve ever procastinated a thing in my life. It gives me too much anxiety
Great tips, though!
Haha already made my list and was ready to put it up on my blog for my lunch time post lol
Amen and amen! I agree that procrastination is the arch enemy of productivity. Its just so hard not to do it!! I’m working on it though!
Great post! I utilize many of these tactics on a daily basis and appreciated the reminder as well. Are you looking into a Birthright trip? I’ve staffed a few and think you should definitely go!
Great list Gracie! I was completely on board with #9 in undergrad and grad school and it did wonders for me…and my sanity =)
amen! I am the best procrastinator in the world. even living in Africa, the slowest continent in the world, I manage to make things take a million times longer than they should.
I like to make lists and i also think breaking down bigger projects into more manageable chunks is key for me. if i see something written down that i know is huge and will take a lot of time, i do everything in my power to avoid it. being able to knock out a tiny section feels like productivity if i can cross something off of a list
@Sarah - Not so much a Birthright trip…my background is Jewish (I’m 1/2 Russian Jew) but I’m actually a Christian. So there’s just a lot of history and meaning that lies in Israel for me, and I’d love to visit. My church is actually organizing a trip, I just have to figure out if I can save up enough money for it!
loved this post! yeah i have to write everything down too… i love making lists, even if i can’t check everything off! haha. im kind of scatterbrained so lists really help, though i wind up with so many lists everywhere its hard to keep track of. i also have a moleskine daily planner that contains EVERY part of my life… usually that has my day-to-day to-do lists, with my more important events/upcoming deadlines on my iCal on my computer… i’m such a procrastinator - to-do lists help a lot with that though.
I make a to-do list. Just knowing I can cross things off makes me not want to procrastinate.
I think I’m pretty organized but obviously things can fall through the cracks. Right now since I’m coming down to the wire with wedding plans I actually have multiple organization methods to keep me on track. #1 I have a huge list of things I need to get done each other for wedding plans #2 I have a yearly planner that I can put appts or other things that maybe be happening in the next couple weeks #3 I have a weekly spreadsheet that I update on throughout the week or on Sunday for the following week. #3 has been a recent addition to my organization process because I kept putting things off for the wedding. This way I can see everything for the week in order of getting them done; it helps me mentally know what’s going on. I’ll post an example of it on my blog tonight or tomorrow!!
Great post! I struggle the most when the task I want to accomplish is so big and vague that it seems insurmountable. For example, let’s say the task is to publish a freelance article. Where do I even begin?!?! So for me, the only way to combat it is to break the task down into smaller, very concrete steps, and then dedicate a certain amount of time per week to working on it, like you said. It makes the task seems so much more manageable, which definitely helps with procrastination!
Such fantastic tips! I procrastinate if a task is too daunting, so I use all these tips. A huge one for me is imagining the end result. I can’t relax and have fun with a project hanging over my head, so instead of thinking about it for 4 hours (2 of proscrastination, 2 actually doing it)you could do it in 2 hours and then have 2 hours of fun!
I never once pulled an all-nighter in college and had plenty of free time. It was because, like you, I had a cut-off point, got plenty of rest (so I was actually productive, I wouldn’t be productive on 5 hours of sleep), and tried my best to concentrate only on the task at hand. I never understood when people whined about how difficult a paper was and how they stayed up all night working on it - umm, yeah, I finished the paper too, but no, I didn’t stay up all night working on it … I’m supposed to feel sorry for you? It’s not that difficult when you break it up into pieces and do a little at a time!
SLEEP is most important to me! I’ve been battling some major insomnia the past couple months and let me tell you - sleep affects your whole body like you wouldn’t believe! The nights I don’t get sleep I just feel awful!
I LOVE my planner!! I just bought a new one, and it is already filled with upcoming plans and highlighted details!
I am definitely a procrastinator sometimes and writing it down and SLEEP are the most important for me. I am cranky when I don’t get enough and I still have the worst sleeping problems (so I take melatonin!) after years. Great post lady!
love this!! great tips…I always try to visualize…what I want to do, where I want to be, what I want to be accomplished it helps so much!!
I need to get better at writing things down though! I used to have aplanner, but then I stopped using it I have no idea why!!
You’re so right about us suffering from sleep deprivation. I am currently commuting 4 hours a day and finally moving closer to work in a couple weeks…. and what I’m most excited about is getting more sleep! I can function on 6 hours but I’m not at my best!
Great tips. I am a procrastinator for sure! I always have so many things on my mind. Just need to get better a writing them down.
About 6 months ago I started writing EVERYTHING down and using a planner. I have NO IDEA how I survived for the past few years without doing that! If I lose my to-do lists I feel like I lost my mind haha!
I love this list, i’m printing it out & actually taking your advice. i need to stop procrastinating something fierce!
I love this post! Who doesn’t struggle with procrastination from time to time? I feel as though it affects me wayyy more during the lazy days of summer - but thanks for reminding me to stay proactive! (:
[...] I was reading fellow health blogger, Gracie’s blog on Monday night, and she had this GREAT post titled “10 ways: Be Productive.” This is sooo in my wheelhouse! Specifically, tip [...]
I love this!! I am a HUGE list maker (in fact, I keep a list notebook in my bag at all times!
[...] 10 Ways: be productive. [...]
Love this! I have a procrastination problem for sure. I find it best to just separate and attack! To-do lists really help too.
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Set a cut off time is the best advice for me. I have to give myself deadlines
Love #8, sleep is so so important!
just found your site (don’t know why it took me so long!) and i just wanted to say i love it and we are so similar with respect to interest in this topic! especially love #1 and #8.
This was really, really great.