5 ways to steer yourself through procrastination

As a Mum, you have to juggle through a number of tasks every day. To you, every family member is like your child, whom you have to nourish and care for. So, you have loads of work to do every day and you frequently run out of time. But, do you ever wonder if there is something else contributing to your running out of time? How about procrastination? Maybe a yes or maybe a no, however, one thing is sure that you do wish to have a magic wand which could give you some extra time to finish your chores whenever you are falling short of time.

Now, here is good news for you as today we are going to give you the magic wand! Excited to know about the magic wand and how it works? So, let me disclose that you are yourself the magical wand, about whom we are talking about here. Don’t feel surprised! After all, you work wonders every day to keep your family happy despite falling short of time and that’s nothing short of magic! Thus, you have all the power and magic inside you only.

Now, let’s come straight to your problem of running short of time. So, Mum just do a little magic of honesty and introspectif you procrastinate? Your answer is most certainly yes because we all do! In fact, a little procrastination is okay.  But, when it starts preventing you from getting things done in time, it becomes problematic. In your attempt to do more in the less time left, you overexert yourself. Not only this, but your stress level also rises significantly, which is not at all good for you. Moreover, procrastination leads you to spend your whole day working for everyone else’s happiness but yours. You don’t find time for yourself.

Even when you are procrastinating on a task and relaxing on the couch,  you aren’t actually relaxing. In the back of your mind, you are still thinking about the dozens of pending tasks you have. So, it is crucial for you to steer yourself through procrastination. Now, let’s see how to do that:

Yes, you have to create your work schedule. This has nothing to do with defining a fixed time for every task but at least you can fix the beginning and end of your work schedule. Let’s say that you can make it a routine to start working at 10 (after everyone has left for their destinations, work, school, etc.)and finish all your household chores by 3 or 4 in the afternoon. You can decide these limits according to your comfort level and the amount of work you have to do. Further, it is not compulsory to follow the same work schedule every day. Some days you might have some additional tasks to do like laundry. So, you can create a new work schedule for the new day every morning. Believe me, creating a work schedule will be really beneficial for you.  If you’ll have a fixed work schedule, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate and you’ll get everything done in time.  

We all have our weaknesses and get carried away with them. For example, 5 minutes of Instagram often turns into an hour and we realize that only after we have lost plenty of our working time and you know what happens afterward! You work like a super speedy machine to get the things done before your children or family members return back home. Now, to get over this type of problem, you have to keep a constant check on yourself. If you feel the urge to use your favorite social media sites, go for it! But, not without setting a timer. You have to clearly set a limit on the time you’ll be devoting to your selected activity. Once the timer rings, just leave your smartphone right away and start working. This will help you get over procrastination to a large extent.

At times, you may forget all about overcoming procrastination. You may get drifted and start following your casual routine. So, it is always best to set ‘no procrastination’ reminders or alarms on your smartphone. You can set them to ring at regular intervals of time during your work schedule. For example, after every half an hour. This will help you not to get caught in the tight grip of procrastination.

Working continuously is definitely monotonous. This is one big reason why we procrastinate. So, if you break your work schedule into smaller segments, you’ll find it easy to overcome procrastination. Now, to break your work schedule into smaller segments, it is best to make use of the Pomodoro Technique. Given below are the simple steps by following which you can practice the Pomodoro Technique:

When you are conscious that you are procrastinating, but still find it hard to get over it, then this is the best strategy to follow. You have to simply allure yourself with an exciting reward for completing the pending task. For example, you can give yourself a 30-minute relaxing nap as a reward, after completing your work schedule or you can cook your favorite snacks in the evening. These rewards will give you the power to overcome procrastination and focus your energy on work.

So magical Mum, now you know how to steer yourself through procrastination and not run out of time despite having to shoulder multiple responsibilities at home. Now, wishing you all the best and hoping that you’ll be able to set procrastination aside in your life.

 Written by 

Jessica Robinson
The Speaking Polymath