Procrastination: the act or habit of putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention (Dictionary.com) – We’re all guilty of it, some more than others!

It could be anything from putting off that novel you’ve been planning to write for years or clearing out that dreaded email inbox, whatever you’re avoiding, we’re here to help.

In honour of Fight Procrastination Day, we’ve put together our seven top tips to focus your mind, conquer your to-do list and beat procrastination once and for all!

Distractions Have To Go!

Imagine this… you’ve got this new-found motivation to finally focus and complete your to-do list.

You’ve made a nice brew, sat down at your desk and you’re ready to begin. Then, your phone rings.

Next thing you know, you’re out meeting your friend Cathy for brunch and you’re no closer to meeting your deadlines. Not ideal.

Therefore, if you want to beat procrastination, distractions have to go.

When you’re ready to work through your task list, create a quiet space that will encourage focus and productivity.

In order to thrive and be in the zone, you have to eliminate distractions, this could be your phone, social media, TV or your office bestie – if it breaks your concentration, it’s got to go.

Set Your Goals

It’s hard to achieve your goals if you don’t know what they are.

Before you begin, take some time to identify what you need to do or are hoping to accomplish.

What better way to do this than with a list? After all, It has been demonstrated in scientific studies that the way people read follows an F-shaped pattern (plus who doesn’t love a list?!).

Your list can consist of only important things or it can cover everything from replying to an email to calling your mum – it’s all about what works best for you.

Prioritise

Ok, so you’ve got your list. Now take a look at it as a collective and decide where your tasks rank in the categories: most important, semi-important and not important.

When doing this, bear in mind things like deadlines and other colleagues who are waiting for you to complete this task.

Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to rearrange your list in order of priority, the most important at the top.

Side note: don’t be disheartened if you don’t get through your entire list in one day. Often, ticking off one or two high-priority tasks can be much more rewarding.

For most people, the overwhelming feeling of beginning your tasks is what puts them off. Not you. Now you now know exactly where to start!

Timing is Everything

You could be a night owl or an early bird, everyone is different.

Figure out which time of day works best for you, when your procrastination meter is low! Whether it’s after your morning coffee or when the kids are in bed – utilise your prime!

Free your schedule during this time of the day and take time to work through your list.

You have to be the best version of yourself to fight procrastination!

Tools for Success

Focus Time Manager App

It’s all very good having these tips, but sometimes you need a little hand reminding you of them to keep you on track.

That’s where the Focus Time Manager comes in. Available in the app store, it’s a tool downloaded to any smart device that helps you to be productive.

The app includes helpful features such as:

• Focus Sessions – Enforcing the Pomodoro method of working, you can set the app to remind you when you have been working for 25 minutes. This then allows you to take a break with the objective of returning refreshed.
• Task Manager – This feature allows you to create the list that we spoke about in Tip 2 within the app. Furthermore, it allows you to organise those tasks intuitively (also mentioned in Tip 4).
• In-Depth Analytics – Track your progress and productivity within the app to make sure you’re on track to meeting your goals.

The Power of Speech

Now you know what and when you can do to beat procrastination, it may be worth considering how.

Whether it’s sending emails, writing a report, updating your CRM system or writing a novel, no matter what the task there is one common denominator: typing.

Much like the Focus App streamlines the steps we’ve covered in this article, speech technology streamlines your workflow process.

Speech recognition simply allows you to speak into a microphone and prints your words onto your computer screen, thus replacing typing for speaking.

Digital dictation allows you to speak into a voice recorder in order to have a secretary or yourself transcribe them at a later date.

Regardless of the solution, a simple alteration like this to the way you work can have remarkable results; it’s about working smart, not hard.

Being able to document information more quickly not only makes getting through your to-do list easier but also less time-consuming.

Users of Dragon speech recognition software can save one hour every single day which is an excellent reward when battling with procrastination.

“I would say that Dragon boosts productivity by approximately 50 – 60%.“John Wood – PGS Law

Our clients are using voice technology to plough through their overwhelming workloads. Most importantly, they are reaping benefits such as:

• More time to spend on other important tasks/with family
• A significant reduction in workloads aka less on their to-do list!
• Improved client experience
• Financial savings

Therefore, if you’re looking to overcome and beat procrastination, make the documentation process less painful with speech technology.

That concludes our 7 tips to fight procrastination! Hopefully, they have been helpful to you and you’re ready to go and get productive!