What positive habits help you overcome procrastination?

While this stage of SMART goal-setting can feel very exciting, the reality is that more internal reflection is needed to set a solid foundation for your goals. Chances are you aren't lazy or unmotivated. In my coaching and personal experience, I've found that it is the emotions and feelings that you associate with the task that you are trying to avoid rather than the task itself. I would recommend journaling to uncover the true reasons you procrastinate so that you can set yourself up for success.

The famous book 'The Power of Now' is something that I can recall and would recommend to one and all. The small atomic habits really help avoid procrastinations.

one of my greatest procrastination struggles was to finish my PhD manuscript. Hence, I had developed a Protocol that I used everyday to work on the mansucript. It inlcuded the following habits: 1) Becoming aware of my thoughts and feelings about the task at hand (with an optional transformation process, in case they are rather negative). 2) Setting and becoming present to the goals for today, week and month and the final objective. 3) Defining supporting actions 4) Reality & Commitment check 5) End of day reflection, celebration & completion. Drop me a personal message in case you are interested in this protocol :)

SMART goals are a starting point in leadership, giving you a roadmap to reach targets. Yet, they're not the full journey. For example, aiming to "boost team productivity by 20% in 6 months" is specific but overlooks vital elements like morale and communication. Effective leadership also needs emotional intelligence and soft skills. It's not just about hitting targets, but also inspiring your team, fostering collaboration, and adapting to challenges. So, alongside SMART goals, consider the 'how' and the 'why,' which lie in interpersonal skills and self-awareness. This makes your leadership approach not just smart but emotionally and relationally well-rounded.

well if your reason to procrastinate is the lack of self value and lack of and structured way of thinking, then making goals this way may sound like torture. It depends of what you like to do as a hobby. Try to use the feeling you get on activities you like as a motivation or transfer it to the task at hand.

Seinfeld's Calendar Strategy for Procrastination: Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most successful comedians of all time. But he didn't get there by talent alone. He used a simple trick to stay consistent and productive: Seinfeld hung a huge calendar on his wall and marked an X for each day he wrote jokes. His goal was to never break the chain of Xs. This trick creates a visual reminder of your progress and motivates you to keep going. Don't worry about the quality or the outcome (that leads to procrastination). Just focus on the process. I’ve used this strategy to build new daily habits like writing and exercising. It really works. You can too. Pick a habit, get a calendar + marker, and start making Xs. And don't break the chain.

Breaking tasks into smaller steps can be a game-changer for productivity. But let's think beyond just making tasks "more doable." In a corporate leadership context, breaking tasks down isn't only about mitigating overwhelm; it's also an exercise in delegation and team empowerment. For example, if the goal is to increase quarterly revenue, the steps aren't just for you; they're opportunities to delegate, track team progress, and cultivate leadership skills within your team. So, don't just break tasks down to fight procrastination; use this strategy to foster team growth and leadership development.

Well if your task at hand is a problem, and maybe a personal or emotional problem. Then trying to divide it does not make sense. If you have fear or the outcome of the task for any reason, first you have to embrace and face your feelings regards the task or the end result needed. If it is just a job task, then trying to understand the end result, before trying to divide it will help to motivate you and understand what youre doing

My Everyday hustle hack has helped me manage my time & energy effectively  💼 Here are some key points: a. Divide tasks in a weekly format (You have 168hrs in a week, a lot can be achieved) 📆 b. Keep 6-8 hrs for sleep 😴 (I subtract 50hrs/week for sleep) c. Define & pen down tasks for yourself (Knowing what to do can actually save a lot of time) 📝 d. 🥇Important tasks can be done daily, 🥈mediocrely important tasks on alternate days, & 🥉not so important tasks once a week e. Keep weekends for upskilling, rejuvenation & personal growth 📚 (Sometimes I just watch a movie) f. Take out 1 hour daily for family & friends 👨👩👧👦

In my experience, I've found that calendar blocking is one of the best ways to prevent procrastination because you're able to turn vague plans into beneficial, specific, scheduled tasks. By allocating dedicated time slots for each activity, you'll feel more control over your day, reduce any likelihood of procrastination, and increase your internal sense of accomplishment.

I learned doing the stuff I dont like first, so that I can have more time on the stuff I do like. Working on something without motivation affect the timeschedule as I really need a lot of time to get the energy to do it. Try to introspect the feelings you have about it and embrace them to deflate them. So that there are no negative feelings about it, and you will definitely put time on it.

Distractions is like diabetes that eats you slowly , without you even realising and it’s too late by the time you realise !! Few things that I do are 1.I’m well hydrated , when you are well hydrated you remain more focused 2.Time blocking - I block time for a specific task and I make sure during that time I control myself from distractions 3.I keep my phone in the next room and not in the room I’m doing the task Lastly, focus requires discipline and if you are able to master discipline it will avenge distractions

This is definitely a challenge and to ensure I am able to focus on a given task at hand and not get diverted by any distractions I use the Forest App. It's been of great help as everytime I move away from the task I was set out to do the app stops the growth of my current tree and hence the density of the forest I am creating goes down. The gamefication helps in staying motivated in an unconscious way at getting work done with better focus!

Focus is your best companion in a distraction battle. Dedication is a focus supporter. These two elements, with united effort, are able to declutter your surroundings and eliminate distractions. It’s vital to be self-aware of distraction components and evaluate the most challenging ones. Build a set of healthy habits that will pave the path toward focused, productive, and efficient learning. Energize your personal development.

I use To-Do list for daily activities and tasks which keeps me on track for achieving my goals and dreams. I made myself very busy in achieving my goals so that I don’t get distracted. I follow my daily schedule without fail. I wake up at 5 am daily, 5 am to 6:30 am time given for exercise, meditation, breathing , spending time in nature to boost my energy. Then 6 am to 7 am for chanting some mantras and imagination followed by visualisation. 7 am to 8 am daily regular rituals, 8:30 am to 6 pm office working time. After office hours 6:3 pm to 9 pm for my personal and business growth and 9 pm to 10:30 family time. On weekends little bit change in schedule. Daily schedule and journaling keeps me motivated and on track

Start at home.. separate watching a movie from your cel phone; have dinner with your spouse and kids; just drive and dont text or make calls, focusing only on one task at hand. If youre used to try to do multitasking in every part of your life then you will not be able to get rid of distractions.

The language we use plays an important role. When it comes to procrastination, most of us say things like "I have to exercise". This makes whatever it is we want to do feel like an obligation, not a task that we have deemed important for us. Instead, we can use positive language. For example, "I am someone who exercises three times per week". When we say this and then we do it, we prove ourselves right, and this consistency becomes part of us.

Try to surround yourself with people and a spouse who motivates you to become a better person. If you grew up in a family were demoralization or lack of motivation was there... it will be hard for you to have a growing mindset. You need create space for yourself in your mind for growth. Allow yourself, give yourself permission to be whatever you can be. Work on your self esteem

Some is better than none! If you planned a 30-minute walk but only have 15 minutes, walk. If you can't get the whole report done, outline it. Don't fall into the all-or-nothing trap. This has multiple benefits, including the discovery that often you DO have the time or that it doesn't take as much time as you thought to complete certain tasks. Stay loose and get more done.

A growth mindset empowers you. It elevates your confidence, fuels your curiosity, and fortifies your resilience. The fear of failure, perfectionism, and self-criticism – the very traits that often fuel procrastination – can be tackled head-on with this mindset shift. So, how do you nurture a growth mindset? It starts with rewiring your inner dialogue. Remind yourself that you've got what it takes. Declare that you're willing to take that first step, that you're open to trying new approaches, and that you're enthusiastic to learn along the way. 🚀📖 Let's embrace the growth mindset – the antidote to procrastination. #KeepCreating

I used to put off important tasks and projects, which made me feel stressed and overwhelmed  ☀️ Practicing gratitude and forgiveness has been a game-changer for me 🧘 And after making a conscious effort to practice gratitude & forgiveness, my procrastination has decreased significantly! 🙏 By taking time each day to reflect on what I'm grateful for, I've shifted my mindset to focus on the positive aspects of my life and has given me a more optimistic outlook 🌅 Forgiveness has been key too, as it has helped me to let go of negative emotions, stop dwelling on mistakes & missed opportunities and be more in the present & productive 🤝

Self-compassion is essential for personal well-being, but let's elevate it from an individual coping strategy to a leadership asset. In a corporate setting, practicing self-compassion isn't just about being kind to yourself; it sets the tone for the entire team's emotional culture. When you show yourself grace for setbacks, you implicitly give your team permission to take risks, innovate, and learn from failure rather than fear it. This fosters an environment of psychological safety, which has been shown to boost team performance and innovation. So self-compassion isn't merely a personal remedy for procrastination—it's a vital ingredient for transformative leadership.

You know that feeling when you keep pushing a task to tomorrow? It's not about time, it's an emotional puzzle. Imagine standing before a mysterious door. The hesitation to open isn't about the door itself, but what might lie beyond. That's procrastination in a nutshell. It's not the task we avoid, but the feelings it evokes. But once we see that door not as a barrier but a gateway to understanding our emotions, everything changes. It’s important to recognize the real reason behind the delay, and that daunting task becomes an enlightening journey into self-discovery. So, next time you hesitate, remember: it's not about the door, but what's behind it. Open it!