My company, Kalculated Decisions, ran a networking event this past Wednesday with some educational presentations on Navigating Business Through All the Noise. During the Q & A portion of this event, one of the attendees asked for strategies to beat procrastination. This inspired me to write this article on how to overcome procrastination.

In this article, we will look at what procrastination is and why it’s a common struggle. We will also highlight the benefits of overcoming procrastination: more productivity, less stress, and greater achievement.

Understand Why You Procrastinate

There are many reasons why we procrastinate. For me, it is often fear of failure that keeps me from moving forward, especially with taking steps to build my speaking business. Other things that cause me to delay acting on my goals is a lack of understanding of what I need to do or how to do it. And sometimes it is low motivation that saps my energy and prevents me from acting on my goals. Wanting to be perfect can also impair your ability to get things done. Also, a large task can seem overwhelming, and this could stop you from moving forward with it.

One thing you can do to start getting a handle on procrastination is to recognize the triggers and patterns in your life that lead you to delay acting on your goals. Identify what it is that is stopping you. If it is fear of failure, analyze why you are afraid of failing. If you lack the knowledge of how to complete your task or achieve your goal, seek help and/or take some time to learn how to accomplish that goal or task. If you lack motivation, reexamine why you set that goal or task in the first place.

Procrastination is a signal, not just a bad habit. If you are tempted to procrastinate, it is just a signal that there is something unpleasant about the task you need to perform. Identify what that problem is and then plan how to overcome it.

Break Tasks into Manageable Steps

One challenge that leads to procrastination is a being overwhelmed by a large and seemingly unachievable goal or task. To fight procrastination and manage this large goal or task, yon can use the “chunking” method. You do this by dividing big projects into smaller, achievable tasks.

For example, I want to run my own speaking business. Doing so seems overwhelming and times impossible. But if I break this down into smaller tasks and milestones, it can seem much more achievable. Instead of focusing on the overall goal of building a business, I can focus on finding my first speaking engagement. I can also identify other steps, such as building my company’s website and writing the book I will sell as a speaker.

One thing to do when breaking down a large task into smaller pieces is to apply the Two-Minute Rule: if something takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. For example, if you identify that you need to send some quick emails as part of building your business or achieving your goal, simply send those emails right away instead of waiting until later.

Something else you can do when breaking down a task into more manageable steps is to celebrate small wins to build momentum. As you complete your smaller tasks that lead to the completion of your larger project, celebrate those wins. This will help to motivate you and to keep you going.

Create Systems for Focus and Accountability

Keeping yourself focused and accountable is another way to fight procrastination. I do this by creating a plan for my week every Sunday. What I do is that I identify what I commit to accomplishing during the week, and I set specific objectives for the week. I also identify my top three weekly priorities and my top three monthly priorities. I then schedule tasks every day of the week.

What this does for me is that I consciously schedule my goals and commitments during the week. This means I am intentional about choosing what to do and when to do it. It also helps me to remember to do what I committed to doing.

When you schedule your commitments, you are more likely to act on them. If you don’t schedule your commitments, it easier to skip them every week.

I also suggest you eliminate distractions to help you stay focused. When it comes time to do the task you scheduled on your calendar, put away your phone or other distractions, and commit to focusing on your scheduled task. This way you won’t be tempted to stop and check email or social media.

Build Discipline Through Consistency

Author and leadership expert John Maxwell teaches that “small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” This is a powerful message. If you embrace this idea, you can replace willpower with routines and habits.

For example, over the past few years I have developed the habit of weekly planning and daily journaling. This helps me to be more focused, consistent, and disciplined in achieving my goals and fulfilling my responsibilities.

One way to build consistency and develop positive habits is to reward your progress to reinforce positive behavior. If you celebrate not just your results, but the efforts you took to achieve those results, you will be more motivated to put in the effort to achieve your other goals and tasks.

Remember: consistency beats intensity over the long run.

Conclusion

Procrastination is not a character flaw but a challenge that can be managed. It is a signal that there is something unpleasant or difficult about the task you want to perform. Instead of being reactive and procrastinating, you can be proactive and implement strategies to deal with the issues that you are tempting you to procrastinate.

To get started with beating procrastination, begin with one small change today. That change could be scheduling your goals and tasks on your calendar. Or it could be identifying the triggers that lead you to procrastinate and creating strategies to deal with those triggers.

Remember, when dealing with procrastination, action creates clarity and momentum.