But if you find yourself constantly avoiding tasks you need to do, it's probably time for some self-evaluation.
Here are several simple ways to help get motivated, stop procrastinating and get started on those tasks you've been avoiding.
When people put off a task repeatedly, it's often because they are making the task out to be something much bigger or much more serious than it is. It's time to stop this thinking. Don’t catastrophize the task. Put it into proportion. It may help to develop a mantra to remind you that the task isn't so bad and repeat it to yourself. Here’s one I use: Nothing is the end of the world except the end of the world.
Avoiding a task could be because you are focusing on the short-term annoyances in having to stop what you’re doing (watching TV? surfing the web? checking your email?). It's time to focus on the long-term gains of what completing that task will do for you. Visualize how you will feel after you've completed the task and all the benefits you will experience.
If you are putting off a massive task, it may be because it just seems too big to handle all at once. Do yourself a favor and break the task up into smaller, more manageable tasks. You'll probably feel less overwhelmed and can conquer the task much easier than you could before.
If you constantly tell yourself that you will do something "someday" or "when I have free time," there’s a good likelihood that “someday” never arrives and ”free time” never shows up. Now is the time to make a schedule and set a deadline. Schedule a time to complete each of the tasks you need to get done or each part of the bigger tasks you chunked down (see “Chunk it’). And when you finish the task, reward yourself.
Becoming and staying motivated can be challenging, especially when it is a task you don't necessarily want to do. But with a shift in mindset and breaking it down into more manageable pieces, you can accomplish it. Set a deadline for your tasks and start today! Now is the time.
