Jeff here…

When it comes to procrastination, I don't fool around.  Not even on April Fool's Day!

Procrastination was one of my biggest obstacles to becoming more successful. Continually putting off important tasks has a ripple effect on everything that you need to do. The more you put off working, the more behind you get with everything else.  Eventually something either goes undone, or you’re forced to rush through your tasks and not do the best you can.

Therefore, it’s imperative that you learn to stop procrastinating now!  Here are four tips to help you start today:

1) Break Down Your Tasks

Tasks can often seem very overwhelming. Going from start to finish seems like such a long journey, often times it’s hard to get started.  That’s why it’s a good idea to break down your tasks into smaller jobs.

By breaking down your tasks, what you’re actually doing is working toward your ultimate goal by accomplishing several smaller goals along the way. These smaller goals should include what you want to get done each and every day. This way you are able to chip away a little bit at a time, and you never feel like the job is too big.

However, it’s not enough to merely set several smaller goals; you have to take it a step further. And that brings us to the next tip.

2) Write Down Your Goals

Not only do you have to plan out smaller goals that lead up to your ultimate goal, but you also have to write down your goals. Writing down your goals does two things: it helps keep you organized, and it makes you keep to your schedule.

Since you’re setting so many goals, writing all of them down will help you remember them as well as keep track of your progress. Writing down goals will also make them feel real to you and will help you stay true to meeting each goal, each and every day.

3) Eliminate Distractions

We all complete daily tasks from the comfort of our own homes. While this is a great thing for many reasons, it’s also something that promotes procrastination. The reason for this is simple:  Distraction.

Perhaps you have children or a spouse that you would rather spend time with.  Maybe the television is showing a movie you’d love to watch. The internet itself is full of distractions such as informational sites, entertainment sites and public forums.

So it’s up to you to recognize these distractions – especially the ones that influence you the most – and to get rid of them. Have a spot where you work that is free from distractions.  Wear earphones to block out the noise.  Do whatever it takes to eliminate them. 

4) Work in Blocks

Just as it’s often hard to tackle a major project, it’s also hard to commit to working for several hours at a time. Since it is much more tempting to put off working when you are required to keep at it for hours on end, break down the work into blocks of twenty to forty minutes. Find a timeframe that works best for you.

In between blocks of working, you can take a five to fifteen minute break. Use this time to get away from the task at hand and do something else. You can even allow yourself to do the things that usually serve as distractions. That way you’re killing two birds with one stone.

Stop procrastinating today!

Procrastinating, or putting off what you have to do, is a common problem for almost everyone. It’s especially a problem for those of us who are our own boss. You can stop procrastinating right away by breaking down your tasks, writing down your goals, eliminating distractions and working in blocks.