At some point, we have all googled “how to stop procrastinating?”, or better yet, you are reading this post even though there is a task you REALLY should be doing right now… Don’t worry, this is a judgement-free post. Also, the irony of this title is not lost on me.
People associate procrastination with being lazy, lack of organisational skills or my personal favourite “ I think you secretly enjoy stress…”
For a lot of people I know (myself included), it is not about being lazy. It’s not knowing where to start and feeling overwhelmed, or the task is difficult, and we choose to do something easier. We put it off until its almost too late, and we end up being awake at 1:00 in the morning gulping down our fourth cup of coffee, while listening to “3 HOURS of Gentle Night RAIN, Rain Sounds for Relaxing Sleep, insomnia, Meditation, Study, Rain” on YouTube… If all this sounds too specific, it is because I am describing myself, and that really is the full title of the YouTube video I continuously listen to in the hopes that I will get things done.
- Notion (FREE)
I discovered Notion via work. It was a tool we used to co-work together. However, it works for anyone, whether a student or a project manager. With the kanban-style templates on Notion, you can break your workload into smaller pieces and put them under the headings “Not Started”, “In Progress” and “Completed”. It’s very visual, and you can see what needs to be done. There is also nothing more satisfying than marking a task as completed.
2. Google Calendar (FREE)
Not just for people who have important meetings. When you have written down all that you need to complete, you need to set time to do them. use google calendar to schedule times for each task and estimate how long it is going to take you. Again, it’s very visual, and you get a reminder of when the tasks are about to begin. Added bonus, you might get the opportunity to say “hold on, let me go and check my calendar…”
3. Forest (FREE)
Forest is an app that plants a tree for the duration of the task you have set out to complete, over time you grow a forest. If you leave the app during your session, your tree dies, and you start over again. It also allows you to lock specific apps on your phone, and the best part is, there is an opportunity to plant a real tree.
4. WhatsApp (FREE)
I know you are thinking WTF, but hear me out.
Having an accountability partner can often make getting things done easier because there is someone you’re reporting to. I have recently dedicated 30 minutes a day to learning something new along with my friend. Every day at 20:30 latest, we WhatsApp each other to see if we’ve done it. We both anticipate this message, and not doing it often feels like you are letting the other person down.
5. Tupear (shameless plug)
The wonderful people at Tupear and myself understand that a lack of accountability often leads to procrastination, especially for students and those completing online courses. It can be hard to get your friends to hold you accountable as they too are procrastinating and you both bond over how you will most likely fail together. For those studying online, it is a lonely journey and motivation can be hard. In short, we are working on a product that will hopefully eliminate these issues by connecting learners with individuals outside their social circle/institutions. We believe by learning with such individuals not only will you get access to resources you would not usually, but you also will be exposed to new ways of approaching tasks and solving problems… I can’t say more than that at the moment, but we are so excited, and we will be keeping you updated on this mysterious thing that might just revolutionise your life (again, we are not promising you we will be the next Steve Jobs).
If you REALLY want to find more about it, you can shoot us an email at hello@tupear.co
Last words of wisdom, we all procrastinate, some more than others. What works for one person might not work for you. As long as you manage to get the work done before the due date, that is all that matters. I have a friend that treats herself to a snack when she completes a task. Personally, I would eat the whole bag of Doritos before I even begin.
A wise guru in the Himalayan mountains once said: “JUST DO IT” ✔
Your fellow procrastinator — Asma
