How to BEAT procrastination for good!

There are times, when I’m the queen of procrastination. It’s usually when I’ve got a big project on the go or I’m stressing about something. That’s when the block comes down, the want to do something is there but the actual get up and go, well that’s long got up and gone.

You know the feeling right? You’re ready, your hair is in a bun, you’ve got your yoga pants on, a hot cup of tea but then you open your laptop or turn on your computer and poof, that inspiration has gone and you’re just sat looking at a blank page – or scrolling through Facebook or the hundredth time.

Well thanks to *Bach™ Original Flower Remedies and life coach, Sophia Davis here are some top tips and advice on putting paid to procrastination, so that you can get the job done today rather than putting it off until tomorrow.

1- Pre-empt your potential pitfalls. Become aware of the triggers that lead you to procrastinate. Do you run away from boredom or failure, or do you move away from something that appears too easy or too hard? Know what your patterns are, and find ways to support yourself through them. For example, if it feels too complicated, ask for help. If it feels boring, find ways to make it more interesting.

2- See procrastination for what it is – a pattern of behaviour, a habit to put things off. Once you see it for what it is, you have a choice to choose a different behaviour. Try sourcing an accountability buddy – someone you can speak to about your tasks and who you can share your successes with when you’ve completed something. We don’t like letting other people down, so you’ll feel more obliged to get on with things promptly if you know you’ve got to report back to your friend/colleague. Continue reading “How to BEAT procrastination for good!”

A quick happiness and productivity hack…

I read a great thing on The Pool last week and it’s prompted me to make a major digital change. The POWER PASSWORD – seriously, this will give you an instant happiness and productivity boost.

Struggling with a nightmare boss, a nightmare colleague and quite a serious step up in terms of responsibilities, this woman found going into work really difficult and the task seemed impossible.

And then she had a really smart idea. She changed her work computer login password to “I can do it”. So everyday, when she sat her desk, terrified, anxious and overwhelmed, she had to physically type the words reassuring her that she was capable.

Serena Williams also uses motivational phrases as her passwords too as she shared in a recent interview.

I started using affirmations as the passwords to my phone and my computer. (No, I’m not going to tell you what my current affirmation is!) You should try it. You’ll be surprised how many times a day you log in and have an opportunity to trigger the positivity. I love that I can use technology that way. – Wired

Think about it, a password is used to unlock something so by typing it out you’re giving yourself a daily reminder that you can do this and it will increase your happiness and productivity levels. Plus, it’s quick, so spend 10 minutes today changing all your passwords to something that will inspire and motivate you every day.

5 things to do on a Friday for a better Monday

In my quest to be the ultimate productivity ninja, I regularly try out new ways of working. But one thing I’ve done for quite a while is make sure that I have a Friday ritual of planning for the week ahead.

Now, I know that you’re probably having a #FRIYAY moment so you don’t really want to be thinking about Monday morning, BUT I promise, the advice I’m about to give will help you enjoy the weekend more.

How you end the week seriously impacts on how you start the next week. So if you want to have a great weekend here is what you should do every Friday afternoon.

Give yourself credit for what you’ve done this week.
When you look at your to-do list and see a whole bunch of items that are yet to have the highlighter treatment then it can be disheartening. But look at what you HAVE achieved this week. By acknowledging what you HAVE achieved will give your happiness levels a boost and will spur you on to get back on track when Monday arrives.

Schedule your Monday to-do list on Friday.
Write your to-do list for Monday on Friday. By getting your to-do list done not only do you hit the ground running on Monday but you also give your brain a rest over the weekend as you’re not mulling over what needs to be done. Continue reading “5 things to do on a Friday for a better Monday”

I challenge you to start using the 2 minute rule

I want to introduce you to one of my favourite productivity tips. This tip will help you crush procrastination and also encourage you to pick up and stick to some good habits.

Introducing the 2 minute rule

If you have a task that can be done in 2 minutes then do it right now, without delay.

When you start shifting the small things out of your life then you’ll find that you feel less bogged down and it will boost your creativity and productivity.

Most of the tasks we have to do on a daily basis aren’t difficult or complex, they’re small things like making your bed, emptying the dishwasher, reading an email, opening your post, hanging up your clothes etc But even though they may seem small combined they actually make a huge difference and by not doing them, it could stop you moving forward with the bigger tasks.

You may be thinking that things like hanging up your coat or making your bed when you get up in the morning doesn’t make a difference but by using your two minutes wisely and getting those small tasks done then you’re opening up the time to tackle the big stuff.

And you know what the greatest thing about the 2 minute rule is? It just fits in to your life. You don’t have to schedule the time in or think about it, you just get up and do them.

The two minute rule doesn’t just have to apply to the mundane tasks either. Believe it or not two minutes can have a profound effect any larger projects you may have going on.

For example; if you want to become a better writer then sit down and vow to write for two minutes. Once you get started you’ve broken that seal and you’ll either keep on writing or you’ll have written at least 120 words which is a grand start.

Or maybe you want to start eating better…challenge yourself to throw together a salad in two minutes for your lunch or your dinner. This can be done whilst you’re waiting for the kettle to boil and if you do this then you have already made a huge step towards eating healthy.

The two minute rule is about freeing up your mind and getting those little things done and out of the way and organising your life without making a big deal of it.

Seriously, give is a try and let me know how you get on!