The report that usually took you half an hour now ends up taking two.

Even though you’re working at home, you find that you get less done than before - you’re stopping to put the washing on, have a quick hoover around the house, or text a friend.

Before you know it, two hours have gone by, and the report’s still not done. You felt frustrated with yourself and annoyed that you still haven’t got the task done.

How can you stop procrastinating at work?

There are some tried and tested ways to boost your productivity and get stuff done. It’s not just as easy as forcing yourself to stop; more so uncovering the ways as to why you’re procrastinating in the first place and working out ways to become more effective and productive in the meantime.

Uncover any limiting beliefs:

Do you secretly feel unsure of how to approach your work? We often procrastinate when something is out of our comfort zone, or we have to experience a difficult emotion to get to work and get things done.
Also, we often procrastinate when something isn’t in line with our values. It keeps slipping down our list because, perhaps in the big scheme of things, it’s not all that important to us.

Decipher for yourself whether you’re putting it off because it feels too big of a reach for you, or whether you’re just not aligned to completing that type of work anymore.

You may even be putting it off because you’re subconsciously scared of messing it up, which is an element of perfectionism. 

Look at the big picture:

When does your procrastination arise? By spotting patterns over time, you’ll soon learn more about yourself and how to beat procrastination before it takes over. For example, if you find yourself procrastinating in the afternoons, make sure you get your most important work done in the mornings when you’re more energised.

Doubling your productivity is really about learning when you’re most effective and focused. For example, if you’re feeling alive and refreshed when you get back from your morning walk, that time is going to be the most valuable in terms of how much you’ll get done.

Break your task into components:

Sometimes we procrastinate because the task seems too lengthy or arduous even to get started. It looks like something we’re going to be tackling for months, or perhaps even years. If that’s the case, try small chunks.

What one thing can you do this week to make a start? If it’s a task, you dislike doing, just completing a tiny amount each day will feel more manageable than sitting down and trying to face it all head-on. It’s essential to write it down, schedule it, and commit to it.

Remember, emotions do not define you:

Just because something feels difficult, it doesn’t mean you have to put it off. Lean into the discomfort. Your mood does not affect your ability to function- unless you believe it to be the case. If you can only do a little bit, then that’s okay.

The most important thing is to keep showing up. So many let procrastination run wild and take one day or week of procrastination as a reason to beat themselves up and feel bad, which unfortunately does nothing but to reinforce the belief that we can’t do the task, or it’s too complicated.

Even if you do slip back into procrastination mode now and again, by getting back up as soon as you slip back will double your level of productivity, as you’re continuing to commit yourself to show up, no matter if it feels hard.