We’re All Guilty of Wasting Time

According to a study on motivation, researchers found that abstract thinking is an effective method to help with discipline. While “dreaming big” is sound advice, you need to balance that with intrinsic motivators.

The answer to this problem  - “micro quotas” and “macro goals.” This means that your goals should be your big-picture items. But, quotas are the minimum amount of work you must do daily to make your bigger goals a reality. Simply put, quotas make each day approachable. And your goals become achievable because of this.

Multitasking is ineffective and one of the biggest time wasters around. That’s because the human brain can only focus on one thing at a time.

Do one thing at a time. Eliminate distractions. Create a priority list. And, take frequent breaks.

Think about your day as if you leave tomorrow on a long cruise with no Internet connection. What do you do? Do you delegate? What do you ditch?

Suddenly, you’re hyper-aware and more efficient because the stakes are higher. You’re not spending time on things that don’t need to get done.

Deadlines are able to control procrastination. Here’s the kicker, though. You need to announce that deadline to someone who will keep you accountable.

Time frames create a sense of urgency, and build momentum. If there is no deadline there is no urgency, and whatever you are working towards might never happen.

Self-forgiveness for procrastinating can reduce future procrastination. 

We often avoid doing things that make us feel bad. That pent-up guilt of wasting time will keep repeating. But, if you forgive yourself, you’ll be able to break that cycle.

The idea is to go hard at a task for a set period of time, and then take a short break. After you’ve completed four pomodoros, take a longer break of between 15 and 30 minutes.”

The Pomodoro Technique is supposed to improve concentration and avoid multitasking. At the same time, those breaks are meant to reset and refresh your brain.

• Low task value. These are the tasks that we view as low value. When a task is unpleasant or boring, we try to tie it with a more enjoyable activity. Using deadlines or the two-minute rule can help get around this.
• Personality. Some people are more impulsive and easily distracted than others. Know your triggers and look for ways to keep them at bay.
• Expectations. When you expect to complete a task easily, you’re less likely to procrastinate. Go back to the two-minute rule and get it done.
• Goal failure. Fear of failure is prominent in procrastinators. Work on building your confidence so that you get small wins. As a result, you can build momentum and overcome procrastination.