Lazy and unfocused? Is your mindset the barrier to productivity
Do you procrastinate the tasks you dread? It’s not uncommon to roll our eyes and walk away from our most tedious responsibilities. As a student, there have been numerous assignments that I have tried to complete as hurriedly as possible so as not to inconvenience my far more interesting social life. It seems almost impossible to find sufficient motivation for a multitude of responsibility.
So what are some ways we can discipline ourselves to stop procrastinating?
These tips transfer easily between school and the professional world. No matter what your tasks are, there are multiple ways in which you can find motivation.
How does your project benefit you?
A good way to stay motivated in any situation is to find reasons why the task at hand benefits you personally. In this way, we’re able to see it as a benefit rather than an obligation. Often, the smaller tasks that we accomplish contribute to a much larger goal.
As a student, each individual assignment I complete makes a contribution towards my final mark in a course. Though it can be tempting to procrastinate a single assignment, knowing the impact my lack of discipline will have on my overall mark drives me to get each task done. My bigger goal, as a student, is passing my courses in order to graduate. If I fall behind on assignments, turn them in late, or don’t get them done at all, this goal will not be accomplished.
I know it’s essential for me to set aside time for each of my responsibilities because I’m able to understand the bigger picture. Knowing how individual tasks will impact my long-term goal not only gives me a sense of urgency towards them, but forces me to designate enough time in my schedule to complete these projects to the best of my ability.
I encourage you to find some reasons why your most dreaded tasks benefit you, and watch how your attitude towards them changes.
How does it benefit those around you?
Whether a student like me or an individual working in the professional world, everyone has a responsibility to other people. In any work environment, the various members of the company or institution rely on each other to ensure the overall success of the business.
When I’m completing a paper, I have the responsibility as a student to hand it in on time, in order to give my professor the time to mark it. Handing in the paper by its deadline benefits me because I will receive the mark I deserve, but it also enables the professor to mark the papers on their own timeline.
In the professional world, not only are there managers, owners, and other people of authority to consider, but there’s a dependency between coworkers in order to get each project done efficiently and thoroughly.
Who do you owe it to, to get your work done?
How is your mindset hindering your productivity?
It’s important to be mindful of how easy it is to become negative when faced with a difficult or dreadful task. Naturally, when our stress levels rise, it’s easy to become resentful towards the responsibilities at hand. Acknowledging that you’re either being hard on yourself or are growing bitter towards a specific situation will help stop you from becoming overwhelmed by the stress of it. Nobody wants to spend time doing something they feel negatively about. Negativity often makes tasks feel meaningless and dreadful, even if they’re not. Overcoming procrastination is a journey, and realizing this gives you room to allow your mindset to shift to a more positive space, consequently making you a more motivated person!
Everyone has tasks to accomplish, and responsibilities to handle. Gaining an understanding of the significance of your task as well as your own mindset towards the project are simple steps that can stop your cycle of procrastination.
So reflect: is your attitude towards your projects helping or hindering your productivity?
What kinds of things do you put off doing? Thanks for reading don’t forget to share/tweet/like our blog just underneath this paragraph. And don’t forget, we’re always here to help with your business productivity needs.
Lauren Dempsey is a student and writer who blogs for CornerStone Dynamics Inc. Lauren’s blogs explore the editorial calendar from a student’s perspective.
