This is how to cure your procrastination habit.
First, break down your task into smaller bite sized pieces. Smaller tasks are less daunting,
easier to plan for within a busy schedule, and you can overcome the activation energy
of getting started. And we all know getting started is the hardest part.
Second, set the bar low. Set the goal to something that is easily attainable, which helps build
positive momentum and a habit. When it becomes an automatic habit, procrastination is no
longer a problem.
Third, hack pleasure from the experience. If you're studying, give yourself a small
reward upon task completion, or listen to instrumental music while working. Check out
my favorites on my Spotify Study Playlist.
Fourth, use Parkinson's law to your advantage, which states that work expands to fill the
time allotted to it. Use time constraints to increase efficiency. Allot too much time
and you'll be wasteful – allot too little time and you'll find yourself stressed and
not any more productive. Finding the sweet spot is where the magic happens.
And fifth, be deliberate with your study environment. The biggest obstacles in you procrastinating
are your distractions. Willpower isn't the answer – environmental optimization is.