Part 2: I Procrastinated Writing This!

Hi!

How is everybody doing??? My old co-worker gave birth to a beautiful baby girl yesterday! Here she is at 6lbs 12 oz:

                                                                       

(Excuse the poor image quality.  I took it with my BlackBerry without flash!)

Isn’t she precious!!?? What a blessing.

As promised, here are some fabulous tips on beating procrastination!!

Missed Part 1: I Procrastinated Writing This! ?

Time Management

I sometimes struggle with time management.  I leave big, overwhelming projects to the last minute and FREAK OUT when I realize how much work I have to do in so little time.  It creates so much avoidable anxiety. 

When I was an undergraduate, studying for exams was the worst! I wouldn’t allot enough time for study sessions, stay up terribly late, wake up at an ungodly hour, and intensely overcaffeinate myself.  Tired + Stressed Jewels = Cranky + Snacky Jewels!  Not good!!

Now that I’m a soon to be graduate student, I have been working on beating my procrastination.  Although I just received the school’s request for immunization records and proof of NYS residency on Monday, I already got everything squared away today!  It’s a good feeling to scratch things off my To Do List.

 

One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to get organized. Make lists, take a class in organization, or purchase an organizer. Do whatever works for you.

 

• Make a list of what needs to get done. Just writing/typing it out will surely reduce some stress.  I keep my To Do List saved on my BlackBerry so when the urge strikes, I whip it out and type tasks right in. 

• Prioritize these. You might want to make deadlines.  Having deadlines may encourage you to work harder and more diligently since you know you have to get it completed. On the other hand, some people don’t work as well under pressure so they have to make sure they aren’t putting things off and doing things last minute when deadlines are a factor.

• Use a calendar. I personally use my BlackBerry to keep all my dates in order.  (I swear I’m not working for BlackBerry, LOL)  You may wish to use a bound notebook and write in dates as you go. Post-Its might also work for you.  Make sure to separate short term commitments from long term ones to help you focus.

• Divide large tasks it into smaller tasks. Let’s say I had to study 12 chapters for a final exam.  I would break it down to 1-2 chapters a day and make a good outline of each chapter, highlighting the key points.  My outlines helped me significantly!  Outlines can be written or typed up and are so much more portable than a big textbook or notebook. 

Sometimes, big projects are just too overwhelming to handle all at once.  Spread out smaller tasks over a period of time. Write this in your calendar with specific dates for accomplishing each. Include your deadline for completion of this task on your calendar as well.

• Be careful to not overbook yourself and allow plenty of time for delays. This is CRUCIAL! Assume that there’s always going to be some kind of setback, whether it is minor or major.  Allotting time for said setbacks could save you from missing deadlines.  Even if there are no setbacks, you will finish project before deadline and may have enough time for a glass of wine!  You’ll feel confident that you can accomplish all you need to in the time you have.  Relax and work on one item at a time without feeling you have to do it all at once.

 

 

So, what are YOUR beat procrastination tips??

Do you prefer paper and pen to jot down your To Do List and add notes to your Calendar?

xoxo,

Jewels

 

ps. www.LoveVeggiesandYoga.com is Giving Away 12 ProBars. Go Enter Now!