by In this article, I’m going to be showing you how to get stuff done when you really, REALLY don’t want to.
Make it urgent
So let’s get straight to technique number one and that’s to make it urgent.
Urgency gets people to act fast.
It’s the reason why Black Friday gets so stressful and limited-time offers work so well.
So let’s use this technique to our advantage.
If you have something you need to get done, but it’s boring, difficult, or intimidating. Make it urgent by scheduling it in right before something else that simply cannot be moved.
For example, say you’ve got a blog post to write but you’ve been putting it off.
Schedule to do it right before you have a doctor’s appointment, or you’re attending an event (online or offline), or you’re meeting a friend.
This way the urgency is real and you won’t have any excuse but to get your task done.
Set a reward or punishment
If this fails to get you to act, set yourself a reward for getting it done, or a punishment if you don’t.
You know which you respond better to, so work with that and either create an irresistible reward, or an absolutely horrible punishment.
- Your reward could be watching a film later in the day, or some time to spend on your hobby.
- Your punishment could be giving someone a chunk of cash or even not getting the reward you set for yourself.
You do you.
Make it easy to start
If this doesn’t work, make the task so easy to start, you can’t help but keep going.
Usually, the first 5 minutes are the hardest especially if it’s something you absolutely don’t want to do, so make those first 5 minutes, super easy.
Say you really don’t want to clean the bathroom, to give yourself the best chance possible of getting it done, make the first thing you do something super small and easy to get you going.
By the time you’ve done that, you may as well finish the job.
In this case, you could get the cleaning supplies and put them in the bathroom.
Once you’ve done that, you might as well clean the bathroom.
If you needed to write an essay, get out your books and notes and put them on your desk.
Make each task small and to give you quick wins, once you’ve passed the initial difficult 5 minutes, you’ll be sailing.
Pair up difficult and enjoyable things
If these still don’t work for you, pair up your difficult thing, with something you can’t wait to do.
For example, say you need to take the recycling out but you really don’t want to.
Then couple taking the recycling out with going on a walk, or going to the shop for a treat. Something you like doing outside.
Do the same for any task you don’t want to do.
Pair it with something you do want to do and let the hard task, ride on the back of the enjoyable one.
Okay so now you’ve learned some techniques. Don’t just close this page and find another.
Don’t procrastinate, go and get doing.
But before you do, tell me your techniques for how to get stuff done in the comments and I’ll see you back here soon.
