Skillopedia - 08 effective ways to overcome procrastination - Time management skills

Summary

In this insightful video from Skillopedia, Ceema addresses the common issue of procrastination and offers practical advice on overcoming this habit. The video explains that procrastination often stems from a lack of deadlines, insufficient resources, lack of passion for the task, feeling overwhelmed by the size of the task, or fear of failure. To combat this, Ceema suggests prioritizing important tasks, delegating non-essential work, adopting the 'DO IT NOW' mantra for quick tasks, seeking advice when needed, breaking down large tasks into manageable parts, setting clear deadlines, rewarding oneself upon completion of milestones, and eliminating distractions. These strategies are aimed at helping viewers become more successful by avoiding procrastination and effectively managing their time and responsibilities.

Takeaways

• 📅 **Deadlines are Crucial**: Setting a deadline can prevent procrastination by providing a clear timeline for task completion.
• 📚 **Resources Matter**: Having the right resources and knowledge is essential to avoid delaying tasks due to lack of preparation.
• 🔥 **Passion for Work**: A lack of passion for a task can lead to procrastination; finding interest in what you do can help overcome this.
• 🤔 **Overwhelm Management**: Breaking down large tasks into smaller, manageable parts can reduce feelings of being overwhelmed and help you start working.
• 😨 **Fear of Failure**: Addressing the fear of failure can prevent putting off tasks; understanding that mistakes are part of the learning process is key.
• ✅ **Prioritize Tasks**: Focus on important tasks and eliminate non-essential ones to manage time and energy effectively.
• 👥 **Delegation is Key**: Delegating tasks that are not part of your core responsibilities can reduce your workload and prevent unnecessary delays.
• 🔨 **Do It Now**: Adopting a 'DO IT NOW' mentality for quick tasks can help in reducing anxiety and getting things done promptly.
• 🙏 **Ask for Advice**: Seeking advice from experts or mentors can provide guidance and make task completion more efficient.
• 📝 **Break Tasks Down**: Chopping up larger tasks into smaller segments can make them less daunting and easier to tackle.
• ⏰ **Set Clear Deadlines**: Establishing clear deadlines and milestones can provide structure and help in planning and avoiding procrastination.
• 🎉 **Reward Yourself**: Rewarding yourself upon completion of milestones can motivate you and reinforce positive work habits.
• 🚫 **Eliminate Distractions**: Working in an environment free from distractions and with supportive people can enhance focus and productivity.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video transcript?

The main topic of the video transcript is procrastination, its causes, and ways to overcome it.

Why is it important to overcome procrastination according to the speaker?

It is important to overcome procrastination because successful people always avoid it, and it can lead to anxiety and a lack of productivity.

What is one common reason for procrastination mentioned in the transcript?

One common reason for procrastination mentioned is the absence of a deadline, which leads to a lack of prioritization for the work.

What is the significance of setting priorities in overcoming procrastination?

Setting priorities is significant because it helps to focus on important tasks first and eliminate less important ones, which can reduce the tendency to procrastinate.

Why is it suggested to delegate work to others if it's not part of one's responsibility?

Delegating work that is not part of one's responsibility can reduce the burden of work and make life easier, allowing more time and energy to be focused on essential tasks.

What is the mantra 'DO IT NOW' meant to address?

The mantra 'DO IT NOW' is meant to address the anxiety and procrastination that comes from postponing tasks. It encourages immediate action to complete tasks quickly.

How can asking for advice help in overcoming procrastination?

Asking for advice can provide guidance on how to begin, proceed, or complete a task effectively, which can prevent the feeling of being overwhelmed and the tendency to procrastinate.

What does the speaker suggest as a method to make large tasks more manageable?

The speaker suggests breaking down or chopping up large tasks into smaller parts to make them more manageable and less overwhelming.

Why is it recommended to establish clear deadlines for tasks?

Establishing clear deadlines helps in planning and organizing work effectively, and it prevents the temptation to delay tasks until later.

How can setting milestones and sharing them with others help in avoiding procrastination?

Setting milestones and sharing them with others creates a sense of accountability, which can motivate one to meet the deadlines and avoid procrastination.

What is the role of rewards in the process of overcoming procrastination?

Rewards serve as a form of positive reinforcement that can motivate individuals to complete tasks and milestones, thus helping to avoid procrastination.

Why is it important to remove distractions when working on tasks?

Removing distractions allows for better focus and concentration on the work, which can increase productivity and reduce the likelihood of procrastination.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Understanding and Overcoming Procrastination

Ceema from Skillopedia introduces the concept of procrastination, explaining that it involves delaying important tasks for later. They discuss common reasons for procrastination, such as the absence of a deadline, lack of resources, no passion for the task, feeling overwhelmed by the size of the task, and fear of failure. Ceema emphasizes the importance of overcoming procrastination for success and offers strategies to counter it, including prioritizing important tasks, delegating unimportant ones, and setting clear deadlines.

05:01

😌 Strategies to Combat Procrastination

The second paragraph delves into actionable strategies to overcome procrastination. It suggests delegating tasks that are not part of one's core responsibilities to reduce workload. The mantra 'DO IT NOW' is introduced to tackle anxiety caused by postponing tasks. Asking for advice from supervisors, coaches, or experts is encouraged to simplify the task process. Breaking down large tasks into smaller, manageable parts is recommended to make them less intimidating. Establishing clear deadlines and milestones can help with planning and accountability. The importance of rewarding oneself upon completion of tasks is highlighted to motivate and prevent future procrastination. Lastly, the paragraph advises on removing distractions and creating a conducive work environment.

10:03

🎓 Conclusion and Encouragement for Personal Growth

In the concluding paragraph, the speaker wraps up the session on overcoming procrastination, hoping that the audience finds the information valuable for leading a successful life and career. They encourage applying the learned skills and look forward to sharing more lessons on various skills in future sessions. The speaker reminds the audience to subscribe to Skillopedia for continuous learning.

Keywords

💡Procrastination

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or actions, often to a later time that is perceived as more convenient. In the context of the video, it is identified as a bad habit that can hinder success and productivity. The video discusses various reasons for procrastination and offers strategies to overcome it.

💡Deadline

A deadline is a fixed time or date by which something should be completed. The video emphasizes the importance of deadlines in preventing procrastination by providing a clear timeframe for task completion. Without a deadline, as mentioned in the script, there is a tendency to not prioritize work, leading to procrastination.

💡Resources

Resources refer to the assets or information required to perform a task or complete a project. The video points out that lacking the right resources, such as knowledge or materials, can lead to procrastination. An example given is not having the information to bake a cake, which may cause someone to delay the task.

💡Passion

Passion is a strong interest or enthusiasm for a particular subject or activity. The script discusses how a lack of passion for a given task can result in procrastination. If someone is not interested in the project they are assigned, they are more likely to put off working on it.

💡Overwhelm

Feeling overwhelmed implies being excessively burdened or stressed by the scale or complexity of a task. In the video, it is mentioned that a task that seems too large can cause anxiety and fear, leading to procrastination. The speaker advises breaking down tasks to make them more manageable.

💡Failure

Fear of failure is the apprehension or anxiety about not succeeding or performing well in a task. The video identifies this fear as a reason why some people procrastinate. They may avoid starting a job because they worry about the negative consequences of failing.

💡Prioritization

Prioritization is the process of arranging tasks or activities in order of importance or urgency. The video stresses that to avoid procrastination, one should focus on setting priorities and choosing important work first. This helps in managing time effectively and ensuring that critical tasks are not delayed.

💡Delegation

Delegation is the act of assigning tasks or responsibilities to another person. The script suggests that if a task is not part of one's core responsibilities, it can be delegated to others. This helps in reducing the workload and preventing procrastination by focusing on essential tasks.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, often about an imminent event or uncertainty. The video mentions that postponing tasks can create anxiety, as one constantly worries about when and how they will complete the work. The advice given is to adopt the 'DO IT NOW' mantra to alleviate this anxiety.

💡Advice

Advice is guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent future action. The speaker in the video encourages asking for advice when faced with a task that seems daunting or unfamiliar. Seeking advice from supervisors, coaches, or experts can provide clarity on how to approach and complete the task efficiently.

💡Deadlines and Milestones

Deadlines and milestones are specific times or points at which certain objectives are to be achieved. The video recommends establishing clear deadlines and milestones for tasks to create a structured plan and to hold oneself accountable. Sharing these with others can provide additional motivation and a sense of responsibility.

💡Reward

A reward is something given in recognition of service, effort, or achievement. The video suggests that rewarding oneself upon completion of a task or milestone can serve as a positive reinforcement and help in avoiding procrastination. Rewards can be as simple as a treat or a break, which can boost morale and motivation.

💡Distractions

Distractions are things that divert attention or reduce focus on a task. The script highlights the importance of removing distractions to effectively work and avoid procrastination. It recommends working in an environment conducive to concentration and being around people who support rather than distract from the work.

Highlights

Procrastination is defined as delaying important tasks for a later date or time.

Successful people avoid procrastination, which is crucial for success.

Lack of a deadline is a common reason for procrastination, as it prevents prioritization of tasks.

Insufficient resources or knowledge can lead to putting off tasks due to feeling unprepared.

A lack of passion for a task can result in procrastination.

Overwhelm and anxiety about the size of a task can lead to procrastination.

Fear of failure can cause individuals to delay work.

Eliminating unimportant tasks can help avoid procrastination by focusing on priorities.

Delegating tasks that are not part of one's responsibilities can reduce the workload and procrastination.

The mantra 'DO IT NOW' can help in overcoming procrastination by reducing anxiety and accomplishing tasks quickly.

Asking for advice from the right people can simplify tasks and improve efficiency.

Breaking down large tasks into smaller parts makes them more manageable and reduces procrastination.

Establishing clear deadlines and milestones can help in planning and avoiding the temptation to delay work.

Sharing your deadlines with others can provide accountability and further discourage procrastination.

Rewarding oneself upon completion of tasks or milestones can motivate and deter future procrastination.

Removing distractions and working in a focused environment can improve productivity.

Applying these methods can lead to a successful life and career by overcoming procrastination.

Transcripts

Hi this is Ceema . Welcome to Skillopedia. The place to learn skills for the real world.

Well in my hand is my to do list for today. The first thing I've got to do today is, Go

to the bank. Then I've got to take my dog for a walk, Then Iv'e got to take my parents

out for lunch. And then Iv'e gotta get my nails done and lastly Iv'e gotta go and study.

You know what I'm not gonna do that today, I'm just gonna rest today, I'm gonna do all

of this maybe next week. Are you like me? Is it what you also do? Do you delay things

for a later time? If you do things like that you have a very bad habit of Procrastinating.

Yes procrastination is basically delaying important things for a later date or a later

time. Well, today we are going to learn, Why we procrastinate? And how we are going to

overcome this very bad habit. It is important that we overcome this habit, because successful

people always, always avoid procrastination.

Ever wondered, Why you delay work or why you procrastinate? Well, one of the very common

reasons is because there is no deadline. Imagine getting some work and not being told, when

you've gotta finish that work by. That's not a good thing because you don't tend to set

priority for that work. You can finish the work whenever you want, you can begin the

work whenever you want and therefore you always procrastinate, because there is no deadline.

Sometimes you don' t have the right resources. Imagine your mum tells you to bake a cake

for your little brother. She gives you the items required to bake the cake. You have

the time to bake the cake, but you don't have the information or the knowledge to do that,

so you don't have the right amount of resources available. Therefore you might just put off

work for a later time and therefore you procrastinate.

Sometimes you don't have passion, you lack passion for the work that you are given to

do, that's another reason why you procrastinate. If your boss tell you to do a project and

you are not interested in the project, you will procrastinate, lack of passion for the

work you are given. Sometimes the task that is given to you is so big or it may feel very

big to you and therefore you are overwhelmed. So you get scared to do the work, you are

anxious , you dont know where to begin, you don't know how to finish, because the entire

task seems so big, so overwhelming and therefore you might just scared and procrastinate and

just say that you gonna do it at a later time and therefore delay a very important task.

And last of all there are some people who are scared, they are scared of failing, you

give them a job to do but, they are worried that if they fail it may have a negative impact

on their career or any other thing and therefore they would rather not do their work and keep

it or put it of for a later time. But now I am gonna show you different and very effective

ways to overcome procrastination, this way I can guarantee you will get your work done now.

The main important thing to note, if you want to avoid procrastination or the habit of delaying

important work is to delete or do away with work that is not important. Do you know when

you have a lot of work to do in a day, not all those jobs are equally important or as

important as each other. Therefore you need to know the art of only choosing that work

that is important. In other words you've got to set your priorities, choose important work

first and do away with work which is not important.

Another very important thing that you need to understand is that you can actually delegate

work to somebody else. To do that you've to ask yourself a question - Is this job really

part of my responsibility? Is it part of my job description? If the answer to that questions

is 'no', guess what, you can actually delegate or give that work to someone else, so that

the burden of work falls a little for yourself, which again makes your life a whole lot easier.

Do you know that when you postpone a particular activity you are very anxious, yes it creates

feelings of anxiety, you keep worrying throughout the day, when am I gonna finish it? What if

I don't finish it? What's gonna happen? Well, therefore I believe in the very important

mantra, which is called - DO IT NOW. If there is a job you van get done quickly, you must

do it now. This way you will remove all feelings of anxiety and get the work accomplished within

a matter of minutes or perhaps within an hour.

A lot of people have this really bad habit of not asking for advice, your life can become

little bit more simpler , if you simply make yourself humble and ask for advice. When you

have a job to do if you are not sure of how to begin, or how to go through or finish the

job, you have a supervisor, if you have a coach or a trainer or an expert, you can actually

get advice and learn to get the job done in a much more effective way. Therefore if you

wanna get your job done, it is very important to ask for advice from the right people.

The fifth very important thing to note if you want to avoid procrastination is 'Breaking

up or chopping up the job. Well, what is it to chop up a job? Do you know when you have

some amount of work to do it looks really big, right? However if you break that really

big job into little parts it's going to be ridiculously simple to actually get that work

done. Therefore you must always breakdown or chop up your jobs into different parts

in order to accomplish them more effectively and much faster.

The sixth important point to avoid procrastination is to make or establish clear deadlines. Well,

you must establish or make deadlines or let's say milestones for the different kind of work

that you are going to do on a everyday basis. Well why do you do that? Because if you know

when you are gonna finish what work, that way you can plan accordingly and avoid the

temptation to delay the work for a a later time. In fact I would also suggest that you

let people know of the deadlines or the milestones that you are setting out to accomplish, that

way they can also hold you accountable if you don't meet deadlines or the milestones

that you have set up for yourself.

I would always encourage you to reward yourself, when you have successfully delivered the work

depending on the deadline you have set for yourself , you must reward yourself, right?

So whenever you complete any particular milestone, give yourself a reward, take yourself out

for lunch, you know, buy a little something for yourself, that way you will make yourself

feel a little bit better and believe that will go a long way in avoiding procrastination

in the future.

It is also very important that you remove any kind of distractions when you are working.

When you procrastinate you are probably in an environment which does not allow you to

work very effectively, therefore try to work in a place where you van focus on your work,

try to be with people who will help you with your work and not distract you. These are

the ways you can actually overcome procrastination and get your work done effectively.

That's it from me on this session on ways to overcome procrastination or putting off

work for a later time, I hope you found it very informative and you are going to apply

it to have a successful life and a successful career. I will be back with some more lessons, some

more skills. Don't forget to subscribe to SKILLOPEDIA - The Place To Learn Skills For The Real World.