Wouldn't it be great if work was as fun as not working? Or if somehow all the boring tasks magically completed themselves on their own? If this was the case then everyone would always be overworked and happy about it! BUT they don't call it work for no reason. Sometimes you will be required to perform less than desirable tasks. That is why we get compensated to do them. When you work from home you can sometimes get caught up in the overwhelming urge to put off these undesirable tasks for later.
One study showed that unfinished tasks stuck in people’s minds and so were far easier to remember. According to the study: starting any activity causes your mind to experience a kind of psychic anxiety. Once the activity is done, your mind breathes an unconscious sigh of relief, and it is forgotten. However, if you do not complete the activity, your anxious mind quietly nags away until you have finished what you have started.
Conclusion? Don't let these tasks pile up! Why torture yourself playing catch up with a bunch of work that you didn't even want to do in the first place? We know they aren't fun, but they must get done. To help you,
I have compiled some tips to avoid-avoiding work. These will hopefully help your productivity and keep you motivated to complete these tasks without qualm.
Sometimes you will have an opportunity to do something that sounds more fun than working. If you were at a regular 9-5 job do you think your boss would just let you skip work to do that instead? Probably not. Work hard when you are supposed to and save the fun for later. Honestly, how much can you enjoy yourself if you are dreading the extra workload you gave yourself by avoiding to do it when you were supposed to? Talk about a Debby Downer!
Don't Slack! If you choose to lay back and relax before doing your daily work you will most likely not have the motivation to start doing it. You can even "over relax", that is you relax too long and end up not getting anything accomplished. There is a difference between resting and idling. Productivity is greatly decreased when you spend the first part of your day finding ways to not work, plus you will not have anything to look forward to if you relax first and work later.
Never underestimate your tasks. It may be something as boring as data entry. It could be a simple task yet if it is something you are not looking forward to doing, you will not go at it with the same gung ho as you would something you enjoy, therefore distractions will be easier and the task will end up taking longer. Usually the most menial of tasks are the ones that have the most errors because the person gets caught up in distractions and doesn't pay attention to what they are doing.
Make a to-do list. When you see your tasks written out it is easier to stay on track. Prioritize which tasks need to be finished that day and work down from there. If you do not complete your list hold yourself accountable for it. Try not to let this become a trend. Reward yourself for good behavior and chastise yourself for bad behavior.
Don't get comfortable. Try to get in the mindset of getting your work done right away. If you keep reminding yourself that the faster you accomplish your jobs the more time you will have to relax it will help keep you motivated.
Break down tasks. If you are procrastinating because you have a big project try to break it down into small tasks. This will keep you from being overwhelmed. If you do not have a tight deadline you can make a schedule to do a few tasks each day until the project is completed.
Get your family on board! If you are having troubles staying motivated then tell your family about work goals you wish to acheive. They can be your cheerleaders to help motivate you to completing your tasks. Your success will also be their success. Remember if they do remind you that you are procrastinating that they are trying to be helpful so don't get upset at them for pointing it out.
No comments:
Post a Comment