We’ve blogged before about how taking a break is good for your levels of concentration, but this time we want to focus on procrastination - the ultimate obstacle to just. getting. things. done!
Given that this post is all about getting to it, we’ll do just that.
Just get started!
The Zeigarnik Effect states that people remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks, or in other words, once you get started on a task, it’ll get stuck in your head and that will motivate you to finish it.
Break up big tasks
Research from Penn State University found that people generally enjoy getting small tasks done as soon as possible. Amusingly, in one of the experiments to support this hypothesis, students were asked to carry one of two buckets of water to the end of an alley. Contrary to what you might expect, the preference was to pick up the bucket closer to the start position, even though that meant carrying it further!
Share your goals
If you write down your goals and share them with a supportive friend or coworker, you are more likely to achieve them. One undergraduate study showed that those who did this were 78% likely to succeed and a huge variety of professionals testify that this is indeed, a thing.
So get started, and good luck!