Everyone procrastinates occasionally. They may put off tasks that are boring or challenging. Or they may hold off on doing something because they’re not sure how to get started. An estimated 15-20% of adults regularly procrastinate, according to recent research, and 88% say they procrastinate for at least an hour a day. At the end of the workweek, that’s five hours (or more) frittered away. By the end of the month, that’s 20 hours down the drain.

Fortunately, there are some proven strategies to overcome chronic procrastination. Bestselling author, Eric Barker, has put together some ways to get motivated so you can achieve your goals. We share his tips in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

1. Be mindful about your goals. To reach your goals, you must put in the work. To avoid this feeling like a chore, Barker recommends framing your goals as an end and not a mean. It’s also important to make your goals concrete without making them boring. For example, if you want to land a new job, the task of “reading job postings and sending applications” doesn’t sound so appealing. On the other hand, rephrasing it to “exploring career opportunities” sounds more enticing.

2. Specify a number. Barker says that simply declaring a goal may not be enough to get you to the finish line. That’s why it’s important to get specific with a number, whether you want to make a certain number of calls in a day or book a certain number of appointments in a week. Having an exact number in mind can help keep you motivated to hit the target.

3. Check in on your progress. The longer you work at something, the less motivated you may feel. When it comes to beating procrastination, this can be a good thing. When you regularly monitor your progress on your goals, Barker says you can activate what is called the “sunk cost fallacy” and resist the urge to quit. This means you’re likely to keep working on your goals because you have already invested so much time and effort on them.

4. Keep going through the middle. It can be hard to muddle through the middle of a project. Motivation is typically highest when you begin working on something and when you can see the end in sight. To overcome dwindling motivation during a long middle, Barker says it helps to reflect on what you have accomplished. When you get past the middle point, flip it by reminding yourself that you are almost at the finish line.

5. Think about where you want to be. When you spend more time thinking about the future, you’re more likely to make smarter decisions in the present, Barker says. Imagine your future self when you reach the end of your goal. This can help you stay motivated to push past procrastination.

Like other bad habits, you can overcome procrastination. If you know you’re dragging your feet on a particular task, or you tend to leave important items on your to-do list, try applying the strategies above to get started, make progress and feel proud of what you achieve.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Eric Barker is the author of the bestselling book, Barking Up the Wrong Tree. His latest book, Plays Well with Others, came out in May 2022.