I figured out that we tend to procrastinate on bigger projects as the thought of starting something that may take a while can be daunting.
We often focus on the most challenging parts of the task, making it the perfect way to delay getting started.
Our brain will attempt to trick us into being productive by prioritizing smaller, more mundane tasks to occupy our time.
For instance, I tend to distract myself with side projects, by organizing my digital folders or researching a concept.
But then I end up with less energy to focus on the task that I have to complete.
So, I realize that beating procrastinating is not just about managing your time but also about
- managing your energy and;
- saying no to small, time-consuming activities.
To do so, you need to be clear about your priorities on a daily basis. One solution I find on how to do this is to check my notebook and take 10-15 minutes at the beginning of each day to write down what is the most important task I need to work on that day and divide it into very small parts and check these small tasks off one by one. So I feel a sense of achievement and get motivated to continue.