One of the main barriers blocking you from getting up, making the right decisions, and living the dream life you've thought of is "procrastination". Many of us wish to have started some things in our lives earlier but due to lack of commitment and time mismanagement, we didn't achieve that goal early. We've given in to "procrastination" so much that we don't even know how to go about getting back on track and managing time and resources well. If you are like this, then, you are in the right direction, this article will enlighten you on how to stop procrastinating and achieve your goals. Before we delve into learning how to stop procrastinating, I would love to define procrastination in simple terms. 

What is procrastination?​​​​​​

Procrastination is the act or habit of postponing or delaying something you ought to do until the last minute or deadline. You will agree with me that with this definition, procrastination is the enemy of productivity. When you procrastinate, it reduces the possibility of achieving your goals. In this article, I will share 5 tips on stopping procrastination and achieving your goals.

5 tips on how to stop procrastinating and achieve your goals 

1. Be disciplined in sticking to your plans: Master the art of planning your day before it begins and stay disciplined to your plans. You can get a notepad or a diary and write down how you want each day to go, you can also jot it down on your mobile phone and set alarms for each plan. This way, you can effectively stick to your plan and not procrastinate. I put an emphasis on "discipline" here because the truth is, many people plan their day, but only a few stick to the plans they've made. However, when you're disciplined, you will do what you need to do irrespective of whatever may arise during the day. Stay disciplined in your plans each day as this will boost your productivity in no small way.  

2. Avoid distractions: Distractions are one of the reasons some people find it hard to stop procrastinating. Distraction is anything that diverts your attention from what you ought to do. Cutting off distractions must be a deliberate decision unless it will hinder your productivity. You need to be honest with yourself and identify what distracts you and avoid them. Cutting off distractions might not be easy for some people because some people enjoy being distracted either directly or indirectly. Sometimes, you need to off that TV or drop that phone to get the task done, it will be beneficial to you.

3. Work on your time management: On the mission to stop procrastination, time management is key. For each task of the day, you need to allocate time to it. Any time wasted cannot be recovered again, don't wait till the last minute to do that task; the danger in it is that you might make some mistakes or errors. Rushing to get work done at the last minute can be quite draining and demoralizing. Make good use of your time, avoid time wasters, and create formalities that will help you to manage your time wisely. 

4. Have an accountability partner: If you know that it's difficult to stop procrastinating, having an accountability partner is necessary, this way, you have someone who will keep you in check at all times. When choosing an accountability partner, choose someone you know you will listen to, someone who can talk you into doing what you ought to do. Anybody cannot be your accountability partner. One key thing to look out for when choosing an accountability partner is that the person is action-oriented and has a strong drive for productivity.

5. Avoid giving excuses: I have noticed over time that people who give excuses tend to procrastinate a lot. To stop procrastinating, you must learn to stop giving excuses and take responsibility for your actions. You may start giving room to laziness when you start giving excuses on why you can't carry out a task or assignment. And when you don't come out of that laziness shell quickly, you may hinder your productivity and which in turn might make procrastination a habit for you. Make a deliberate decision to stop giving excuses today no matter what! 

To wrap it up, I would advise that you follow and practice these tips keenly, and you will be amazed at how productive you will be. Anytime you're tempted to procrastinate, always remember that procrastination has made a lot of people lose time and opportunities. Therefore, avoid procrastination at all costs. 

Dear reader, thank you for reading through. Do well to like, comment and share ❤️.