I still remember that night when I told myself that I had to work after studying for a long time at school. I knew that I needed to rest, but I had already taken a break by using my phone and social media.
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I said, “I will just check YouTube and watch some short videos. I deserve it.”
Hours later, I did not notice the time, and it was already 12:00 AM. Then I said, “Oh, I will write a blog tomorrow. Time to sleep.” But at the back of my head, I felt guilty. I knew that I could do better if I just did what I needed to do.
The next day, I decided to try being productive – I wrote my to-do list in the morning, tried reading a book, and wrote in my journal. I did it for weeks, but before a month had even passed, I felt burned out. I knew that it was not working for me.
What happened in the following months was an experiment. I tried different methods to become productive, and finally, I found my way to break free from procrastination.
The Two-Minute Rule
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I think I have heard this many times, or maybe this is just another version of “just try doing something.” Yes, the concept of this rule is to try doing something you need in a short period of time, and then you will not notice how much progress you have already made.
For example, I was scrolling on my phone, watching YouTube Shorts before writing this blog post. Then I realized that I was spending too much time on my phone.
So I made a move.
I set up my laptop, created an outline with the help of ChatGPT, and then started writing this blog post.
It took me two minutes to set up everything and start writing.
When starting a new habit, stop looking for motivation. What you really need is a stepping stone to begin your work. This simple trick helps trick your brain into doing a micro-task that can lead to completing your larger task.
Announce Your Task Publicly
I remember the day when I was scrolling on Reddit and found a post about a Discord server that promotes productivity. I joined and found a channel dedicated to sharing daily to-do lists.
I found it funny at first, but I gave it a try. I wrote down my tasks, sent them to the channel, and edited my list every time I accomplished something.
This act boosted my productivity 10x after doing it. I also made friends on the server, which made me even more productive.
The reason behind this is that you force yourself to do your tasks because you are afraid that your friends (or other people) who have seen your tasks will notice if you leave them unfinished, leaving you embarrassed.
Of course, you don’t want to look lazy.
Sometimes, I also do this on Hive by sharing my tasks on Snaps and then editing them once I accomplish something. Posting on social media might also work well – I did this before by announcing that I would make an update on my e-book, so everyone waited for it, and I was forced to actually do it.
Reward Yourself
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Sometimes, you have to work like your pet.
You do something, and you give yourself a treat as a reward.
I find this effective when I am studying. When we have an exam and I have to review but lack the will to do it, I often buy some sweets or anything that excites me, but I never open it unless I make progress with my task.
I find it more motivating when there are rewards waiting for you once you complete a task. So why not do it quickly? Sometimes, all you need is to rewire your brain and trick it into working on your tasks.
Kill One, Do One
I only have two major tasks every day: study and work (write).
There are times that I like studying, but I find it boring, so I work instead. This has been the most effective method for productivity (at least for me). I feel like I have found a hack for turning a boring task into a solution.
For example, if I know that I still have a lot of time to study and the deadlines are still far away, I often feel lazy. So instead of wasting my time on social media, I grab my laptop and start writing something.
Instead of scrolling, I always try to work without feeling forced to do it.
And guess what?
It works effectively for me, and I end up doing more tasks by the end of the day.
There are even times when I feel lazy about studying, so I start writing. Then after writing, I feel like studying, so I grab my learning materials and start. It becomes a loop of productivity that makes me work with fun without feeling exhausted.
Conclusion
By following these techniques, I always accomplish my tasks on time without feeling burned out. In fact, I feel like I can do even more by using these methods. I even passed all of my subjects last semester and earned a decent amount of money from my writing, all while feeling less stressed about my productivity than before.
The key is not to fight procrastination but to take advantage of it. Trick your brain into doing something you thought you couldn’t do. Instead of using traditional productivity methods – which don’t really work for me – I found a more sustainable way to get things done.
Have you tried any unconventional techniques for productivity before? If traditional methods don’t work for you, why not try the weird ones? Sometimes, the most effective solution is the least obvious one.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What if I try these techniques and still procrastinate? Well, that is totally normal. Sometimes, your brain needs a break. There are times when you think you are procrastinating, but in reality, you are burned out and actually need rest. Don’t overthink it and try again!
- How can I be consistent with these techniques? If you really want to start being productive, maybe find a “productivity buddy”? Have a friend with whom you can share your tasks and progress. Sometimes, it is better to work while having company that pushes you to work harder.
- How can I stop procrastinating when I don’t feel motivated? Waiting for motivation is a trap, and it is always the start of procrastination. Do not wait for it. Just start your task, even for two minutes. You won’t realize that your brain craves more until you look at the clock and see that you’ve already worked for two hours.