How to avoid procrastination

Pre-game routine:

Athletes have used this for decades, and it is super effective when it comes to studying. Create a short routine that you go through before you study. When you look at studying at this big scary task that you have to just start, it’s too much for your brain so you procrastinate. But when you have a routine to go through where each step is easy to do, it eases you into it. When all you have to think about to start is playing a certain song, it’s easy to avoid procrastinating. This is my routine:

Make a cup of tea/ coffee.

Put on headphones and play brown noise.

Fill up my water bottle.

Go to the bathroom if I need to.

Sit at my desk.

Face my chair away from my desk.

Focus on an object for 60 seconds while breathing deeply.

Turn around and get started on the work.

Schedule:

The other thing that is really helpful is pick the tasks you want to do the night before, and pick the time you’ll start it and finish. When you know exactly what you’re going to do it makes it harder to procrastinate.

Start your routine about 5 minutes before you start the task. Remember that you’re not immediately going to drop into a state of full focus. It should take 5-15 minutes depending on how motivated you are. The things in my pre-game routine make it a lot easier to get into that state of focus.

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