How to make yourself do something you dont want to do
Okay, here's the article and the comments, all in plain text with no special formatting. I used to be the queen of procrastination. Seriously. Anything I didn’t want to do? It simply didn't get done. Laundry piled up, bills went unpaid, and that dreaded spreadsheet at work? Forget about it. It was a mess. But then I realized I was only hurting myself.
So I decided to figure out how to actually make myself do things, even the things that felt like climbing Mount Everest in flip-flops. My first trick was breaking it down. That massive spreadsheet? Suddenly it was just "fill in the first three rows." Just three. I could handle three. And usually, once I did those three, I felt compelled to do a few more.
Suddenly, the whole thing was done in small, manageable chunks. Think about it. Instead of "clean the whole house," it becomes "wipe down the kitchen counters." Smaller steps, less intimidating. Then I started experimenting with rewards. Finished those three rows? I get to watch an episode of my favorite show. Did all the laundry?
I can buy that book I've been eyeing. The reward has to be immediate and something you genuinely want, or it won't work. Don't promise yourself a week-long vacation for doing the dishes; that's too far off. It's the immediate gratification that provides the motivation. I also found that changing my environment helped. If I was trying to work on something, but my phone was buzzing with notifications, I'd move to a quiet room, turn off my phone, and put on some instrumental music.
No distractions. Just me and the task at hand. Minimize temptations. If you're trying to eat healthier, don't keep junk food in the house. Obvious, but easily forgotten. Another thing that surprisingly helped was setting a timer. I'd tell myself "I'm only going to work on this for 25 minutes." That's it. Just 25 minutes of focused effort.
It's amazing how much you can accomplish in that short amount of time, and often, once the timer goes off, you'll be in the zone and want to keep going. It's all about getting started. I also learned to forgive myself. Sometimes, despite my best efforts, I still procrastinate. And that's okay. Beating myself up about it only makes things worse.
I just acknowledge it, learn from it, and try again the next day. Perfection isn't the goal; progress is. A little bit each day adds up over time. Finally, I discovered the power of accountability. Telling someone else about my goals made me more likely to achieve them. Knowing that I had to report back to a friend or family member kept me on track.
It's much harder to slack off when you know someone else is counting on you. So that's it. Break it down, reward yourself, change your environment, use timers, forgive yourself, and find an accountability partner. It's not a magic formula, but it's what worked for me. And hopefully, it can help you too. Don't expect overnight success. It takes time and practice to change your habits.
But with a little bit of effort, you can become the master of your own to-do list, no matter how much you dread it. Good luck.
User Comments:
ProcrastinatorPete: Great article! Breaking tasks into smaller steps is definitely key for me.
LazySusan: I agree with the reward system. Bribing myself is the only way I get anything done!
TimeLord88: The timer technique, also known as Pomodoro, is super effective.
Thanks for sharing!
MotivationGuru: Accountability is huge! Finding someone to keep you on track is crucial.
SarahLee: I struggle with forgiving myself. Thanks for mentioning that, it's important to remember.
JohnDoe: Excellent tips, especially the environmental change. Distractions are my downfall.
WorkaholicWendy: Maybe I should try these.
I always feel guilty about not finishing everything.
TechNoob: This is actually helpful, I'm going to try the timer method right now.
FitnessFanatic: I use a similar reward system for my workouts. It works wonders!
BookwormBilly: I'm going to use the accountability partner suggestion for my reading goals.