Hey you. Do you have a hard time doing things or accomplishing tasks?
Working on your project, learning how to play your favorite instrument, or reading a non-fiction book? Even the most mundane ones such as taking out the trash, putting your newly washed clothes back in your closet or even showering?
Do you put off important chores and regret it but on the next day, you still don’t do them and the cycle continues?
How much more willpower do you use just to get yourself off of bed, go to work or step out of your house to meet friends?
If you answered yes or very much to all my questions or if you’re a procrastinator, you might wanna read on.
My previous solution was to compose a to-do list. I composed these lists thoughtfully and wrote it down everywhere
Planner
Post its
Whiteboard
Mobile app
Notes in pc or mobile
It didn’t help me that much. Sure, writing it seemed fun but i never get around to finishing those tasks or even starting them.
For years, i have those starbucks planners, then a Tomntom coffee’s and also a Sterling from SM department. The notebook size is getting smaller haha
The earlier months have notes/plans. On the later months, I get lazy.
My solution
After a while scouring the web for self help on topics regarding procrastination and motivation boosters, I came across an article that offered these simple but brilliant suggestions. (I forgot which one huhu i wish i could like it a thousand times)
Start to do anything that’s very easy for you.
Something as simple as making your bed every morning. Do it. Then continue to do it the next day and the next day. It will give your brain a little boost and you feel a little sense of accomplishment. It will give you a spark of confidence to start your day and you begin to feel good.
Gradually increase the level of difficulty. Make sure you don’t overwhelm yourself. Just do what you can.
So i reversed the to-do list and made a….
TADA LIST (name from the internet haha)
1.Write down items you have done or completed within the day
Instead of the immense pressure on having mountains of items to tick off, we’ll now have the joy of writing out the stuff we have completed.
2. Rate each item – no task is equal
I chose to do stars because I’m a sucker for those achievement stickers when i was a child. (another deep seated issue for another time lol)
1 star – very easy. Something i can do in less than 10 mins
3 stars – easy to moderate. Activities that should be easy but requires a bit more effort
5 stars – hard, hassle or time-consuming
Examples:
1 star – Make the bed, apply sunscreen, water plants take out trash
3 stars – Eat regular meals, shower, pay bills
5 stars – Go to work, read a book, meet a friend, go to the bank
Note: Ratings for tasks vary per person. What’s easy for me might not be so for you. Rate them according to your preference.
3. Count the # of stars instead of the number of items which is the norm in lists
A score system encourages one to be competitive with oneself, to do the same or better than yesterday. It can also measure productivity and provide data on which days are the most productive and which aren’t. You can take load off tasks on those weaker days and reschedule it to those productive days to make sure it gets done.
As a daily goal, set a standard rating to be reached. For instance, I’m going to reach at least 5 stars each day.
When to write:
At night
or as soon as you’ve completed a task (depends on your eagerness)
Does it work? Imma write down what it had done for me:
This method probably is one of the biggest actions that has helped me get on with my day.
Short Backstory:
During my worst moments, it took so much mental power to psych myself up just to get off my bed and shower. It’s not just effort. It’s time too. The longest it took me was probably… 4 hours of rolling around in pajamas. What an utter waste of time. Yikes! Was I playing pc or watching tv? No! I was idly browsing the net, trying to convince myself and failing to get up every 10 mins. Willpower is a finite resource. By the time i get to the office, I’m late and my energy has been depleted and I feel too tired to be productive. And on the bleakest of days, i don’t get up at all and call off work.
Doing mundane chores, listing them down and awarding myself with drawings of stars sounds ridiculous and childish. It is! But it gave me confidence little by little to do things I usually put off. My brain says ‘see, you can do it! Do another! You aren’t incapable and useless as you thought after all.’ 🙂
For those who needs a boost, i hope this can help you.
For those stronger, well-adjusted human beings, what are your ways of keeping yourself in check? 🙂
Thoughts and Scribbles of Shichan 