Overcome Procrastination - ZSL

AN ACTIONABLE GUIDE TO
OVERCOME PROCRASTINATION
& GET WORK DONE
On time is always late…
~ Gurleen Kaur
Procrastination is one of the most significant causes of overwhelm and a decrease

in productivity. Whether you procrastinate because you find the task at hand to be
too unpleasant or because you fear that you don't have the right skills to complete
the task - procrastination leads to results that are way unpleasant than what you
were trying to avoid.
Procrastination is a habit easier to form than to reform. This template has been
made like an actionable plan to help you gradually overcome procrastination. By
incorporating repetitive steps and monitoring yourself every seven days, you would
allow yourself enough time to make the reforms a habit. It takes roughly 21 days for
actions to become habits, and with each progressing week, you would see yourself
improve and eventually overcome procrastination.
IDENTIFY YOUR 'WHY'
Given below is a template to identify the reasons behind your procrastination habit. Read
each and every parameter carefully and fill in your corresponding response.
Reasons for
S. No. Your response
procrastination
Do you end up giving the wrong tasks

1.
priority in your to-do list?
Do you feel like you are always

2.
chasing important tasks?
Do you find it hard to stick to tasks

3. that you find boring or unpleasant to
do?
Do you often leave tasks midway to do
4.
something else?
5. Do you think you are a perfectionist?
Do you fear what people would think

6.
about you after task submission?
7. Do you think you are a perfectionist?
Look at the responses that you have filled and you would be
able to get a better idea as to the root reasons why you
procrastinate. Once you have identified the main reason for
procrastination, is the time that you start working on it and
ensuring that you come of your comfort zone.
ACTION PLAN TO
MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS EVERY DAY
To overcome procrastination, the first thing to do is to mend the internal dialogue
when you have a task to handle. When you tell yourself that 'you have to' do
something or 'you must' do something - you are subconsciously telling yourself that
you have no other choice than to do those things. Remember, you always have a
choice and with each choice comes consequences.
Tell yourself instead that 'you choose to' do those things. This would empower your
subconscious to feel like it has power over the situation and task at hand. Doing so
would also make you learn through the process of doing the task and not feel
compelled to do it.
After you have set your internal dialogue right, follow the steps in the action plan
below to overcome procrastination and maintain regular self-monitoring.
1. Prepare a Task-Matrix
On an everyday basis, we do a lot of things that are of varying importance and

urgencies. At times, due to lack of prioritizing or being unable to identify priorities, we
tend to procrastinate. To avoid this and to understand how to prioritize, a task matrix
comes in handy.
To prepare a task matrix, the first step is to list all the tasks that need to be done on
the next day; including all the minor tasks. Categorize each task into four categories:
A. Urgent and Important

These are important tasks that demand attention because their
effects/impact is immediate. Focus on tasks that cannot be put
off till tomorrow and require immediate attention. Such tasks
could be considered 'high priority'.
B. Urgent and Not Important
These are tasks that prevent you from achieving your goals.
Taking up such tasks clutter your to-do list and make it harder to
accomplish tasks. The best way to deal with such tasks is to
delegate them - see if there is someone else who could be made
responsible for those tasks.
C. Not Urgent and Important
These are tasks whose benefits are mostly seen in the long term. These are tasks
that help you to achieve your long-term goals, be it personal or professional.
Ensure that you dedicate due time to these tasks because even though these
tasks are not urgent, they are really important steps you take to ensure that you
are better equipped tomorrow.
D. Not Urgent and Not Important
These are the tasks that add no value, short-term or long-term, to you and your
task list. These tasks act only as distractions and would include all the tasks you
do to escape 'unpleasant' yet important tasks. Cancel such tasks out of your
schedule. If it is something that someone else has asked you to do, then say 'No'
politely and avoid taking it upon yourself.
You may use the following template to organize and sort your daily tasks:
Urgent Not Urgent
DO IT PLAN IT
Important
DELEGATE IT DECLUTTER IT
Not Important
2. Daily Monitoring
Use the checklist below to monitor your daily progress. Check the boxes under each
day and against each task when you fulfil the statements against it.
Organize all the listed tasks into a to-do

format with timelines mentioned against each DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
task.
Reward yourself for every task completed

on/before time to incorporate self- DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
motivation into the process.
Set penalties for every task not completed

due to procrastination to incorporate self- DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
discipline into the process.
Set reminders for important and urgent

tasks so that you may complete them DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
within the timeframe.
Tell yourself that you are capable enough

to do the assigned tasks and eliminate any DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
negative self-talk.
Take at least one new initiative daily and

do something without anybody telling you DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
to.
Pursue hobbies and keep busy to shake

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
off laziness and forfeiting attitude.
Complete at least one task before time

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7
every day.
And lastly, always remind yourself,
“Today’s a new day, a new beginning. I forgive

myself for all my mistakes. I am ZENITH, and I
will continue to rise up no matter how many
times I fall.”

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AN ACTIONABLE GUIDE TO

Procrastination is one of the most significant causes of overwhelm and a decrease

Do you end up giving the wrong tasks

Do you feel like you are always

Do you find it hard to stick to tasks

5. Do you think you are a perfectionist?

Do you fear what people would think

7. Do you think you are a perfectionist?

On an everyday basis, we do a lot of things that are of varying importance and

A. Urgent and Important

B. Urgent and Not Important

D. Not Urgent and Not Important

Urgent Not Urgent

Organize all the listed tasks into a to-do

Reward yourself for every task completed

motivation into the process.

Set penalties for every task not completed

Set reminders for important and urgent

Tell yourself that you are capable enough

Take at least one new initiative daily and

Pursue hobbies and keep busy to shake

Complete at least one task before time

“Today’s a new day, a new beginning. I forgive

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