Answer
In this counseling answer:
- Write yourself a to-do list with days and dates included.
- Make sure that your expectations are realistic. Can you realistically get this task done in the time that you have assigned to it?
- Hold yourself accountable by sharing the things you can with others.
- Put your phone aside, out of your reach, so you can’t be tempted to just pick it up anytime. Put it aside and on mute, so you are not distracted by notifications.
Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatulahi wa barakatuh sister,
You have hit the nail on the head, so to speak, in that sentence. Procrastination is a huge problem for so many.
Especially now with the use of phones, this is something that has become even more of a problem.
The great news is that you have identified the main culprit contributing to your procrastination, and that is the key to overcoming it. The fact that you recognize this is admirable.
Not many people care to admit that their phone usage is causing problems, yet to many people, it truly is, but they don’t want to do anything about it.
Alhamdulilah, fortunately, there are lots of different things you can try and test to combat procrastination, particularly in relation to your phone.
Aside from dealing with your phone usage, there are things you can do to overcome procrastination.
Have a Clear Plan
Have a clear plan of what needs to get done and write yourself a to-do list with days and dates included so you can clearly see what needs doing and when.
Cross them off as you complete them and get that sense of achievement for attaining them. Put this list somewhere visible as a constant reminder to get moving.
Adding in the days/dates to complete each task will add a sense of urgency to it, such that you will be less likely to push it aside because the given task has been assigned to that particular day so you can focus on it alone.
However, you also need to make sure that your expectations are realistic. Can you realistically get this task done in the time that you have assigned to it?
Overestimating can be your best friend here. This way, you start the task with the comfort that you have x amount of time to complete it, and in sha Allah, you will. If you overestimate, you are allowing yourself that extra time.
If you complete it more quickly, then, alhamdulilah, you have some extra time to yourself to relax. This in itself is also useful for your own wellbeing to have that time to relax without the pressure of having loads of things left undone.
Hold Yourself Accountable
Hold yourself accountable by sharing the things you can with others so that they can also prompt you to get things done.
This way, you are not only relying on your own motivation, but now others are playing their part too, and you don’t want to disappoint them too or have them constantly on your case!
Bring in rewards along the way too, especially if there is something on the list that you continually put aside. Promise yourself a little reward when you reach certain milestones in getting things done and overcoming that procrastination.
This may come in the form of a little treat, such as going out for a coffee or buying yourself a little something. It might even come from giving yourself a complete day off (which is always useful anyway!).
Sometimes procrastination can be a result of simply not knowing how to approach a particular task, usually because there is a lot to do. If this is the case, then break the task down into more manageable chunks.
This way, you can make perhaps slower but certainly steadier progress towards task completion. Anything you can do like this to make the task easier will ensure you are less likely to avoid it and procrastinate.
In overcoming procrastination, one of the biggest and best solutions and helpers is to avoid distractions!
It is clear that you have identified your phone as one of these things. Most people would be deceiving themselves if they didn’t think that their phone was a source of distraction for them.
Phones & Distraction
Phones have become such a large part of our lives that this can be tough to address. Phones are pretty much essential to life these days, but they can also be used as a means of distraction in good and bad ways.
Here are some tips to ensure that your phone does not become the source of distraction in a bad way but still enables you to use it appropriately and with more productivity.
When you have a task to complete, put your phone aside.
Put it out of your reach, so you can’t be tempted to just pick it up anytime. Put it aside and on mute, so you are not distracted by notifications.
Do a weekly or monthly cleanup where you delete any apps that you don’t use or that you know are wasting your time and realistically serve no useful purpose for you.
Do the same for any groups that you are in or pages that you follow. For those that you continue to be in or follow, turn the notifications off. This is not to say that you should delete all these things from your life (although you certainly should self-assess how much you really and honestly need each of these things), but you just need to be more strategic with them.
Instead of picking up your phone multiple times a day, assign yourself a time when you can use it and get it all done during this time.
This way, you are still allowing yourself to do what you do, but with more purpose and structure so that it doesn’t interfere with other aspects of daily life. Dare to take a look at the time you spend on your phone daily and what apps you are using.
The Time You Spend
You will likely be shocked and perhaps even embarrassed, as most of us probably don’t think we spend as much time on our phones as we do!
Use this shock factor as the thing that will motivate you to cut down. It is better that you don’t suddenly cut a huge chunk of this out, but instead, bit by bit, reduce your usage time until you reach a place that you are content with.
Be honest with yourself about how useful the things that you do on your phone are. One way to do this is to ask yourself what Allah would think of what you are doing on your phone. This will make you feel self-conscious about what you are doing while keeping Allah in mind.
These are just a handful of things, some phone-related and some not, that you can use to combat procrastination and get things done.
Some things will be more useful than others, but trying different methods until you find what works will be most helpful on your journey.
Not everything works for everyone or in all situations, but by experimenting with different approaches, you will establish what works best for you and when.
May Allah help and guide you to overcome procrastination for his sake.
May He reward all your efforts and carve an easy path for you that will be fulfilling and bring you happiness in this life and the next.
More from Sr. Hannah Morris:
- Trust is Gone; I Found Messages from Women in My Husband’s Phone
- I’m a Lazy Mother, How Can I Change?
- How to Study Effectively and Increase Concentration?
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