To procrastinate may be human but it's not very rewarding. If putting off tasks is hindering your performance or making you unhappy, try these three things:
• Identify what you put off. When you find yourself ignoring or delaying a task, ask yourself why. Knowing what you tend to delay can help break the cycle and prevent future procrastination.
• Set deadlines. Break up tasks into smaller chunks and then create a schedule with clear due dates for each part.
• Increase the rewards. Tasks with rewards far in the future are easy to put off. To make a task feel more immediate, focus on the short-term rewards. If there aren't any, insert your own. Treat yourself to a coffee break or a quick chat with a co-worker once you've finished a task.
