How to Stop Waiting Until the Last Minute

Most people have a tendency to procrastinate. A desire to perform fun tasks instead of chores or work, combined with a predilection to be easily distracted leads us to put off necessary tasks day after day. If you want to stop waiting until the last minute, you must make yourself more aware of your behaviors and the effect that they have on your life. Once you are alerted to these issues, you will find it easier to plan out and follow through on your tasks in a timely manner.

Instructions

• 1

  Use a day planner to plan your daily tasks, along with weekly and monthly goals. Make it a priority to check your planner first thing every morning, and go over the next day's tasks before bed each night. Plan out even small tasks that must be completed, such as washing the dishes or making a phone call.

• 2

  If you have an appointment or task at a specific time, record the task for half an hour earlier than it really is. This will help you to get ready sooner and end up at the appointment on time or even early.

• 3

  Set various alarms to remind you that it's time to work on your daily plans. You can use an alarm clock, a cell phone or a computer program to do this. Set the alarm to go off once 10 minutes before the scheduled task, and then again when it's time to begin. If you have an appointment outside of the house or office, make sure that the alarm goes off at least a half an hour in advance.

• 4

  Think about how your tardiness and procrastination make you feel. Think about how your behavior affects others. Write these things out in a list so that you have a better understanding of the consequences of your behavior both to your own health and your relationships.

• 5

  Plan time to relax and settle down each day. Schedule this at a time after all of your important tasks for the day have been completed. This will motivate you to get through your daily responsibilities as quickly as possible so that you can move on to the more enjoyable actions.