How to Stop Procrastinating: a simple Guide to Mastering Difficult Tasks and Breaking the Procrastination Habit

Exercise #7: Implement 14 Daily Practices to
Overcome Procrastination
Overcoming procrastination is a daily struggle that often requires you to
take action—even when a specific activity is the last thing that you feel
like working on. That’s why I recommend using 14 practices that will help
you avoid procrastinating on the tasks you have scheduled for the day.
Practice #1: Resolve Any Potential Emergency
Resolve all potential emergencies by answering (and taking action on) a
series of questions:
What is the worst-case scenario if I ignore this issue?
How would this potential emergency negatively affect my friends
and family?
What are the not-so-important tasks or obligations that I can put
off to take care of this potential emergency?
What simple actions can I take today to resolve this issue?
If it’s not a life-threatening issue and I don’t have time to address it
today, when is the soonest I can take care of it?
Practice #2: Do a 5- to 10-Minute Daily Review
Do a 5- to 10-minute daily review to make sure you’re focusing on the
right things every day:
What appointments and meetings require me to be somewhere at a
set time?
Are there any emergency emails that need to be immediately
addressed?
What specific tasks, which relate to the batches or blocks of time

---

that I’ve scheduled for the day, can I complete?
Is there an appointment or activity that could take longer than
expected? How will this change my schedule if it does spill over into
another task’s time?
What are the 80/20 tasks that will have the biggest impact on my
long-term success?
How does each task relate to my quarterly S.M.A.R.T. goals?
What is the hardest, most challenging task that I’m dreading?
Practice #3: Focus On Your MITs
Start your day by completing 2–3 of your MITs. These are the activities
that will have the biggest long-term impact on your career and personal
life.