Find Obstacles in the Project Before Procrastinating
Let’s be honest. At some point, you are going to put things off until later. It happens. Before that happens, however, take the time — say 15-30 minutes — to identify the problems you will inevitably face in your project.
Delay is a problem in large part because delays always occur. There are almost always unforeseen obstacles that cause delays. The nature of unforeseen delays is that they cannot always be seen. But by spending a little time planning your schedule and identifying points of failure, you can reduce that waste. As one Reddit user explains:
This has happened a lot to me lately, and I’m trying to fix it. Even if something is not needed for a few weeks and I plan to postpone it, I will try to get started on it as soon as possible so that I can see if I am missing something that I need to wait. … It really sucks to put things off for a few weeks and start with enough time to finish, only to realize that now you have to wait for some files from a coworker who might be busy with something else.
Of course, this strategy has another advantage. It’s a clever way to help you overcome your biggest hurdle: just get started . Getting started is the hardest part, and it’s all about getting motivated. Once you start looking for flaws in your schedule, it will be easier for you to get down to real work.