Six top tips for getting started on that project

We all have trouble getting started on what we need to do. For some, social media is the excuse for procrastination. For others, it’s surfing the Internet and reading about people and places that won’t get you any nearer to your goals.

Personally, I’m a news junkie. I can locate and read news from nearly any source and even read about the same incident several times if I’m really delaying the inevitable.

Even project managers can be guilty of procrastinating or giving in to distractions. I’ve surveyed some of my friends both self-employed and in the corporate world for their favorite ways to break the habit of delay and just get started. Here are their tips.

Put a date and time on your calendar. Set a reminder. When the bell rings, sit down and start.

Some folks need the structure of being told it’s time to sit down and focus. It seems corny to some that a calendar reminder is so powerful.  School in the U.S. often start with a bell ringing calling the kids to class. Why not have your own bell?

Work at your best time during the day.

I am not a morning person, but it does seem that I get the most done early in the day. I have a friend that is better in the afternoon. Figure out what time of day you are at your best mentally and work on your projects at those times.

List everything you need to do. Then prioritize and start at the top.

I have lists of tasks that I keep track of in schedules. I look at these schedules a couple of times per week and make sure to add the right tasks to the right days on my calendar. That way I get both the big picture and tasks that are due soon.

Be careful of feeling overwhelmed. When you look at a large task list, you might be tempted to  throw up your hands and give up. Take it in small pieces.

Pick a task that takes less than 10 minutes and do it.

This tip relates to getting started with something small and breaking down big tasks into smaller jobs.  This is also about momentum. Once you’ve accomplished something, it’s often easier to go on to the next task and get that done as well.

Create a special space in which to work.

Part of being disciplined is having a system in place that leads to starting work. Part of that system may be a corner of the apartment or home where your computer is set up and everything you need is there. Just sitting down at the computer is the trigger to start.

For others, the drive to work, getting coffee, and sitting down at the desk is all they need to put them in the working frame of mind. We are all creatures of habit – let’s use that to help us get to work.

Turn off distractions.

This means turning off the television, putting down the cell phone, and maybe even the radio. Turn off the notices on your email account. You don’t need a chime every time someone sends you an email.

Turn off the function in Facebook that pops up notices every time someone posts something new. There is seldom anything being posted to Facebook that needs a response immediately.

There are applications you can get to block your access to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter on your computer for periods of time during the day. If these sites call your name, block them during your working periods.

Distractions and procrastination can really eat into your progress on your projects. It can be tough some days to motivate yourself to get started. Pick one of the tips above to help, or come up with your own!

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How do you beat procrastination and distractions? Let us know in the comments.