“I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“I just cannot bring myself to do it.”
“I got distracted and forgot!”
“It’s no big deal—I’ll do it the night before it’s due.”
Sound familiar? Let’s be honest—we all procrastinate at least once in a while. Whether it’s a test that you just don’t want to start studying for or a project that makes you nervous every time you think about doing it, procrastination affects most of us at one point. Procrastination makes it harder to start what we need to do and allows us to occupy ourselves by doing something not as important, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are 8 ways to knock out procrastination and get productive:
1. Do it now! Do it now! Do it now!: Every day spent procrastinating is another day spent worrying about what you need to get done. Do it now and relax with a clear mind!
2. Make a compromise with yourself or set a reward: I started doing this a while ago, and I have to say it’s one of my favorite ways to beat procrastination. Picture this: you recorded an episode from your favorite TV show and really want to watch it tonight BUT you have a project due in a week that you haven’t even started. Make a compromise. Decide if you do X amount of the project, you can watch the episode. Or even better, you have a slice of your favorite type of cake waiting for you in the fridge. Decide that you can only eat that cake if you accomplish what you need to get done. What a great way to treat yourself– you earned that cake!
3. Grab the bull by the horns: Rip the bandage off, bite the bullet, jump in with both feet! One of the top reasons for procrastination is fear. So go on and do the scariest part of your project or study the information for your exam that is the most challenging for you. In reality, you’re doing yourself the biggest favor, because now that huge problem doesn’t seem as scary anymore, does it?
4. Remember how happy you’ll be if you just get it done: The truth about procrastination is although it seems wonderful at the time, you’re really only hurting yourself. If you hold off that project that’s due in one month to the last night, you’re adding so much unnecessary stress to your plate. So start small and work piece by piece. That way you’ll succeed without having to cram the night before!
5. Don’t worry about doing it perfectly: A main cause of procrastination is the feel that something has to be done perfectly. So, you end up waiting by putting off your work. But what are you waiting for? Make a sloppy version or a ‘rough draft’, and work from there! That way you have a foundation. Also, when you’re reading through your rough draft, it might spark some great ideas.
6. Make a to-do list: Everybody has those days when there’s just so much to do that it fogs your brain and you take nap instead, right? Well in order to avoid that, organize your thoughts. Make a to-do list of things you need to accomplish, in a reasonable order. You may even come to realize that all of your work isn’t really that much. Or, maybe it is a lot, and you don’t get to check off everything on your to-do list. That’s why it’s important to put the major things at the top and the smaller, maybe not-so-urgent items at the bottom. The next day, you can make a new to-do list with all of the things you didn’t accomplish yesterday at the top!
7. ‘Someday’ is not a day of the week: Sometimes ‘later’ becomes the night before it’s due. Or even worse, ‘later’ might become ‘never.’ Do be a little strict with yourself. If you don’t want to worry about it that very day, set a time where you’ll accomplish what you need to do, and then stick with it.
8. Take a deep breath: Give yourself 5 minutes to be sad, mad, upset, confused—whatever it is that you are feeling. Take a breath, and then just go for it. Really, what is the worst that can happen? Fear of the unknown usually makes our problems seem bigger than they really are. Just imagine how great you’ll feel when you decide to put procrastination away and get to it!