[[:encoded, "Mind over matter, right? Sometimes, that’s easier said than done. When we’re faced with a laundry list of to-dos and with not enough time in the day, it can be easier to distract ourselves and push things off to the next day. And when more items get added to our list, it becomes overwhelming, and we continue to procrastinate even more. A vicious cycle, but one that can be overcome.\n\nIn order to overcome procrastination, we have to first understand it. Start with perspective—procrastination may not be something you can ever fully get rid of. And that’s okay. When you accept that it may be a part of your process, that’s the first step to figuring out how to work through it. The reason why many of us procrastinate is because we choose to do something that’s more immediately gratifying than something we know we need to do, but it is probably not as fun. Procrastination is an emotional reaction, and we put off necessary tasks in order to stay happy in the moment.\n\nSo, how do you overcome procrastination and move on to a mode of productivity? Here are 5 tips to trick your mind into overcoming procrastination.\n\n1. Make It Super Easy to Get Started on Your Task\n\nThe hardest part of completing some tasks is getting started. Sometimes thinking about a task can snowball into feeling overwhelmed because of what the task entails. If you’re going into the task with a dreaded mindset, that will make it harder to get started. It’s much easier to get started if you don’t think about it as much.\n\nFor example, if the task at hand is getting out of bed to go work out, you might find yourself thinking about how you have to find your workout clothes, then you need to make sure you have clean socks, and by the time you work out, half your day will be over—before you know it, you’ve convinced yourself to stay in bed.\n\nSet things up ahead of time so it’s super easy to get started. If your goal is to work out in the morning, make sure your clothes are laid out the night before. Then, when you wake up, just get out of bed. Don’t spend time thinking about whether or not you want to work out, or you’ll fall into the same pattern as before. Just get up, get dressed, and get out.\n\nIf the task at hand is making prospecting calls to potential clients, start with making a list of people to call and the script you will use for what to say. Once you have that list and script, set it next to your laptop (or open it in a notes document on your laptop) the day before you even start the task. Now that your prospect list and script are ready and waiting, all you need to do is pick up the phone and call! You can also open up any CRM you use ahead of time, so you’re ready to take notes on your calls. The less you need to think about it in the moment, the easier it will be to get started.\n\n2. Remove All Distractions\nYes, I’m talking about your phone. That’s probably one of the biggest distractions from doing our work. Want to know a super-secret strategy for not being distracted by your phone?\n\nEither flip your phone over, turn it off, or remove it completely from the room.\n\nThe simple act of not having your screen in front of you, with notifications popping up and noises sounding, can make a huge difference in making sure you are able to focus on the task at hand. If you wear a watch with notifications, the same suggestions apply to that.\n\nHave a browser window open with dozens of tabs but need to get started on that blog post? Separate out one browser window and just focus on getting your writing done, so you’re not tempted to see the other sites you were browsing.\n\nThe bottom line is, simplify your environment and pare it down as much as possible to remove any and all distractions, as much as possible.\n\n3. Think of a Reward for Completing the Task\nIf there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, of course you’ll wan
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