Time Management Techniques for Procrastinators

Hello everyone, my name is Lauren and I am a procrastinator.

And when I say this I mean it to the most extreme degree.

This year, my word of the year is TIME.

I really want to take control of my time and use it intentionally doing the things that bring me joy instead of putzing around and avoiding doing the things I need to and then not having time for fun stuff.

As a form of procrastination, Ive read all the books on how to manage your time and honestly - none of them have worked for me.

Time management is SUCH a personal system that no two people's techniques will look the same.

That said, Im here to share how I have found, mid February into my year of working on it, the tools that are working for me and the combination of them.

First up, I use the Get To Work Book to write down everything I need to do. I just scribble it in and make plans and take notes and sketch ideas for projects. It goes in here as a jumble as anytime I think of something I jot it down.

Next, I use the Daily Page where, each night, I sit down and make tomorrow's list of to dos and schedule out, nice and neat. I plan every meal, every event, my water consumption, habit maintence - everything. If I dont write it down I dont do it. (ps. Use code Lauren10 for 10% off)

But! As much as these were helping - it wasnt enough.

Next, I time track. I keep a tiny grid notebook and pen on my desk and every time I switch tasks I write it down. It keeps me accountable and I can see where my day went - this was a big problem for me, not knowing what had happened each day.

And, because I could see the problem, could see the to do list and still wasnt accomplishing it - I added in time blocking.

I use the Monday Hour 1 Technique where I sit down first thing at the start of the week and literally, schedule every minute of my week into my google calendar as tasks. This way I get a notification and it feels like outside pressure/accountability to stick to the schedule and get things done.

I also have started not charging my phone at night, so its dead in by mid-morning and needs to charge the majority of my most foucsed work hours.

Last! I use the Forest app, if my phone is by me, and I need some help putting it down and staying on task.

So far it's working brilliantly! I know it's a ton of systems and notebooks and its kind of a mess and feels like a job in itsself- but I have one of the worst cases of procrastination and I need a rock solid framework to keep me accountable. So, this is what I use. Bless all of you who just wake up and do things - you are a freak. ;)

What about you? Do you procrastinate? What do you use to stay focused and on task?