Wellness
11 TikTok Hacks That'll Help You Stop Procrastinating
In this case, scrolling through the app can actually help you stop getting distracted.
TikTok may be your go-to distraction from responsibilities at work, school, or that mediocre show you just started watching. But, in a shocking turn of events, you can actually use the video-sharing app to help stop you from getting distracted. Enter: TikTok hacks on how to stop procrastination, which can help you get back on track when you’d rather do anything but focus.
Let’s be real: Getting in the zone isn’t easy. Whether you’re dealing with a case of writer’s block, have an irresistible puppy tempting you to play, or simply can’t resist the appeal of beauty tutorials on YouTube, procrastination happens to even the most regimented workers. Doing it too often can impact your ability to hold down your responsibilities.
As is the case with many things — like fitness motivation and tortilla folding hacks — TikTok is riddled with procrastination-quashing tips. Scrolling through the app, you can find genius tidbits like time-blocking, advice on restructuring your to-do list, and a 5-minute method, all of which can aid in keeping you focused (#procrastination has amassed more than 314 million views, BTW).
So if you’re ready to stop dilly-dallying, check out these 11 TikTok hacks to stop procrastinating.
1Break The Stress Cycle
Procrastination is often a coping mechanism for stress, according to this TikTok. Though it can temporarily distract you from your stressor, putting your task off can become habitual and doesn’t actually address the source of your anxiety. Break the cycle by instead taking a moment to identify and acknowledge your stress when you feel the urge to procrastinate, says this user. Then count to five and start your work to push past the urge and, ultimately, break the habit.
2Block Your Time
Sometimes staring at the busy schedule in front of you can be so overwhelming that you decide to check out. Separating your day into bite-sized chunks will make your workload seem more manageable, according to this TikTok, which recommends using a planner to “time-block” your tasks so that you can tackle your responsibilities without feeling the need to procrastinate.
3Remember Your Goals
If you’re stuck in procrastination mode, this TikTok user says to remind yourself of the goal that’s on the other side of the work. Perhaps you want to take the next step in your career or hope to accomplish a new athletic feat at the gym. It takes hard work to do both, but that’s how you get to the finish line — so keep that end goal in sight to keep you going.
4Think About What You’re Trying To Avoid
You might procrastinate because you anticipate a task being boring, difficult, or stressful. Well, this TikTok user recommends tapping into those feelings by asking yourself what emotion you’re trying to avoid by delaying your work. Identifying the source of your avoidance can help you address it head-on or even realize that the anticipation is often worse than the task itself.
5Plan Ahead
Some people work best under pressure, which is why procrastination can actually feel like an effective work style. But even if the habit leads to your best work, it can still feel stressful in the moment. The solution? Plan ahead with your procrastination in mind, according to this TikTok user. Make a list of all of the challenges you anticipate, resources you’ll need, and goals you’d like to accomplish so that once it comes time to actually do the work, you’ll be well-prepared — not frantic.
6Accomplish Easy Tasks
If your to-do list is overwhelming to the point that you feel you can’t accomplish it, this TikTok tip can help. Put a few super-easy items on the list (like “eat a snack”) so that you can quickly check off tasks and get more motivated to move forward.
7Break A Task Into Smaller Chunks
According to this TikTok user, a life and mindset coach, break a job that feels overwhelming into smaller sub-tasks and work on it for just 10 minutes at a time. Suddenly that mountainous undertaking won’t seem so intimidating.
8Change Your Environment
Procrastinating is a way to create a safe space to escape when responsibilities feel overwhelming, according to this productivity coach on TikTok. So it makes sense that turning inwards isn’t the solution to break that cycle. Instead, she recommends switching up your external environment to snap you out of your procrastination bubble: Change your location, take a walk, or listen to different music to put yourself in a new headspace.
9Set Yourself Up For Small Wins
Even if you love your work, enthusiasm for a project can sometimes cause you to bite off more than you can chew, which can make you feel swamped and turn to procrastination for relief. This TikTok user’s tip? Plan out your work ahead of time to make sure that each step of the process is something you can accomplish even if you’re feeling tired from the effort you’ve already put in. For instance, instead of setting a couple of big milestones, choose smaller goals that you can achieve even if you’re not in the mood to work hard.
10Commit To Just 5 Minutes
It can be daunting to anticipate hours of hard work. Trick your brain out of that fear by committing to buckle down for just 5 minutes, says this TikTok user. At the very least, that’s 5 minutes of work behind you. At best, you might feel inspired to keep going.
11Treat Yourself
You work hard, so why not reward yourself? This TikTok user swears by having a few of her favorite drinks on hand to sip while she checks off tasks. It’s an easy way to take a pleasant break and keep you feeling good while you work so that you’re less likely to slide into a procrastination spiral.
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