Being productive at work is crucial to any type of success. Anyone can show up to the office, get a few tasks completed and spend the rest of the afternoon telling stories and talking football. Look at the boss, he does it daily.

I’m a procrastinator. I want a coffee mug that states WORLD’S WORST PROCRASTINATOR but I keep putting off buying it. To make matters worse, I’ve got attention deficit so when I eventually sit down to accomplish a task I becomes distracted by anything; a noise, an uncomfortable pair of underwear or the cat chasing his tail. Maybe I should get it for him. I’ll grab it and he can stop circling…NO! Do work!

I’ve gotten better focusing my attention over the years. So how did I master my procrastination issues? Here are four ways to be more productive;

1) Disconnect- This is the first step and most important step. That is how numbering work. The #1 means this step is important. (Jot that down about how numbers work. Groundbreaking stuff.) You must cut yourself off from the outside world. No email, no cell phone, no television or anything that is going to pull your attention from the task at hand. It’s easier to get things done when you can ignore people who want to pull you out to a long lunch or a sale at Annie Sez (Culottes half price? well, maybe this once.) The outside world doesn’t exist. You’ve got things to do.

2) Play Santa- This isn’t a role play with your sex partner. (It can be but that is fudging kinky. Who is the elf?) This is the idea that if you write everything down you want to accomplish, it helps keep you on track. It’s best to do the list the day before so you are mentally ready for the day. Write down everything and in the order you want to work on them. This leads us to….

3) Pick your poison- (see how this number system works? You catching on?) You can’t accomplish everything. You have to make choices. What are the most important task? What have you been putting off the longest. Put them at the top of the list. Make the worst first. Get it out of the way. Simple stuff for the end. Also, don’t be afraid to admit some jobs aren’t worth the time and effort. I know you’d love to organize the files and color code by “favorite crayon color” but some projects are just a waste of time.

4) Reward- It works for kids, why not adults? Give yourself a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Tell yourself if you finish everything on the list, you can treat yourself to a gift. This is only if you get everything done. Don’t cheat.

I got a ton of work done today. Crossed everything off my list. Patted myself on the head. Going to buy myself a reward.

That procrastinators mug.

Eventually.

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