Constantly putting things off to the last minute? Here’s a trick that might change your habit.
Instagram founder Kevin Systrom has one rule when it comes to getting something done ahead of deadline. He makes a deal with himself to just start it and work on it for five minutes. After five minutes more often than not you’ll discover that you ended up completing the entire task.
So why does this trick work? According to Inc Magazine, we tend to procrastinate when something seems hard or will take a long time to complete. So we don’t start it at all until we absolutely have to because it seems so daunting. But give yourself a five minute timer and the task seems more manageable. Then once you get started you realize that it wasn’t that hard and once you get going it’s actually easier to finish it all now than stop and pick it up again later.
So forget the mind games, don’t bargain with yourself or try to push the work off on someone else; instead just take that first five minute step.
About Brian
CBS News Radio national business journalist Brian Banmiller has spent more than 40 years in the news industry, covering business, politics and the economy on television, radio and in print. Currently, his “Banmiller on Business” reports are delivered to an audience of millions nationwide.
