Procrastination is so much easier than getting the job done. Everybody does it.

Even the most organised people can sometimes find that the weight of their to-do list makes their mind drift to far easier and interesting things.

Don’t sit and worry about everything you have to do.

Stop, and think about what actually needs to be done right now.

Prioritise.

Consider what the main tasks are, and what small tasks within them need to be done to reach that end goal. Break it down to make it manageable.

If you can’t figure it out, you need to take a break to clear your head.

That’s right, taking regular breaks improves productivity.

Studies have shown that people who take regular small breaks increased their productivity compared to those who had no breaks or one longer break during the day.

Consider the “Pomodoro” technique. Invented by Francesco Cirillo and named for his tomato-shaped kitchen timer.

Cirillo’s technique involves taking a micro-break (30secs-5minutes) every 25 minutes. After the fourth 25 minute work session, take a longer break.

The key is to focus on a single task for each 25-minute time slot, or “pomodori”.

Your brain cannot work indefinitely, so providing short breaks at regular intervals gives your brain the time it needs to fully process a task before you move onto the next one.

By using short time slots to focus on a task, you minimise procrastination – you don’t have time for distractions, and you might even get larger tasks done much faster now that they’re broken down into more manageable “bite-size” chunks.