This is a follow-up to our previous article about how to fight procrastination.

Doing what you want to do when you want to, that is, doing and completing tasks when you set out to do them, requires a high level of self-discipline.

You set aside time for a specific activity and stick to it, giving your full attention to the task at hand and completing it within the time limit you established. You do not push it off for later. If you're having trouble with this, this article will provide additional advice on how to overcome it.

You may find this difficult to do for one or more of the following reasons: poor organisational skills, self-doubt or task overwhelm^[1].  And as a result of your inability to do what you want when you want to, you're plagued by guilt, thoughts of your incomplete or unfinished tasks and you never seem to find peace of mind. You also face a decline in productivity because you don't get things done on time.

You do, however, realize the numerous benefits of knowing how to do what you want to do when you want to and that's why you searched for this post. This ability can help you reach your full potential because you use the time you're given to complete a task rather than rushing to put something together at the last minute to meet a deadline. You can improve your ability to collaborate with others and work as part of a team. You gain others' trust in you and your abilities by demonstrating your responsibility.

Enough of my yammering. So how can you do what you want to do when you want to?

Tips to do what you want to do when you want to

1. Talk to yourself:

Remind yourself why the task is important and why you have to do it. Giving yourself reasons to do your activities will motivate you.

2. Consider the negative consequences of failing to complete it on time:

If you don't get it in on time, you may risk losing your job, disappointing people you work with or for, and, if you're in school, you risk receiving a poor grade or failing the assignment entirely.

3. Create an action plan:

If you're feeling overwhelmed by a task and can't seem to get started, make an action plan. You can devise a detailed strategy for completing the task.

• Break the task into smaller achievable bits and spread them out through the day or time frame of when you plan to complete the task.
• Take them out one by one in the order you created until you finish them.

4. Start any task you have immediately you get it:

Do something, even if it's as simple as writing it on your to-do list to get the ball rolling.

5. Get an accountability partner:

If you have someone to report to at the end of each day and something to lose if you don't finish the task by that time, you'll be more motivated to work. To make it more interesting, tell your friend you'll buy him dinner if you don't finish by the end of the day.^[2]

6. Push the deadline forward:

Push the due date forward in your head or on paper. For example, if you have a project due on the 16th, you could write the 14th in your planner instead. Assuming that the deadline is closer than it is can be beneficial.

7. Get organized by keeping a schedule and to-do list.

8. Say no to things you can't do:

Don't be afraid to politely decline offers that will eat into the time you've set aside for your important activities. You'll often find yourself breaking your back doing tasks for other people, which can prevent you from starting things you want to do.

9. Know when to stop looking for more information and concentrate on the task at hand:

Don't make things more difficult by overthinking the work process and making it appear more tedious than it is.

10. Start with the most unpleasant tasks:

Getting the least enjoyable tasks out of the way early in the day allows you to focus on more enjoyable tasks for the rest of the day.

These are a few tips that can help you do what you want to do when you want to. You can also check out how to fight procrastination for more tips if you haven't already.

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