Are you putting off your tasks?
It’s official: Britain is a ‘procrasti-NATION’. A staggering 41 million UK adults regularly put off everyday tasks and chores according to new research from E.ON.
Facing a daunting annual to-do list of 3,869 tasks, unsurprisingly one in 10 people feel overwhelmed and struggle to juggle everything they need to do.
Nearly half of people push home up-keep chores such as clearing out, cleaning, changing bed sheets, and DIY to the bottom of their to-do list, with the thankless tasks of clearing out cupboards, garages and lofts described as the most avoided jobs.
But our procrastination habits can have more serious consequences – with over one in 10 people ending up in financial trouble because of their failure to keep on top of personal admin.
Putting things off also has emotional consequences with a third of people feeling annoyed at themselves, a quarter feeling guilty, and a quarter feeling lazy as a result of their lack of action.
Anthony Ainsworth, Sales and Marketing Director at E.ON, said “It’s clear that people are struggling to manage their daily to-do lists, and that this is playing on their minds. So we’re working with Lesley to help people step back, prioritise, and work out the best way to get through their personal admin.
“And because we know choosing the right energy tariff can be daunting, we’ve also simplified our tariffs and launched a new online tool to help make choosing our best deal quick and easy to do in just a couple of minutes.”
Louise Presley-Turner’s top tips on how not to procrastinate:
Create an energy drainer list – list 10 things that are sapping your energy, like that ironing pile or broken loo seat, then write a list of 10 actions that will eliminate these ‘energy drainers’ from your life once and for all. Put the list on your fridge door and work your way through the items over the next 30 days
Do it daily – keep a daily ‘to do’ list. “Nothing surprising about that” I hear you say; yet very few of us do it! It keeps us on track, and there is something very empowering about crossing items off. Keep your list short and pop it somewhere you’ll see it
Your Power Hour – set aside a weekly ‘Power Hour’ to solely focus on your personal admin tasks. This will eliminate any last minute panics, reduce your stress levels and increase your energy and motivation
Turn it off! – we watch on average six hours of TV a day, amounting to 42 hours a week! Try using that time more efficiently, talking to your family or cooking a meal together. Decide on one evening a week where you turn off the TV, ditch the social media and gaming and make sure the whole family agrees to do this
Hand it over – think about all the tasks you do over the course of the week and then consider who might be able to help. Get the kids involved in chores, order groceries online or maybe even hire an accountant. Look for ways to simplify your life and give yourself a break
Reward yourself – after a successful week managing your life and getting those tasks ticked off, take a little time for ‘self nurturing’. Try a luxurious hot bath, a trip to your favourite café or a quiet half hour snuggled up with a book. And the great thing is, you’ll be able to enjoy this time totally guilt free!
Tagged in Health