Stop procrastinating over your paperwork

Some people relish being organised about doing their admin, while others find it a dull chore and would rather do anything but. Why do some of us find it difficult to get on with this necessary task and what can we do to change our attitude?

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Stop procrastinating over your paperwork

1. Be clear about why you are doing this. Remind yourself that doing admin is for you – not for some authority figure. Tell yourself that you are worth taking care of. 

2. Listen to your thoughts. Get in touch with those rebellious feelings and imagine dealing with them as a parent would deal with a child – with patience, humour and love. Then get in touch with your disciplined side that fears a lack of control. Reassure that side as you would reassure a worrying parent, saying that you will look after yourself.

3. Be kind to yourself. Cut yourself a bit of slack. Remember that not being great at dealing with your paperwork isn’t a moral failing.

4. Discipline requires a system. Set aside some time specifically for admin tasks and plan what you are going to do in that period. If you need to, ask a friend who loves to do paperwork to help you.

5. Reinforce your achievements. Emphasise how good it feels to be able to find the paperwork you need because you bothered to organise your files. You could even calculate how much money you’ve saved in late fines.

More inspiration:

Stop Talking, Start Doing: A Kick In The Pants In Six Parts by Shรกรก Wasmund with Richard Newton (Capstone, £9.99)

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