--- title: 7 Steps to Never Procrastinating Again description: No, you won’t do better work by procrastinating. And you will not have more time next week. In fact, leaving things unfinished makes you stupid.... canonical: https://time.com/3606269/never-procrastinate-again/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-11-30T05:01:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-31T08:03:12.128Z article:section: Ideas og:title: 7 Steps to Never Procrastinating Again og:description: No, you won’t do better work by procrastinating. And you will not have more time next week. In fact, leaving things unfinished makes you stupid.... og:url: https://time.com/3606269/never-procrastinate-again/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt506f454e058c0bc0/69876b1a3c1639e5e74503bf/clock2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: clock og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 7 Steps to Never Procrastinating Again twitter:description: No, you won’t do better work by procrastinating. And you will not have more time next week. In fact, leaving things unfinished makes you stupid.... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt506f454e058c0bc0/69876b1a3c1639e5e74503bf/clock2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 7 Steps to Never Procrastinating Again by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Nov 30, 2014 5:01 AM UTC  Clock with no logo Clock with no logoGetty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Nov 30, 2014 5:01 AM UTC No, you [won’t do better work](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-procrastinators-score-higher-in-school-tha) by procrastinating. And you will not have [more time next week](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/should-carpe-diem-be-our-motto). In fact, leaving things unfinished [makes you stupid](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-leaving-things-unfinished-make-you-stupi). Here’s what works: * Make [specific plans](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-can-you-stop-procrastinating-and-make-pla). Just setting a date and a time when you’re going to do something makes you more likely to follow through. Or [write down the steps necessary to do the work](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-a-good-way-to-trick-yourself-into-getti?). * Use [short, painless dashes](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-to-beat-procrastination-quickly) of effort. Just have at it for five minutes and feel free to watch the clock. Chances are you’ll realize it’s not so bad. * [Rewarding yourself](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-the-trick-to-beating-procrastination) for doing things you don’t want to do can be a powerful motivator. * Use “[precommitment devices](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-a-trick-we-can-use-to-make-sure-we-do-t)” to make sure you follow through. [Stickk](http://www.stickk.com/) is a good one. * [Asking yourself whether you intend on doing something](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-asking-questions-help-you-accomplish-thos) is a more powerful motivator than telling yourself you will do it. * Understand the secrets to [willpower](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/15-research-based-secrets-to-bulletproof-will), breaking [bad habits](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/whats-the-most-effective-way-to-change-you-be), [productivity](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/10-ways-to-turn-yourself-into-a-productivity), and achieving [goals](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/the-last-damn-thing-youll-ever-need-to-read-a). * [Forgive yourself](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/could-forgiveness-be-the-cure-to-procrastinat) when you do procrastinate to prevent a vicious circle. Hey, even procrastination researchers [have a sense of humor](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/proof-that-procrastination-researchers-have-a) about it. **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/7-steps-to-never-procrastinating-again/)**_._** **Join 135K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3606269/never-procrastinate-again/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3606269/never-procrastinate-again/"},"headline":"7 Steps to Never Procrastinating Again","datePublished":"2014-11-30T05:01:40.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:03:12.128Z","description":"No, you won’t do better work by procrastinating. And you will not have more time next week. 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