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\n\t\tOpinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.\t<\/p>\n
\u201cWork expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.\u201d<\/p>\n
While not based on scientific principles, the above quote \u2014 known as Parkinson\u2019s law \u2014 has always rung true to me. Onerous tasks without deadlines have a mysterious way of getting brushed aside for other things. Promises are made, then broken, then made again. \u201cI\u2019ll start after I check my email. Tomorrow morning will be quieter. I just need to be in the right headspace.\u201d Sound familiar?<\/p>\n
Contrary to popular belief, cutting out procrastination isn\u2019t a matter of willpower or even self-discipline. Trust me, I know. As a bootstrapped founder, no one was watching to see if I made headway on my product. I had no eager investors, no breathless public awaiting a launch. There were plenty of days when, in the warm cocoon of my bed, I reasoned that it wouldn\u2019t matter if I slept in just this once \u2014 after all, there was no deadline.<\/p>\n
What ultimately moved the needle wasn\u2019t the sudden, perfect alignment of the stars that allowed me to get to work. It was understanding the source of my desire to procrastinate, and building systems to thwart it before it started.<\/p>\n
It happens to the best of us: You pick up your phone to check an alert. While you\u2019re there, you figure you may as well have a look at your email. That done, you take a totally harmless whirl through social media. Pretty soon, an hour has vanished before your eyes, with nothing achieved beyond an unwanted knowledge of the latest celebrity feuds.<\/p>\n