Jan. 8: Ways To Stop Procrastinating

January 8, 2026

Ways to put an end to procrastinating – and getting things done

Where there’s a will, there’s a way, they say.

However, procrastination – putting things off until later – seems to get in the way of getting things done. A recent article by Preet Banerjea of The Globe and Mail suggests that financial procrastination “is like paying another tax,” because you are enjoying fun things in the now instead of saving for the future.

Save with SPP decided to scout around the Interweb to see how others have liberated themselves from the clutches of procrastination.

The writers at Psychology Today offer up a few tips.

First, they suggest, why not break the task up into little bite-sized pieces?

“When you break a task into smaller steps, it becomes much more manageable, and taking the first step can build momentum,” the article explains.

“For example, if you’re avoiding cleaning your garage, don’t aim to finish it in one day. Instead, focus on sorting just one corner or organizing a single shelf,” the article adds.

Another trick is to “tackle your most dreaded task first,” the magazine notes. “Say you need to call customer service to resolve a complex billing issue. This kind of task can feel exhausting before you even begin. However, if you do it first thing in the morning, you’ll free up mental space to handle the rest of your day more smoothly,” the article recommends.

An interesting one is the Two-Minute Rule, the magazine continues.

“Popularized by productivity expert David Allen, the Two-Minute Rule suggests that if a task can be done in two minutes or less, do it immediately.This rule helps eliminate small tasks that pile up,” and can feel overwhelming, the magazine notes.

The Coursera website provides a few more ideas.

Got a to-do list? Trim it down, the site suggests.

“If you begin to work with a to-do list, it’s crucial to trim where you can. There are only so many hours in the day, and if you find yourself with long lists, then some things will have to be shifted around—or dropped altogether. For starters, go through and remove anything that doesn’t need to be done that day or that week,” the site tells us.

Next, Coursera suggests, you should minimize distractions.

“Turn off your phone, stay away from social media, and make sure you’re setting yourself up to stay on-task rather than deviating to something new,” the site notes.

Be sure, the site adds, to reward yourself for completing a task.

“You can use… personal rewards as motivation, such as a break for a snack or an activity. Or, if you’re working on a more involved project, maybe your reward is something bigger, like a nice dinner when you turn in the finished product,” the site suggests.

A few more ideas come to us via the Calm blog.

Techniques “like mindful breathing and meditation” can help you manage stress and anxiety, which the blog suggest fuel procrastination.

Consider, the blog advises, getting an “accountability buddy” to help you keep yourself on track.

“Don’t hesitate to ask friends, family, or professionals to be your accountability buddy if procrastination significantly impacts your life. Getting this support and encouragement from other people may help you to stop procrastinating and can give you ideas or coping tools,” the blog notes.

Review your success with anti-procrastination tools and reflect on what worked and what didn’t, the blog concludes.

Is procrastination holding back your retirement savings efforts?

Start small, with an amount you won’t really miss, and then ramp up over time.

The Saskatchewan Pension Plan does not have a required contribution rate. That means you can decide how much you want to contribute. Contributions can be received in many ways, including through pre-authorized transfers from your bank account or credit card, or via online banking, where SPP can be set up as a bill.

No matter how your savings dollars travel to SPP, once here they are invested in a professionally managed, low-cost pooled fund. When the time comes to withdraw your contributions as income, options include a lifetime annuity or the more flexible Variable Benefit.

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Calm, Coursera, Psychology Today, The Globe and Mail

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