Ways You Can Overcome Procrastination

Procrastination is one of the most common challenges for people to face on an almost daily basis. According to GoodNet, if you tend to push off important tasks while knowing their urgency, you could be dealing with procrastination. Doing this may cause temporary relief, but in the end it often leads to extreme stress, lower productivity and missed deadlines.

When we procrastinate the tasks we tend to avoid are the annoying tasks that just keep getting pushed lower on our to-do list. Sometimes the problem is that the task seems like it'll take too long. There are also moments where we avoid a task simply because it seems boring.

No matter the reason for your procrastination, it’s recommended that you create your own accountability. An example of this would be setting a short timer, maybe five minutes, to start on whatever task you're currently dreading. It might also be helpful to make a 3-5 item to-do list each day of what is most important and needs to be done. Crossing things off of this list can be satisfying and the list is there as a physical reminder of what you need to get done. This can help to keep you accountable. 

Removing distractions is one of the best ways to combat procrastination. Having a loud environment or distracting things around, like your phone, can make it a lot harder to concentrate. To beat procrastination it's suggested that you remove these distractions completely. An example would be putting your phone in another room, or powering it off and putting it all the way across the table.

First you'll need to find out what specifically is a distraction for you. Then you can move on to eliminating that distraction and putting yourself into a much better environment that will up your chances of completing the task at hand. When you notice that something is a distraction for you, actively acknowledge it and detach from it.

Once you finally get that hard task done, you'll realize that the effort was worth the feeling that you get once it’s finally over.

Just because you don't have the best credit, that doesn't mean you have to give up on improving it. There are actually some pretty easy and quick ways to bring up your credit score. Even if you already have good credit, there's always room for improvement. I recently learned that paying off a big debut, such as a car or house, can actually bring down your credit score. That surprised me, but the reasoning makes sense.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but it's true. Paying off a big debt can actually ding your credit score and make it lower. "Paying off debt might lower your credit scores if removing the debt affects certain factors such as your credit mix, the length of your credit history or your credit utilization ratio," Equifax.com states. "Paying off your only line of installment credit reduces your credit mix and may ultimately decrease your credit scores." Also, closing or paying off a credit card could also make sure scores drop. That's "because your total available credit is lowered when you close a line of credit, which could result in a higher credit utilization ratio," they state. That said, it's not all doom and gloom. Investopedia.com adds that often times, paying off debut helps your credit score. That's especially true if you're someone who has too much debut. That's also true if you already have a low credit score.

So, let's say you're in a situation where you really want to improve your credit score. Thankfully, there are some simple ways to do so. There are some more complex ways, too. We'll get into those, as well. But, even a few small changes can make a big difference. Here are some quick ways to try to improve that coveted credit rating.

If your credit limit increases and your balance remains the same, that will lower your credit utilization. It can improve your credit. This is one of the quickest ways to improve your credit score. Moreover, if your income increases or you have more years of positive credit experience, your credit can go up, too. So, try to not max out your credit. You could even open a new credit card and not touch it, just to help lower that credit utilization even more.

Missing payments can obviously really lower your credit rating. It's a mistake you don't want to make. So, sign up for an autopay option. This might not the be quickest way to improve your credit, but over time, it can really help, especially if you find yourself missing payments once in a while.

Before your really improve your credit, you have to see where you are the weakest. So, check your credit history, and study it. Find a copy of your credit report from each of the three major national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Then, look the reports over to see what's bringing down your score or helping it. Improve on those negative areas.

When you open a line of credit or apply for a variety of other things, such as a loan or apartment rental, you have have to get a hard inquiry done on your account. But, each hard inquiry can bring down your credit scores a little bit. Over time, that can build up. So, try not to open too many accounts at once. These hard inquires are a minor factor, but they still count.

We usually pay off debts, such as a house payment or credit card payment, once a month. Instead, try splitting that payment into every two weeks. That could help you save on interest. But, it could also help lower your account balances and credit utilization ratio. That, in turn, could raise your scores.

This is among the biggest ways to improve your credit score. If you have a relative or even friend with a credit card account and high limit, plus a good history of paying on time, ask them if they would consider adding you as an authorized user. If they're uncomfortable and you using their card, they actually don't even have to let you use the card of give you their account number. Just the act of adding you to the account will improve your credit. It could improve it a lot.

I have personally found credit records to be pretty accurate. But, today, there are so many fraud cases out there, that you really have to be vigilant. If you have a mistake on one of your credit reports, it could really hurt your credit. So, dispute that error. If you win, that can quickly improve your credit.

While these tips could help raise your credit score, and hopefully quickly, getting stellar credit doesn't happen overnight. There's no magic bullet to wake up with an 850 credit score. So, try these tips and do your best to keep your credit perfect, or at least near perfect. Over time, it will all add up. You'll hopefully see a meaningful, and long-lasting change.