Procrastination comes at a high cost. If you procrastinate to pay taxes, you may end up paying heavy fines; procrastinate to call a friend and you may lose touch; procrastinate to start an exercise program and you may die too young.
With so much at stake, it seems absurd to put off things that need to get done, and yet…. According to Tony Robbins, humans are pain avoiding creatures, so the only reason why we don’t do something is because the pain associated with “doing” it is greater. Procrastination is just a symptom, it’s not the disease. What is causing the dis – EASE? Do you feel overwhelmed? This is the main reason why I procrastinate.
A “project” that seems too big will stop me in my tracks so fast I get whiplash. I don’t know where to begin - so I just don’t. The longer I procrastinate though, the bigger the project becomes and the more overwhelmed I feel. I’ve found the only way to deal with this particular dis-EASE is to take my medicine in small doses. I break the task down into more manageable pieces. It doesn’t make the overall project less intimidating, but as I continue to chip away, I see progress. Before you know it, I feel confident and up to the challenge.
Consider this strategy next time you –
Clean out a closet
Purge all the clothes that are torn, dingy, worn
Donate the clothes that don’t fit or have gone out of style
Clean, dry clean and press what remains
Organize with hangers, boxes and bags
Keep your closet organized by removing two pieces each time you add something new
Voila, you’ve done it!
Clean out a garage
Load one garbage bag the night before trash day
Donate used appliances, sporting equipment, decorations you no longer use
Group items according to their purpose (yard, auto, home, etc.) Organize one group at a time, placing items in bins, on shelves or hangers that you install
Resist all temptation to move unused, unwanted items in to the garage for storage
Think of the big projects you’ve been putting off and break them down into manageable steps:
Write a story
Train for a marathon
Find a new job
Create a budget
Do you lack desire? Maybe the reason you procrastinate is because you REALLY don’t want to do something.
Are you conflicted because you don’t know if it’s the “Right” thing to do? If you’re stuck in limbo because you don’t know what action to take, then take the action to get more information. For example: maybe you’ve considered leaving your spouse and you’re waiting for a sign. Instead of waiting for the bomb to drop; work on the dis-EASE in your marriage. You may decide to schedule a weekly date night to rekindle the romance or you may need to attend therapy. Once you’ve taken action to find out what’s at the root of your unhappiness, you will be better prepared to make an informed decision about what to do next.
Maybe you lack desire because you have a list of “I Shoulds”
I should work out…but
I should write my book…but
I should go back to school for my degree...but
You have to change these “Should” statements into “Want” statements, and the only way to do that is to really believe they’re in YOUR best interest. Don’t try to do it to please someone else.
I want to work out because I want to feel fit, energetic, sexy and youthful.
I want to write my book because I want to share with others, to bring them joy and inspiration.
I want to go back to school because I love learning, hearing diverse points of view and feeling confident in my abilities. If you don’t know why you want to do something, you’ll never be inspired to take action.
Does fear hold you back? If you feel inadequate to the challenge, you may avoid failure by never beginning. No matter how brilliant or capable a person is, they have to first try in order to succeed. Someone less skilled but brave can achieve all their dreams. Fear is the great equalizer. If you don’t have the confidence today, build your skill until you’re up to the challenge.
If it’s a physical endeavor, train your body.
If it’s a mental endeavor, train your mind. Train with repetition, practice and challenge yourself to grow. Don’t give up you when you have achieved mediocracy. Here is an example used by Eugene Schwartz, a prolific copywriter: He would take a kitchen timer and set it for 33 minutes and 33 seconds. Then he would write until the timer went off. He would take a break and then do it again. You can use a similar trick for your writing, adjusting the time to whatever works best for you. Maybe you work best in short bursts with frenetic creativity, or maybe you need more time to get the juices flowing.
Don’t work with an outcome in mind. Your only goal is to increase your proficiency. Removing the expectation of the outcome will also remove the fear that’s been holding you back.
Set Effective Goals
Effective Goals
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