Thursday, March 8, 2012

Is someday today? Putting off procrastination


Someday I will buy a house.
Someday I will go back to school.
Someday I will organize my closet.

No matter how big or small the task, we always put it off. Continuing to prolong a task or dream will only make your journey to success longer and more tiresome. People procrastinate for many reasons:
  1. Financial issues
  2. Feelings of failure
  3. Fear of success
  4. Time Constraints
  5. Lack of motivation
  6. Lack of support from outside sources
  7. Lack of knowledge                              ......and these are just a few.
Procrastination is what keeps us from great achievement. It is impossible to achieve greatness if you are not moving forward to reach a goal that is tied to the accomplishment. Here are six tips on how to put off procrastination:

  1. Break the task in small steps. One reason why we procrastinate is because we look at the big picture, instead of breaking the task in small chunks/blocks and accomplishing it in pieces. Sometimes the big picture is scary and overwhelming. Reducing the big picture into little puzzle pieces will make the task easier to handle, organize your thoughts, and you will accomplish it faster.
  2. Find the fun in the task. There's nothing like a dull task to keep you unmotivated. Find something fun in doing the task, make it a game and if you win (accomplish) the task you get a reward. For example, after filing the stack of papers on your desk, treat yourself to a nice lunch. While filing you can wear headphones and listen to your favorite music or podcast of a professional development seminar. So what are you doing while filing: learning, getting organized, and having fun while doing it.
  3. Identify why you should be accomplishing the task. Maybe this is something not worthy of your time or effort. Determine the level of 'want' and 'need' by creating a W.I.N. list.
  4. Get smart. If you don't know where or how to begin, get help. Conduct research on the topic and ask the experts. Gain knowledge about the task or topic so that the necessary steps can start to unfold as you learn more about the process.
  5. Think about the outcomes. What will happen when you complete the task? Will you be more satisfied? Will your performance review be favorable, which could get you a promotion? Thinking about the end results will motivate you to completion.
  6. Make procrastination the last item on the to-do list. If all else fails, here's a trick for the mind. Literally, put the word 'procrastination' on your to-do list as the last item to complete. As items get crossed off the list and move up, keep moving 'procrastination' to the end. The idea is that you will never get to it because it is always last. When you complete everything on your list and all you have left is procrastination, this is your cue to take a breather and create a new list; remember to add 'procrastination' at the end.

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