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What You Can Do About Procrastination
Posted by Unknown
on
10:13 PM
Goals stalled? Always running behind? Stuck in a rut?
Procrastination means “putting it off”. Whether it’s a career
goal, a home project, or something about your daily life, a
sustained plateau on a goal can rattle your motivation, challenge
your thinking. And that can eventually mean that you’re putting
off your LIFE, not just a task.
The key is to push through these plateaus to see the finish line.
Take a good look, reassess your strategy, ask some questions,
make some changes. Not dealing with it, won’t make it go away.
Stop putting off your life!
What can I do when I find it hard to just get started?
The hardest thing about everyday tasks is getting started on
them. It's kind of like pushing a stalled car -- once you get
going, everything rolls right along. You can beat
procrastination in daily life tasks by setting up systems that
help you. Set a time to pay bills (Wed mornings, for example).
Then you do it and forget it. Most people don’t decide “not to”
do something -- they just don’t every consciously decide TO do
it. Decide. Put life on your schedule.
What can I do when I don’t feel qualified to perform the task?
Being afraid that you will fail at something is a sure-fire way
to get you to stop before you've started. You can beat
procrastination by being honest with yourself about your level of
training in that particular task. Don't complain or delay.
Simply request help from someone qualified who can help you
learn.
What can I do when I’m not sure this is something I really want?
I was having trouble finishing painting my kitchen and I couldn’t
figure out why. As I started to really think about it, I
realized that I didn’t really like the color. “Martha Stewart”
said I ought to like it, but I just didn’t. As soon as I
mentally fired Martha and got the color I really wanted, I
finished in no time. You can beat procrastination by telling
the truth about what you really want out of life. Live as the
star of your own life, not as an extra in someone else's.
What can I do when the task seems huge, overwhelming?
Beware of over-exaggeration. While it may seem like it will take
lightening years to complete a job, you can control
procrastination by using a timer to help you see what you can
really accomplish in 30 minutes. I guarantee you’ll be shocked.
Schedule a specific amount of time that you will spend on it each
day, or week -- set the timer. Devote that time to it, and then
return next time. You’ll move forward without exaggeration or
exasperation.
What can I do when there are many things demanding my attention?
When there is too much crammed into 24 hours, often nothing of
real value gets done You can control procrastination by setting
priorities. Do things that are important to you and your life.
Weed out the junk in your life, the same way you pull the weeds
in your garden - just because they volunteered to show up doesn’t
mean you want them there!
Making a task easier often comes with making a choice to adjust
your schedule, re-allocate your money, or choosing how to spend
your energy. We all know that, like mom taught us, we have to
get our work done before we can go out and “play”. Put your work
on a schedule, keep it realistic (you’re only human!), and that
makes play time all the more enjoyable!
=========================
Professional Life Coach Kathy Gates specializes in helping people
who are ready to create a simpler, less stressful, more joyful
and meaningful lifestyle. Visit www.reallifecoach.com for
information, products and services, and sign up for a free
newsletter.
Quote of the Day
Courage is the ladder on which all the other virtues mount.
– Clare Booth Luce, 1903-1987, American Dramatist/Journalist/Politician
|
Procrastination means “putting it off”. Whether it’s a career
goal, a home project, or something about your daily life, a
sustained plateau on a goal can rattle your motivation, challenge
your thinking. And that can eventually mean that you’re putting
off your LIFE, not just a task.
The key is to push through these plateaus to see the finish line.
Take a good look, reassess your strategy, ask some questions,
make some changes. Not dealing with it, won’t make it go away.
Stop putting off your life!
What can I do when I find it hard to just get started?
The hardest thing about everyday tasks is getting started on
them. It's kind of like pushing a stalled car -- once you get
going, everything rolls right along. You can beat
procrastination in daily life tasks by setting up systems that
help you. Set a time to pay bills (Wed mornings, for example).
Then you do it and forget it. Most people don’t decide “not to”
do something -- they just don’t every consciously decide TO do
it. Decide. Put life on your schedule.
What can I do when I don’t feel qualified to perform the task?
Being afraid that you will fail at something is a sure-fire way
to get you to stop before you've started. You can beat
procrastination by being honest with yourself about your level of
training in that particular task. Don't complain or delay.
Simply request help from someone qualified who can help you
learn.
What can I do when I’m not sure this is something I really want?
I was having trouble finishing painting my kitchen and I couldn’t
figure out why. As I started to really think about it, I
realized that I didn’t really like the color. “Martha Stewart”
said I ought to like it, but I just didn’t. As soon as I
mentally fired Martha and got the color I really wanted, I
finished in no time. You can beat procrastination by telling
the truth about what you really want out of life. Live as the
star of your own life, not as an extra in someone else's.
What can I do when the task seems huge, overwhelming?
Beware of over-exaggeration. While it may seem like it will take
lightening years to complete a job, you can control
procrastination by using a timer to help you see what you can
really accomplish in 30 minutes. I guarantee you’ll be shocked.
Schedule a specific amount of time that you will spend on it each
day, or week -- set the timer. Devote that time to it, and then
return next time. You’ll move forward without exaggeration or
exasperation.
What can I do when there are many things demanding my attention?
When there is too much crammed into 24 hours, often nothing of
real value gets done You can control procrastination by setting
priorities. Do things that are important to you and your life.
Weed out the junk in your life, the same way you pull the weeds
in your garden - just because they volunteered to show up doesn’t
mean you want them there!
Making a task easier often comes with making a choice to adjust
your schedule, re-allocate your money, or choosing how to spend
your energy. We all know that, like mom taught us, we have to
get our work done before we can go out and “play”. Put your work
on a schedule, keep it realistic (you’re only human!), and that
makes play time all the more enjoyable!
=========================
Professional Life Coach Kathy Gates specializes in helping people
who are ready to create a simpler, less stressful, more joyful
and meaningful lifestyle. Visit www.reallifecoach.com for
information, products and services, and sign up for a free
newsletter.
Quote of the Day
Courage is the ladder on which all the other virtues mount.
– Clare Booth Luce, 1903-1987, American Dramatist/Journalist/Politician
|
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