What is the delay? You said I will do it tomorrow, yesterday and the day before that and the month before that and the year before that. Okay you get the point! We all have done it some time in our life. There is no specific group of people that procrastination targets. You can be highly-driven or one that lacks motivation.
Procrastination is a habit, which means you have to be intentional in your quest to break out of it.
Here are 4 effective processes you can use to break the habit.
Do it now
If possible, the moment you think about what you need to do, take action right then! Often times completing a task immediately may feel strange or like a forced action. Personally I was one that masked my procrastination by saying I work good under pressure. However, it took missing some important deadlines or making mistakes to break the habit.
2. Take small steps
Sometimes we procrastinate because the task may be intimidating to us. Perhaps we have no clue where to start. In these cases, it is quite fine to take it one step at a time. Say you are preparing a business plan and for the 5th time this week, you’ve turned on the PC and looked at the blank screen. Or you’ve just remembered you need to do some more research before you begin…you’re still not ready. You simply need to break down the project into smaller pieces and tackle each bit separately. Make each task an individual project and after completion of each one, celebrate and acknowledge your achievement.
3. Forget it
Why force the issue? If you have been ‘dragging your feet’ on something for a very long time, it may all be for the best. Something, somewhere is trying to tell you something. That something is your intuition and it is usually right! Think about something that you have been putting off again and again and again. What are the reasons that you need to complete this task in the first place? Does someone want you to do this? What is THEIR agenda? What are YOUR reasons for this lengthy delay? I find it amazing that 99% of the time I put off doing something, I am thankful that I did! Disregarding a project after a long period of procrastination is however usually a last resort.
4. Support team
Do you put off tasks because you feel that they are too big and complex for you to handle alone? Or because you need assistance? Be honest with yourself. “No man is an island”. Ask for help! There are many resources out there that can provide you with all you need to carry out your job. If you’re a solo-professional and you put off answering emails, then don’t answer them yourself. Hire an assistant, find some college students that want experience, get a family member to help. Procrastinating on life changing activities could be as a result of fear of the unknown. Get a mastermind group together, find a mentor, join a support group. You don’t have to do it all by yourself. Just ensure that to kick this habit; you do what feels good to you in whatever method you choose. You’ll surely postpone procrastination for a very long time.
Benjamin Franklin said, "You may delay, but time will not". Now is the time, lets get started!
Comments