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Five Steps To Stop Procrastinating
And Achieve Your Goals Today
Debra B. Taylor
The two rules of procrastination: 1) Do it today. 2) Tomorrow
will be today tomorrow. Vincent T. Foss
Susan Daley was a successful entrepreneur selling promotional
products. She enjoyed making decent money while having the
flexibility to work at home. Susan recently took over a colleague’s
account, a huge growth opportunity. So why did she spend her
mornings playing solitaire in her messy office rather than
making phone calls to prospects?
To procrastinate is "to put off doing something",
or "to postpone or delay needlessly". Sometimes
we avoid doing the tasks that must be done because they are
unpleasant or boring, or because we have poor time management
skills or are lazy. And yet, often it is the tasks we most
want to do that we put off, resulting in much internal pressure.
In Susan's case, she loved building relationships with potential
clients, helping them to better serve their customers and
employees, and making a good paycheck to support her family.
So what was going on?
Awareness is the first step. Think about your excuses for
not accomplishing your goals. Everyone has his or her own
pattern of procrastinating. Here are eight examples:
- Fear of change, rejection or failure
- Need to be perfect (I can’t do it perfectly so I won’t start)
- Lack of time
- Too much stress, pressure or anxiety which leads to paralysis
- Overwhelm on how to start (task is too big, don’t know how
to do it, etc.)
- Self-doubt or lack of confidence
- Disorganization, indecision
- Other priorities, big (work/family crisis) and little (need
to check email first!)
Do these excuses sound reasonable and logical? That’s often
the case. The problem is that if you buy into the excuses,
you don’t follow-through on the steps needed to achieve your
goals. Procrastination can feel good in the moment, but then
creates stress. This becomes a vicious cycle.
Overcoming Procrastination
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
Walt Disney
Getting into action alleviates the stress of procrastination
almost instantaneously.
Here are the five simple steps:
1. Identify the task to be done
2. Identify the first or next step to accomplish the task
3. Commit to a time when you will begin the first step
4. Be aware of your pattern of excuses
5. BUT begin the first step in collaboration with the excuses
Susan outlined the steps needed to organize her files and
her office to have ready access to client information. She
set daily and weekly goals for contacting prospects and clients.
Working with a coach provided the structure and accountability
to stay in action on these tasks. She developed strategies
to counteract the fear of rejection that was fueling some
of the procrastination.
Don’t worry about eliminating all the excuses, or analyzing
too much why you are procrastinating. Getting into action
actually reduces the grip of the inertia and overwhelm of
procrastination. As Susan found, it can be helpful to have
partners and strategies to keep the excuses at bay.
You'll feel more confident and relaxed as you experience the
success of reaching your goals. You gain momentum and if you
begin the task again and again, you WILL ultimately achieve
it.
Debra Taylor is principal of Discover Your Light
(http://www.discoveryourlight.com)
and a career and life coach. She works with professionals,
small business owners, and career changers to stop procrastinating
and take charge of creating fulfilling and successful careers
while enjoying their lives. Call 508-309-3838 for a free consultation.
Article Source: Self
Improvement Articles from PositiveArticles.Com
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