Overcome Procrastination Quickly — Accept That You Have Power Over What Happens In Your World.
Much procrastination is the result of our deluding ourselves. Habitual Procrastinators tend to deny reality, refusing to accept responsibility for their lives.
To defeat procrastination, we must stop playing games with ourselves and get serious about our lives, our goals, and our mission.
Procrastination can be the easiest habit to change or it can be the hardest depending on your ability to accept that you practice it. Total honesty with yourself would be good here.
You will not overcome your procrastination until you accept the fact that you are responsible for what you make of your life. That may be more honesty than you are currently ready to accept, but there is no other way to achieve a richer life.
The first step toward overcoming procrastination is recognizing that it’s a problem. It is a bad habit. People who habitually procrastinate can have big problems or small problems, but many of their problems are caused by their own procrastination.
And don’t fool yourself, most of those small problems will become big problems through your habit of procrastination. Check below if any of these traits describe your actions.
Many procrastinators share certain traits:
– Use Excuses — They know what they should do about a problem, and in many cases they know what specific action needs to be taken. Yet they find reasons to avoid action.
– Feel Reluctant — They hesitate to do anything about a problem now, but vow to take action at some vague time in the future.
– Daily Delay — They promise to take action when the “right” circumstances present themselves. By making performance of the job depend on something else, they justify their decision to delay action.
They delude themselves into thinking that their hands are tied. They would like to do something but can’t – it’s not their fault. This belief will stop you cold. Accept that you have the power to change it and that will empower you move forward.
Research shows that you can develop new habits in just three weeks if you’re serious about changing. Think about people you know who always get things done.
What are their work habits? How do they approach unappealing tasks?
How do they stay focused? Find out how they are staying focused!
Here are some simple tips that can help you take charge of your life today:
1. Mentally prepare yourself to be productive. I begin every day with my goals list. I keep inspirational messages where I can see them. Then I visualize my success getting everything done during the day.
Procrastination is a real monster, and it won’t go away unless we do something about it every day. You do want to hit your goals don’t you?
If I’m passionate about a job, I can get it done at any time of day and under any circumstances – the problem is when to tackle the hardest and most tedious jobs.
Ask yourself this question: At what time of day am I most productive? When do I feel more energized?
Many people say they’re most productive early in the morning; by mid-afternoon it’s harder for them to sit still and concentrate on work.
Others say they are most productive at night, hence the name “night owls”.
Either way is as good as the other. There is no good or bad here. Just find out what is best for YOU. Then, try to schedule the hard jobs for your most productive time.
2. Don’t over-socialize at work. When you go to work, go to work. And, no . . . that is not a grammatical error. Work time is work time not play time. Work time is the time that you get to achieve your goals, so really go for it.
Office chitchat and gossip keep many people from getting more accomplished. Let people know when you don’t want to be disturbed. Think about the things in your work environment that contribute to staying focused.
Think about the things that distract you. What things distract you or make you want to postpone a job? How can you redesign your environment to eliminate causes of procrastination? (A workspace doesn’t have to be neat, you just have to know where to find things.)
We are not victims of our circumstances. You can overcome procrastination right now – you can do the things that need to be done right now.
And you can learn to distinguish between the things that need to be done now and the things that can wait. Prioritize your time according to those things that are most important to you.
It all begins with you.
Accept responsibility for everything that happens in your life . . . that will be where you find the most control.
And . . . you will find that the habit of procrastination will no longer hold you back. Go For It!