Procrastination is a top self sabotaging behavior. Yet most procrastinators take action, just not in the area they procrastinate in. To help change your life, get new results, and gain the most value from your day implement the five practical tips below, and end the day with no regrets.
1- Get Your Head in the Game- The mind, an astonishing asset, can be the greatest obstacle. Become acutely aware of your perceptions, thought patterns, and self-talk, and whether they are supporting or stopping you. Here is what you might find and how to shift:
Fear- Stay present. Get the focus off you and onto who you are helping or what you want. Prepare. Believe in yourself. Take action to gain confidence and experience. Let go of expectations. Forge through fear just to do it! Feel good about that! Choose to not let fear hold you back any longer.
Overwhelm- What part can you delegate? Break it down. Get details out of your head and into a system. Begin with one small step you are sure you can do. Commit only 15 minutes. Start with one small area. Begin! Set it up to succeed one small step at a time.
Unsure of what to do- Call someone experienced. Research on and off line. Don't hold back. People enjoy helping others. Get the help you need.
You don't like doing it or it is someone else's goal- Delegate, commit 15 minutes to begin, or do it first in the morning. Get it behind you! Focus on how great you will feel when it is done.
Set yourself up to succeed. That entails getting your head in the game to move you into action. Put an end to beating yourself up. Be encouraging. Allow your brain to be your own best success coach!
2- Know Your Primary Actions- What are the three most important actions you can take today to create a high quality life, business, career, etc? What completion will make you say 'Woo Hoo" at the end of the day? Get clear on what will make a difference. It is about taking action towards what you want. As you do you gain knowledge, expertise, connections, and find passion. Keep primary actions fore front knowing at the end of the day you want to feel good! Aim for no regrets!
3- Focus on Completing One Task at a Time in a Set Time Limit- Avoid multi-tasking. Efficiency rises with 100% focus on the goal. Imagine a gymnast, surgeon, pilot, or crossing guard multitasking. Maintain focus on what you want to accomplish in a set time. EX: Allow 15 minutes to check your e-mail so you don't waste an hour. It takes practice learning how long tasks/ projects take but you will see improvement immediately when you aim.
4- Be in Action- Action leads to knowledge, experience, and success. Practice pays off. Learning to swim takes getting in the water. Learning to speak to a group takes standing up in front of them. Many end up feeling worse when they avoid making a new contact. Discomfort is a sign that you are ready for a new adventure. It's a good thing! Get excited! Make the call. Do it! The more you do the more you gain expertise, meet intriguing people, have more exciting experiences, and see doors open for you.
5- Extreme Self Care- Pay attention to your body. Nourish it. Give yourself permission to take breaks to rejuvenate. Rest when needed and get a good night's sleep. Notice the difference between self care and procrastination. You will accomplish more by rejuvenating than trying to push through when exhausted.
Take Action Now to Feel Great Tonight:
~ Knock out a Toleration- Set a timer for 15 minutes and clean out one area that has been irritating you.
~ Decide the 3 most important actions you can take today, then follow through.
~ What focus will motivate you into action when procrastination sets in? Say it and feel it.
EX: 'I want to say Woo Hoo at the end of the day.' 'I want new results.' 'I want a high quality life."
~ Complete something right now that you have been putting off. You will feel great to get it behind you!
~ Get a support structure in place to connect with: a friend, small group, a coach, a class, etc.
Continue in action! We all are capable of so much more. You are an amazing person who is fully capable of ending each day saying "Woo Hoo! I did it! I knew I could!" So just begin starting now!
Beth Tabak of www.StartingNowCoaching.com is 100% committed to small business coaching and personal life coaching. She is a speaker, writer, and coaches big thinkers to be unlimited, stand out in the crowd, and experience the vastness of their abilities. Check out the Zap Procrastination classes or stop by to pick up a complimentary Get Things Done Task List, receive StartingNow free, say 'hello', and see all that is available to you.
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I like how practical your article is, Beth. In fact, with your motivation I'm about to complete and submit an article to one of the websites that I write for. Thanks for the push. Hey, I'm so tickled that I'm joining your fan club; please return the favor by joining my fan club, if you choose. Again, thanks for your down-to-earth articl. ~mogaga~
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