If you sometimes have a problem getting around
to doing something, you aren’t alone. Most people have had similar experiences.
There are however, some specific actions you can take to pay your bills, get
moving on a project, and begin to repair a strained personal relationship or
any other activity you’ve been putting off.
There are many misconceptions about
procrastination, perhaps the greatest of which is viewing it as some sort of
illness, an intractable disease the just won’t go way. Nothing, in fact could
be further from the truth.
Procrastination isn’t an illness at all; it
isn’t something that sufferers must resign themselves to living with forever.
Procrastination instead, is a natural, manageable response to situations and
difficulties that occur in our everyday life.
Conquering procrastination is about overcoming
behavior that keeps you from producing. Instead of concentrating on the
negative problems of procrastination, embrace work from the perspective of a
peak performer and the efficiency of high achievers who take on more
responsibility while getting more work done.
Here are five suggestions that can help you
break the procrastination habit:
1. Expect difficulties. A procrastinator often
thinks a more successful person will go forward without frustration and
self-doubt. Most high-achieving men and women, however, assume that they will
encounter problems, which makes them more likely to persevere when problems
occur.
2. Do a benefit analysis. When you are avoiding
an important task, weigh the advantages of getting started against the
disadvantages of starting at some other time. You can then decide if a project
is worthwhile, and you are really procrastinating. Or you could determine that
now is not the time to start because you need more information, or you can’t
begin before something else happens.
3. Take small steps. When faced with a big
project, divide it into small segments. For example, if you need to make a new
file system? Work on it for 15 to 20 minutes a day instead of making it a huge
project. If you’re trying to reorganize your office, try doing one area at a
time.
4. Face your negative thoughts. By writing them
down, you will have a better chance of getting rid of them. Whether the thought
is, “I’m never going to get this project finished on time,” or “There will
never be a way to reorganize my office,” once you have faced your feelings, you
will get ideas about overcoming them.
5. Give yourself credit. At the end of a busy
day, remember the things you have accomplished, rather than miserably
considering what you didn’t get done. If you never feel satisfied with the
efforts, you could soon feel that it’s too hard to try.
Give yourself credit for even small
achievements, and you’ll soon be able to tackle far tougher tasks with greater
confidence.
In his book, Being The Best, Denis Waitley
offers self-motivators to help you get into action when you’d rather
procrastinate:
• Action TNT – Action today, not tomorrow
• FEAR is False Education Appearing Real
• LUCK is Laboring Under Correct Knowledge
As you begin to experience your ability to break
the procrastination habit, you will notice yourself bouncing back from setbacks
more rapidly. With a new sense of control over your fears, over ambivalence,
and with an integrated sense of higher self-esteem, you will be more willing to
try new things.
Initially, however, you might find yourself
reverting back to old escape patterns, to your procrastination habits. By
simply noticing that you are reverting to your old habits, you are making a
significant advance. Being aware of your choices prepares you to successfully
channel the energy of the old habit into the building of a new, more productive
habit.
Role models and mentors can be very valuable in helping you break your own bad habits. If you really examine the lives of successful people, you will find that they have faced the same fears, insecurities and adversities that you do. You can learn from their experiences, how they overcame them, and how they broke the procrastination habit.
Copyright©2004 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many businesses around the world on the subjects of leadership, achievement, goals, strategic business planning, and marketing.
Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com
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