Four Tips to Once & for All Detonate Procrastination
Posted July 15, 2011 in How-To, Productivity
I nearly didn’t write this article because I didn’t know if I would ever get around to it.
That, my friend, was a joke!
I know of so many people who battle with procrastination.
But their main problem is this. They never ever get around to dealing with the problem head on, and that makes the problem bigger than it really is.
So, here are some tips to help you once and for all detonate procrastination. Blow it to smithereens. Poof! It’s gone.
Tip 1. Fill Your Mouth With The Words ‘Do It Now!’
Whenever the urge to put things off begins to grab your throat, yell out these three powerful words that will kick-start you into action–‘Do It Now!’
Start your day with these words. Speak them out at the start of each project, and particularly when you’re about to do something outside of your comfort zone, yell, ‘DO IT NOW!’
Never underestimate the power of your voice. Your tongue holds the reinforcement key to your creative thoughts. It’s an established fact that you can either live or die in your own mind if you don’t take control of what comes out of your mouth.
Fill your mouth with positive self-starters like the three words I’ve suggested and see creativity prosper in your life and productivity blossom like never before.
Tip 2. Write Numbers One to Six on a Blank Paper
The reason many of us procrastinate is because we are overwhelmed. We have no plan.
So follow these seven steps towards procrastination detonation.
- Take out a blank sheet of paper and write the day on the top of the page. E.g. Monday, Tuesday etc.
- Then, on the left side of the page, write the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- Next to these numbers write the six things you need to do today or tomorrow to move you, your job, your family or your business forward. Yes, write a weekend list to make your weekend more productive. I write my list at the end of each business day in preparation for the next.
- Prioritize that list from Most Important item to Least Important item.
- Do the Most Important item first, and don’t stop until it’s completed. Then cross it off your list.
- Then move to number 2, and so on–repeating the process.
- At the end of the day, take a fresh page and do the same so that you‘re ready to go the very next morning.
Tip 3. Concentrate on Your Strengths
Make sure that the job you do, or the business you operate, is correctly aligned to your strengths.
If you are doing something that relies upon your weaknesses, the majority of the time, you’re going to be continually ‘putting off’ what needs to be done–creating frustration and the lack of a sense of fulfillment.
As someone once said to me, if you don’t like what you’re doing, then either change what you’re doing or change your attitude.
But while I’m writing about strengths, here is a simple formula to provide added strength to your life. Follow this four-step strength process:
- Identify your strengths
- Strengthen your strengths
- Identify your weaknesses
- Delegate your weaknesses
I spend less than 5% of my time dabbling in my weak areas, and then the vast majority of my time expended in the areas of my life that flow naturally with my talents and my gifts, my strengths. Therein lies the joy, and therein lies the productivity.
I love what I do, and do what I love–so procrastination is never a problem.
Tip 4. Take Time Out to Recharge
Even when you do what you love doing, you still can get stale at times.
That’s when you need to draw aside, pull up stakes as it were, and go and get recharged.
This may mean going for a walk, meditating, exercising, watching a movie, reading, attending a seminar, listening to a mentor, or spending time with family and friends.
My car can’t run forever without being refueled, and the human frame and mind can’t keep pushing forward without being recharged from time to time.
You know yourself better than anyone else–so watch for the signs: tiredness, boredom, lack of direction, negativity, depression, etc. Take better care of yourself.
The amazing thing is this–when you do take time out you will often come up with some of your greatest ideas and plans that you otherwise would have missed.
Personally, these times have often been the source of my greatest discoveries such as: titles for books, business ideas, affiliate opportunities, product creations, blog inspiration, plus a whole lot more.
Motivational Memo: To procrastinate is to deny you from experiencing life’s best NOW.
Your Turn
So there you have it. Four powerful ways to detonate procrastination and annihilate its appearance in your life once and for all.
Have you found any other techniques to help you detonate procrastination?
Image by Randy Son Of Robert
Related posts:
- 10 Top Tips to Combat Procrastination
- How To Avoid Procrastination As A Freelancer
- 10 Productivity Tips That Work Surprisingly Well
- Freelancing Accountability Tips to Help You Stay on Target
- 7 Tips for Making Email More Effective
About the author: Peter G. James Sinclair is in the ‘heart to heart’ resuscitation business and inspires, motivates and equips others to be all that they’ve been created to become. Receive your free copy of his latest eBook Personal Success Blueprint at--http://www.motivationalmemo.com and add him on Twitter @PeterGJSinclair--today!
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14 Comments
Emily Suess
July 15th, 2011 at 8:39 amGreat article. It reminds me of my running procrastination. If I think of it in terms of everything that’s involved (i.e, changing into workout clothes, get the hair in a pony tail, set up the fan because it’s so honking hot, get ice water, spend 40 minutes on the treadmill, shower, be exhausted etc.) it seems so overwhelming to me.
But if I just come home from work and think, “all I need to worry about in this moment is changing into my running clothes” everything else falls into place.
Manageable chunks. That’s my motto!
Rachel Small
July 15th, 2011 at 8:55 amI love lists! It’s so satisfying to be able to cross something off a to-do list. I recently started prioritizing tasks as well and have found it very helpful.
And I like what you said about “manageable chunks,” Emily. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed when you think big picture about everything. Just do the next thing that needs to be done right now.
Raluca
July 15th, 2011 at 10:46 amWhen I was little I made my to-do-list every day but now as a grown up person I find it difficult to stick up with a list, so for me it works better the first point! It’s the only way I can be succesful —> automotivation!
Mara Zapiain
July 15th, 2011 at 12:23 pmLove it! Is just amazing when you get the right message at the right time. Most of all, this are things we already know, or should know, but sometimes we forget and need a great reminder as this one!
Thanks!
Peter G. James Sinclair
July 15th, 2011 at 6:41 pmThanks Emily, Rachel, Raluca and Mara for your kind comments……
Some great ideas and words…. automotivation – can I use that one?
- Manageable chunks? – yes that makes life so much more manageable – and yes we all need reminding on a minute by minute basis – all the way to success!
Go for gold!
Kyboe USA
July 18th, 2011 at 10:12 amI always have a To Do List going. It is so satisfying to cross off completed items!
Peter G. James Sinclair
July 18th, 2011 at 10:54 pmYes Kyboe – I agree that the power is in the cross off!
Marketing London Ontario
July 22nd, 2011 at 6:26 pmI think the most important rule here is the first one you mentioned. I used to keep a desktop background with the words “just do it” on my computer, so that I would stop procrastinating, and get to work.
Also, I agree with Rachel, lists are definitely key. I keep a TextEdit file open on my desktop at all times. I don’t even bother saving it unless I turn my computer off, because it forces me to keep it open and constantly be on top of my work.
Petter - sökmotoroptimering
August 15th, 2011 at 3:52 amThis is a good post!
Ive been battelling with procastination my whole life.
My dad has the same problem…so I learned from him.
its tough to get rid of it, but U can leave the world of procrastination and just do it!
John
October 31st, 2011 at 8:48 pmI was going to get around to commenting on this blog, but I waited a whole hour :)
Procrastination will kill you if you don’t kill it.
Oscar
February 20th, 2012 at 11:26 amUnfortunately, using only will power won’t take you far. Maybe you can keep on at it for a couple of weeks. To really make something a habit you new to associated it with goals. For some people, even make a 1-6 list is to hard through pure will power.
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