Hi there. I’ve been putting this post off because it’s all about procrastination!
Seriously though, going with my KISS rule from last week’s post I’d like to share with you my
3 TIPS FOR CRACKING PROCRASTINATION
1. Name it
Recognise that you’re procrastinating and identify what form it’s taking
Naming it involves recognising what you’re doing instead of the task in hand. You have that pressing task to do, but oh you must just…
- Check in on your social media accounts/email
- Catch up on the latest business news
- Watch TV, make coffee, put the washing on, let the dog out
You know what your personal things are, you just need to admit to them. How much of your time/energy is wasted procrastinating? I now work in blocks of time on Social Media; less distraction by shiny things, more time interacting.
2. Own it
Accepted you’re procrastinating yet? Now own it as an area you need to work on.
- What is happening when you procrastinate?
- What thoughts are going through your head about that task that you’re putting off?
- What’s the fear driving it? What is the procrastination hiding? (Examples could be laziness, perfectionism, fear of failure or even fear of success. Which one of those would fit for you?)
3. Fake It
Ok, so the motivation just isn’t there, now what? Well, sometimes we have to ‘fake it’.
Start the job! Once we get started the motivation often comes, and if it doesn’t come then you will have still made some progress on a goal.
Here’s a few pointers..
- Don’t overthink it (less time thinking, more time doing)
- Don’t wait for perfection (sometimes you just need to take a risk and put it out there)
- Break down the task (set a 15 minute time, put in 100% effort on that task. When the timer goes off, put it away – just take one step at a time)
- Do boring/hard work first then the rest of the day can be fun!
Does it even light you up? We can’t always pick and choose tasks we want to do, i.e. tax returns, but we can set a big juicy reward for ourselves on completion.
Fancy some homework?
List all of the ways you’re procrastinating.
For each item ask yourself the following questions..
- What’s underneath that procrastination? (dig really deep here – get to the root of it)
- What will happen if I don’t do this?
- What will happen if I do?
I’d love to hear on my facebook page how it’s going. Sometimes just sharing can be really powerful.
If you want to get coached around your procrastination issues , or want to start making some fabulous changes in your life/business, get in touch. If you like this post please feel free to pass it on using the share buttons below the post. I’d really appreciate it. You can also sign up for my newsletter here.
I know that when it comes to procrastination I have to practice what I preach, so if you see me around on Social Media for more than half an hour at a time please pop by and tell me my time’s up!
