Overcoming Procrastination

Overcoming Procrastination

Often called the "thief of time", procrastination is the habit of intentionally delaying work on important tasks that need to be done. While everyone procrastinates to some degree, procrastination becomes a real problem when it starts interfering with your goals and work. Left unchecked, procrastination can significantly decrease your effectiveness and lead to serious negative consequences in your career and personal life.

Major Causes of Procrastination

Below are the main causes of procrastination. In all likelihood, you may be facing several of these causes at the same time, which means that you may need to use multiple strategies to overcome your procrastination habit.

1. Avoiding an unpleasant task

2. Lack of energy/motivation

3. Escaping from an overwhelming project

4. Don't know where or how to get started

5. Don't know what to do next

6. Overwhelm created by too much work

7. Unclear goals and priorities

8. Urgency addiction

You can see how moving from procrastination patterns to productive patterns could make a significant difference in your approach and results.

Five Tips to Overcome Procrastination

Here are five simple tips to help you overcome procrastination:

4 This is a task that I CHOOSE to do, not a task I HAVE to do

Shift your thinking away from a "have to" mentality into a "want to" mentality. Make a conscious choice and commitment to either do the task now, or do what is necessary to get out of it. Don't let it linger around in the back of your mind.

4 I don't have to FINISH this task now, I just have to BEGIN the task now

Don't get overwhelmed by the idea of having to complete the task. Instead, focus your thoughts and energy on getting it started and let your momentum carry you through.

4 I don't have to be PERFECT, I'll do the best I can

Don't let perfectionism ruin your productivity. Accept that you are human and that there is no such thing as PERFECT. Focus your efforts on tasks where excellence will make a difference. All the other tasks just need to get done.

4 I don't have to do this task all at once, I can break it up into smaller steps

Break large on complex projects into smaller steps and focus on taking each individual step. Treat each step as a mini-goal. Don't worry about taking future steps, just focus on getting started on the current task and take time to celebrate after completing it.

4 I don't have to work all day on this task, I can set time limits and take breaks when I need to

Scheduling breaks and other recreational activities in your schedule will help you see that your life is not all work. If you want, you can set time limits to help you get started on a particular task.

Commit to work for 30 minutes on the task and then give yourself permission to take a break. If you feel inspired to continue with the task, go for it and allow your momentum to carry you through. Otherwise, just take a guilt-free break. You deserve it for getting started.

One of the keys to overcome procrastination is to realize that its causes can vary from one situation to the next. Similarly, there is no one single solution to the problem of procrastination because each strategy only works for some of the causes.

You first need to diagnose the reasons why you are procrastinating on a particular task, and then apply the right strategies for those reasons.

(Article courtesy: www.timethoughts.com ...)

Save An Hour Each Day... Get Organized!!! by Jeffrey J. Mayer What does your desk look like? * A toxic waste dump? * A bomb exploded? * Burglars had ransacked your office? In corporate America, most business people associate a messy, dis-organized desk/office with being productive, effective and efficient. Are you a member of this club? Did you know that most people are “wasting” an hour each day looking for “STUFF” that’s lost on their desk? How about you? (Do you wish it was “only” an hour?) And it always happens at the most inopportune time. How many times last week did you call someone up, ask them a question, and they responded, “Hold on a second and let me find the letter/file/proposal. I know it’s here... somewhere.” And five minutes later they come back and sheepishly said: “I can’t find it, let me call you back later.” Thus beginning another round of telephone tag, stretching a quick five-minute conversation into a five-day odyssey. If you want to get ahead in life, make more money, and even get home for dinner every once in a while, follow these 6 steps and you’ll be organized. (This complete procedure is explained both in my best-selling “Success is a Journey” and “Time Management for Dummies” books.) Step #1. Schedule An Appointment With Yourself For most people, it takes about 2 hours to get organized. Write it on your calendar, and KEEP THE APPOINTMENT!!! Step #2. No Interruptions Turn off the telephone, close the door (or put up a Do Not Disturb sign across the entrance to your work space), and allow NO INTERRUPTIONS! Think of this session as a meeting with your boss or most important client. Step #3. Bring A Dumpster Sixty percent of the stuff on most peoples desk can be tossed. That includes you!!! So keep the papers, documents, and files you need, and throw the rest away. Remember: Don’t succumb to Cleaner’s Remorse. (Going thru the trash and pulling out the stuff you just threw away because you think you may “Need It Again.” Step #4. Pickup A Piece Of Paper Now that you’ve closed the door and turned off the phone, pick up a piece of paper - any one will do - and ask yourself 3 questions What is it? Why do I have it? What am I going to do with it? If you can’t come up with a good answer, THROW IT AWAY!!! Step #5. File Your Papers If you need to keep a piece of paper, (file or proposal), put it in a properly labeled file folder. If one doesn’t exist, create one on the spot. Step #6. Record Your To-dos On A Master List If there’s work to do, note it on your Master List, which is a to-do list written on a big piece of paper - like a legal tablet. You can also record your tasks inside your contact manager - like ACT!, or your PIM - like Outlook, or your PalmPilot, Black Berry. Before you know it, your desk will look like the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, and your garbage can will be filled to the brim, overflowing, and spilling onto the floor. You’ll be organized, efficient and productive. You’ll spend your time doing things that make you successful.

Save An Hour Each Day... Get Organized!!!

Save An Hour Each Day... Get Organized!!! by Jeffrey J. Mayer (Author of “Success is a Journey” and “Time Management for Dummies” books) What does your desk look like? * A toxic waste dump? * A bomb exploded? * Burglars had ransacked your office? In corporate America, most business people associate a messy, dis-organized desk/office with being productive, effective and efficient. Are you a member of this club? Did you know that most people are “wasting” an hour each day looking for “STUFF” that’s lost on their desk? How about you? (Do you wish it was “only” an hour?) And it always happens at the most inopportune time. How many times last week did you call someone up, ask them a question, and they responded, “Hold on a second and let me find the letter/file/proposal. I know it’s here... somewhere.” And five minutes later they come back and sheepishly said: “I can’t find it, let me call you back later.” Thus beginning another round of telephone tag, stretching a quick five-minute conversation into a five-day odyssey. If you want to get ahead in life, make more money, and even get home for dinner every once in a while, follow these 6 steps and you’ll be organized. (This complete procedure is explained both in my best-selling “Success is a Journey” and “Time Management for Dummies” books.) Step #1. Schedule An Appointment With Yourself For most people, it takes about 2 hours to get organized. Write it on your calendar, and KEEP THE APPOINTMENT!!! Step #2. No Interruptions Turn off the telephone, close the door (or put up a Do Not Disturb sign across the entrance to your work space), and allow NO INTERRUPTIONS! Think of this session as a meeting with your boss or most important client. Step #3. Bring A Dumpster Sixty percent of the stuff on most peoples desk can be tossed. That includes you!!! So keep the papers, documents, and files you need, and throw the rest away. Remember: Don’t succumb to Cleaner’s Remorse. (Going thru the trash and pulling out the stuff you just threw away because you think you may “Need It Again.” Step #4. Pickup A Piece Of Paper Now that you’ve closed the door and turned off the phone, pick up a piece of paper - any one will do - and ask yourself 3 questions What is it? Why do I have it? What am I going to do with it? If you can’t come up with a good answer, THROW IT AWAY!!! Step #5. File Your Papers If you need to keep a piece of paper, (file or proposal), put it in a properly labeled file folder. If one doesn’t exist, create one on the spot. Step #6. Record Your To-dos On A Master List If there’s work to do, note it on your Master List, which is a to-do list written on a big piece of paper - like a legal tablet. You can also record your tasks inside your contact manager - like ACT!, or your PIM - like Outlook, or your PalmPilot. Before you know it, your desk will look like the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, and your garbage can will be filled to the brim, overflowing, and spilling onto the floor. You’ll be organized, efficient and productive. You’ll spend your time doing things that make you successful.