Your Procrastination Is Killing Me
Stop procrastinating, because you’re bringing me and the rest of the world down!
“I’ll take the trash out later.” (But it’s releasing an odor in the air and you have guests coming over for dinner in three hours). “I’ll take the dog out for a walk in a few minutes.” (But he can’t wait any longer, thus an accident on the floor). I’ll pay the mobile phone bill next month.” (But now the phones have been cut off, which could have been avoided if you just paid half of the bill). Open your eyes and see, your procrastination is not just affecting you, but others too, so do something about it already! No matter what, there will always be consequences to pay for your abandonment and neglect of your responsibilities.
We all procrastinate at one time or another. Procrastination is a serious problem affecting countless people, especially those attempting to overcome pride, humiliation, sadness and grief. More so than not, the biggest culprit to our inability to conquer is motivation because of poor excuses, bad habits, accountability to others and on occasion fear of not completing a task because of being ridiculed for poor performance.
However, procrastination can easily be overcome with a little planning and a list in hand. Learning some simple yet effective strategies can help you create the momentum needed to pursue goals with renewed strategy, energy and excitement.
The quick snapshot for dealing with your procrastination challenges is by remembering the following:
Set Realistic Goals: Put pen to paper and write down what you need to accomplish over the long term. I find a calendar works the best. Prioritize and attach a deadline, incorporating date and time. For the immediate things: washing dishes or clothes, changing the liter box, walking the dog, etc… Just do it! No ifs, ands or buts! Think to yourself, “Let me do this now so I don’t get into an argument with my significant other or housemate. So I don’t embarrass myself when a friend comes over and sees my procrastination challenges. Because doing it now will give me an opportunity to do other things later or, better yet, give me the freedom to do nothing at all.”
Ask For Help: Sometimes a task can be too big. There are days when we are mentally challenged or feel weak in spirit. These are the times to ask for help. Can you help me water the garden or mow the lawn? Will you help me wash the dishes? I’ll wash, and you dry. This ability to share will definitely aid you in improving your organization and compromising skills.
Reward Yourself: Life really isn’t about rewards. It’s about doing and seeking the pleasures of your accomplishments. However, to get you to that plateau, reward yourself with a cold beer after mowing the lawn. Try not to make it habit forming, because it really is about appreciating the accomplished task, and the reward is feasting your eyes on a beautiful lawn and the exercise you gave to your body, which will aid in a more healthy you.
Set A Schedule: For the large tasks we do every week, like going to the grocery store, house cleaning, etc., I can’t say this enough: Plan! Plan! Plan! Getting a goodnight’s rest on Friday will help you accomplish those tasks better. Performing the task early Saturday morning will free up your time in the afternoon and all day Sunday.
Keep in mind that a little common sense and logic can go a long way in your fight to overcome procrastination. Why put off the inevitable when you can just do it and be done with it? Brian, Michael, Jeffrey and a few others too (and you know who you are), stop overloading yourself with too many unimportant tasks or commitments, which in the scheme of things are of little or no benefit to you and the people around you. More often than not, you make growing and sustaining a relationship with you a bit more challenging than it needs to be. JUST DO IT! - paerki
