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Ever planned a trip to Someday Isle?
You get there through Sometime Never Airport – where the planes are always coming tomorrow!
You sit in the waiting room for a lifetime while contemplating getting “a round tuit”.
These can be found only at Right Now Airport though.
Will you ever get to Someday Isle?
Well rather than having a “someday isle” meltdown I have a few strategies to overcome pesky procrastination.
Write It Down
First of all I put what’s needed in my diary.
That’s right, I put a note in my mobile’s calendar for a definite day and time to sew that button, tidy that room, call that company, wash my hair, apply for the job, cancel that subscription etc.
Calendars are not just for dentist appointments, MOT dates and birthday reminders.
It’s my own personal calendar so why not put my own personal bits and bobs in there too?
I remember when the pocket on my jacket was in serious danger of falling off because I kept putting off sewing it.
Only when it started to look very bad did I finally assign a time in my calendar to sort it out.
“A stitch in time…” is a real thing!
Sometimes I feel really lazy and can’t be bothered to get out of bed. (I’m not talking about feeling genuinely tired, when of course I will rest for as long as I need to).
What I do to “get out my lazy bed” is simply make a decision to.
Just Do it Already!
You’ve heard of “feel the fear and do it anyway”? Well, feel the laziness and do it anyway too.
All the while thinking, “I don’t feel like it” I head towards the bathroom to have a shower and get on with the day.
Before I know it I’m being productive member of society!
Even when we put things off because we don’t really want to do them, the stress of having them hanging over our heads is equally uncomfortable.
Therefore might as well get it over with!
Be grateful you have the opportunity to do the hard jobs.
I think about the woman who finished a regulation 26.2-mile marathon at the age of 92.
It’s easier to do things you normally dread when you’re conscious of your blessings.
When you see things in their proper perspective, your time is too precious to be squandered in a life of procrastination.
Gaining Peace of Mind
By the way, organising our own lives is very important for our mental wellbeing.
You’ve probably heard how a messy room makes for a messy mind. On the other hand, a tidy and organized room enables a peaceful mind.
Just like children need structure and boundaries in their lives for their own welfare, adults also need adaptable versions of these for the same reason.
We wouldn’t allow children to have chocolate bars for breakfast but it’s all right for us to?
Is It A Priority?
Establish goals. Prioritize. Measure your progress. Adjust your goals if necessary.
Reward yourself when you finish jobs.
If you’re a leader, get procrastinators to encourage each other. Help them overcome their fear of getting things done.
Find a mentor to help you overcome your fear.
When I have to do the thing I fear, I recite a verse from the Bible: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)
To be successful in the battle against procrastination, you must establish priorities and stick to them.
Successful people have learned that they must do the hard jobs whether they’re in the mood or not.
Take This Quiz To Find Out Where You Are On The Scale.
- Do you set priorities?
- Do you get the hard jobs done whether you’re in the mood or not?
- Do you spend most of your time working on tasks that you need to finish this week?
- Do you spend time each day working on your long-term goals?
- Do you have a system for measuring your progress?
- Do you have a filing system for each of your long-range projects?
If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, you need to get more serious about procrastination.
Ask yourself if you’re happy living with the consequences of procrastination.
Do you have justifiable reasons for postponing tasks, or have you simply developed the habit of putting things off?
Time To Take Charge Of Your Life
If you’ve been making excuses for putting things off, here’s how to take charge of your life.
First, think about all the things you’ve been postponing – at work, at home, in your personal relationships, or for your personal development.
Make a list.
Let’s get serious and fall in line!
You have to be honest about this or it won’t work.
Now Is The Time To Get Real
Forget about what other people think; look in the mirror and ask the hard questions.
If you have a legitimate reason for delaying action in this area, move on to another item on the list.
Find something that you can make happen today, simply by deciding to make it happen. Now do it.
When you’ve completed this task successfully, your satisfaction will motivate you to repeat this process with another item on your list.
Defeat Procrastination NOW!
To defeat procrastination and get all you want out of life, you must:
- Know what you want.
- Force yourself to take action.
- Be willing to make mistakes and learn from them.
- Stop making excuses!
Time is your most valuable asset in the war against procrastination.
Research shows that people spend most of their time and effort working on activities that have nothing to do with the success of their projects.
I’m convinced that procrastination is the main reason people fail to live richer lives.
Time To Stop Procrastinating
If you want to get serious about eliminating the habit of procrastination, you can start right now by recognizing that your most valuable asset is time.
The here and now is all we ever have. We’re always here and it’s always now.
Change your destination. Someday Isle is so not worth it.
Don’t put it off for tomorrow.
Astound Yourself Today
Thomas Edison said, “If we did all the things we were capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.”
Do something today that you’ve been putting off and start astounding yourself.
How do YOU overcome procrastination?
Comment below!
