Have you ever avoided doing something only to find that, once you got down to it, you enjoyed the task and felt good for getting it done?
Have you ever not done something because you thought it (you) had to be perfect? Hey! That even happens to me, a professional organizer.
I share some of your struggles . . . like, how to prioritize an important action when so much else is competing for your time.
For two years, I put everything ahead of creating my e-newsletter. I had good reasons (a.k.a. excuses). “My clients keep me too busy” allowed me to rationalize. But there was no denying it: I was procrastinating.
Procrastination affects us deeply. If you’ve read this far you already know it impacts what you achieve and how you feel about yourself.
You didn’t start procrastinating overnight so you’re not going to quit that way, either. But it is possible to develop better habits right now.
7 TIPS TO MANAGING THE TASKS YOU'D RATHER PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW:
- Set Up Small, Specific Goals that lead to reaching the larger. If you have to write a 12-page paper in two weeks, set a goal of writing a page a day.
- Break Task Into Small Pieces. Don’t do it all at once. Think of the steps involved and make each a discrete task.
- Work in Short Sessions. Don’t dread an entire weekend of "work." Spread the hours over a week or two, putting in some time each day. Much less overwhelming!
- Reward Accomplishments ASAP. Once you meet your first goal, stop! Do something fun and feel good about relaxing. Rewarding small steps makes it easier to tackle the next.
- Use a Schedule. Slot time to work on a task during a period when you can realistically accomplish it. Adhere to it. Set a deadline and work backward to set interim target dates for tasks that need to be accomplished in order to meet the deadline.
- Learn to Tell Time! Do you underestimate the time it takes to complete tasks? Increase your estimate by 100%! Then, block out the time needed for each task.
- Acknowledge Accomplishments. Recognize the value of each step you take. Increments add up. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Do today’s task and smile at your mini-success.
NOTE THIS DISTINCTION:
A task is a step toward reaching a
goal. If your goal is an uncluttered home, your smaller goals may be an
organized home/office, an efficient kitchen, a wardrobe that works.
Then, the task of organizing your office can be broken down into
sorting papers, editing files, gathering supplies in one place,
entering contacts into database, etc.
By the way, what worked for me? A wake-up call! Last month a client told me she read about organizing tips on someone else’s newsletter! So I got busy. Sometimes it takes a hit on the head to propel us into taking the first step. Often that first step is all we need to get going and get it done.
NOT ALL PROCRASTINATION IS ALIKE:
According to Linda Sapadin, the way to resolve procrastination depends upon the reason it’s plaguing you (perfectionism, low frustration tolerance, self-doubt, to name a few). To identify your type and specific strategies check out It’s About Time: The Six Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them.
WHY DO WE PROCRASTINATE? SOME RESOURCES:
Fear is often procrastination's root: fear of failure, of success, of losing the battle. Other reasons why? To show we’re in control (“you can’t make me do it,” we say silently). To discover why you procrastinate and steps to move forward, pick up a copy of Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About It by Jane Burka & Lenora Yuen.
AN INSIGHT:
Procrastination is reinforcing: each time you delay, you deepen your negative attitude toward the task and strengthen the habit of avoidance. However, with each small step taken, you break through fear and strengthen the habit of accomplishing.
HOW DO YOU STOP PROCRASTINATING?
One step at a time.
