Procrastinators… I feel your pain

It’s National Procrastination Month. Like I need another excuse to put off… (you fill in the blank coz I’ve probably put it off).

We’ve all been guilty of that “I’ll do it later” mentality. And let’s face it– there are lots of reasons for procrastinating. Some of them are even good reasons. For example…
…the task seems too overwhelming
…we don’t know where to begin
….we’re afraid of failing
….or simply — we don’t like (or feel like) doing whatever “it” is.

Overcoming procrastination is less about developing will-power and more about creating an environment that is conducive to completing the task. Granted, it’s hard to make yourself do something you hate. But you can make yourself hate it a little bit less.

So here are some ways you can curb your tendency to procrastinate….

Break tasks into small pieces. Make a list of the steps you need to take to reach your goal. Then tackle one step at a time until you’ve finished the list. It’s easier to motivate yourself to work on several small jobs rather than one huge task.

Start your day with a task that you tend to put off. Whatever you normally hate to do — clean the kitchen, do paperwork, make sales calls — get it out of the way first thing in the morning. The rest of the day will be easier.

Commit to spending just 15 minutes a day working on a task you’ve been putting off. Set a timer to keep you on track. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done in those 15 minutes — and you’ll probably work even longer on the project, once you get started.

Procrastination has a way of ruling our lives if we don’t bring it under control. It takes wisdom and effort to break the clutches of procrastination, but the results are well worth it.

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23