7 Effective Strategies to Defeat Procrastination
Getting Things Done in Less Time
by Al Parry | April 30 2017 |
How does procrastination get in your way? Does it cause you to feel anxious for longer than you would if you just got S#!t done?
If this resonates then the good news is, these tips are just for YOU!
The funny thing is that its not always the hardest or most complicated tasks that we neglect or put off completing “if its easy to do… its also easy not to do.”
Today I’m sharing 7 GREAT TIPS for you to apply step by step so you can develop the habit of being more productive and action focused.
Ready?? Have a read through the guide (adapt if necessary to suit your own circumstances), and then decide which of the existing challenges you want to tackle first.
First off you’re not alone, we all procrastinate at times, quietly fed up with not managing ourselves or respecting the time available to us. Being always last minute and rushed even though there was ample time to begin with is at best unwise, at worst unhealthy. Once we overcome our internal impeding system we will notice that our stress levels diminish, we become more of a self-starter who demonstrates positive commitment.
Lets get started!
- Decide what is to be done.
Sounds easy right? But from now on believe that when YOU make a decision its one that you will not back away from easily without compelling reasons. So once your clear on what’s required you’re good to go.
In arriving at your decision carefully consider the 5W’s and a H.
- What,
- Who,
- Where,
- When,
- Why &
- How
- Make a start straight away.
Keep you’re desired outcome in mind. We naturally want to avoid doing things that give us ‘pain’ but when we know deep down that its of high importance or value then it must be faced head-on eventually to avoid an even bigger challenge later. Resist the temptation to rationalise why now is not the best time or to bargain with yourself that you’ll catch up and do twice as much tomorrow.
- List the key order of priorities.
“Don’t sweat the small stuff” avoid unnecessary repetition and false starts. Consider carefully the sequence of each stage, plan and follow the critical path i.e. the shortest route to completion.
- Find an accountability partner.
Choose someone you trust to give you honest feedback and give you a push in the right direction and most importantly not let you off the hook.
- Check-off each success & celebrate them.
Momentum is at work here and you want to acknowledge your results (not effort only results). This sends a clear message to your subconscious that you are on mission.
- Work to your strengths, up-skill, collaborate, delegate or outsource the rest.
Ask yourself the questions. What am I particularly good at? Are my current skills sufficient for the task at hand? Do I need to learn something new here? Consider the demands and complexity of what needs to be done and take the most efficient (time verses costs) options.
- Review what worked for you, consider doing more of the same if it could help you with other projects.
So now that you’ve completed your first goal following the pervious 6 steps, it’s now time to review, take stock and sharpen your skills.
Reflect on what worked well and also not so well.
How did you feel throughout the process?
What did you learn about yourself?
Was there anything you would do differently next time?
Remember action beats procrastination. Its said that new habits take 30days to form so follow this guide often and, keep on moving forward to being a no nonsense action taker.
Download your FREE guide here so you’ll have a handy tool to refer back to over and over again.
