10 Ways to Stop Procrastinating!

Thanks for coming back!, if you haven't already you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

There are tons of reasons we procrastinate in our lives. Rarely are they ever good reasons. If you don’t find ways to stop procrastinating you are going to lose precious time and energy that can be used to get one step closer to your dreams.

It happens to the best of us. No matter how far in advance that I know about a trip, I will inevitably be packing 5 minutes before we have to leave. It seems as though I am incapable of packing ahead of time. I hate every second of it, but it happens every time. I put it off and put it off and then I’m rushing around scrambling.

If it wasn’t for my wonderful fiance gathering together my clothes, I would have no shot!

Sound familiar? Do you put things off when you know you need to get it done? Do you go through the cycle? You know you have to have something done. You have plenty of time to accomplish this task, yet you put it off to do something else. You get down to the last minute and barely finish, and get extremely upset with yourself that you didn’t get it done earlier. You vow to be better about it next time.

Next time is here…and your putting it off again.

You must break the cycle! To be successful, you need to be able to focus on the little actions that will move you closer to accomplishing your goals. Procrastination is something you do to yourself. It is a mental wall that can be knocked down if you want it badly enough. Imagine how good you will feel when you break down this wall!

Here are 10 tips to help you with the demolition:

1. Set a deadline - No not the time it has to be done. Set an absolute deadline that is some time before the actual due date. Stop at nothing to reach this deadline. Eventually it will become a habit to get things done early.

2. Get some accountability - Talk to someone you trust, and tell them about the task. Explain to them that you are trying to tear down this wall and that you need their help. Have them make sure they stay on you to get it done and not stop until it is finished.

3. Break it down - Break down the task in to bite size pieces. Then start mowing through them one by one. When you have a small tasks to accomplish, the big picture doesn’t seem all that daunting and you can knock it out easier.

4. Make a list - I love lists! I make a list for just about everything I need to do. It gives me comfort. And I feel a great sense of accomplishment to see that list as it gets smaller and smaller throughout the day!

5. Reward yourself - Set up an award system. Every time you get something knocked off the list early, reward yourself. Sometimes all we need is a little motivation.

6. Do the easy ones first - Some people may disagree with me here. They say to do the longest or the hardest thing first. I think we self-motivate when we have little victories. Get a few easy ones under your belt and build some momentum!

7. Just get started - This is sometimes the hardest part. Just beginning. It’s simple, just get started. Do something, anything and you will soon find yourself rolling along. Action breeds more action!

8. Organize your life – When everything around you is a mess, you won’t want to do anything. When you are organized, you get a natural energy that just comes with everything being in its place. When the tools you need to accomplish something are where they should be, its hard not to just finish it and move on.

9, Find your WHY - Know why you are doing this task. Realize the benefits to getting it done. Understand the consequences if you don’t. A compelling reason, can solve many problems.

10. Decide to change - You can think you will follow all these tips as much as you want, but until you commit to changing, you never will. Commit to changing your life and you will. Stop at nothing!

You can beat procrastination. But you have to want to change, it won’t happen by itself. If you are serious about reaching your goals and accomplishing everything you set out to do in your life, you have to be willing to change. It’s the first step, and arguably the most important. Get started now, there is no time to waste!

You may like this article on action:  “I Will Act  Now”

Do you have any tips you can add to the list? Leave a message in the comment section – I’d love to hear from you!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!