Highly Effective Strategies to Stop Procrastinating

Highly Effective Strategies For Overcoming Procrastination

In this day and age we are so inundated with choice and opportunity that you might even say that we are spoiled for choice. There is just so much that we could do that we often end up not doing anything at all. Procrastination is one of the biggest dream killers. In a world where there is so much demand on your attention it is becoming ever more difficult to stay focussed and act on the things that would truly give you an extraordinary quality of life. Time is, was and will always be your most valuable asset and the way you use it will determine what you create or fail to create with and for your life. Having an effective strategy for overcoming procrastination is critical if you truly want to push past short term obstacles to create a life of fulfilment.

The abundance that modern life offers us tends to overwhelm us which leads to an emotional overload that will distract you and scatter your effort and concentration. There simply isn't enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time for the most important things in your life. Success at anything in life, whether it be your finances, your relationships or your body, requires an investment of time and effort from you. You need to focus and concentrate your physical and emotional resources on creating a desired result.

The first step in overcoming procrastination it to get really clear on exactly what you want from every area of your life. This clarity will give you the power to look past distractions that may throw you off course. It gives you a direction and a target and will help to build a mental picture for your life. One of the most destructive effects of procrastination is that it makes you feel out of control; like the events of your life is controlling you. If you don't know what you want it is all too easy to jump from the one task to the next. Apart from knowing what you want you should also develop some strong reasons why you want it. This will give you a sense of purpose and motivation that is critical for staying focussed long term.

The truth is that most people know what they need to do to create their life the way they want it. The challenge is not with knowing what to do, but in doing what you know. The only way you will create any result in your life is by taking action and procrastination is what prevents you from acting on the very things you know would give you a greater quality of life. The reason why people procrastinate is primarily because of fear, especially fear of failure. By not taking action and postponing important actions you avoid the potential for failing. The only reason why you procrastinate about anything is because at some level you link more pain to taking action than to not taking action. The ridiculous truth is that these "links" are mostly conjured up (by you) in your mind and they are not even real. When you make a task too big in your mind it will overwhelm you and it would seem too difficult and too big and you will end up procrastinating.

One of the most powerful strategies for overcoming procrastination is to learn how to break your tasks up into bite size pieces. Any task, no matter how big can be broken down into small manageable tasks that is easy to do. If you focus on climbing Mount Everest it will probably put you off immediately, but if you focus on climbing seven small mountain sections it becomes more believable. The power of chunking down your "big" tasks empowers you to take back control of any overwhelming situation – you cut it down to size. Your size.

One of the quickest ways to overcoming procrastination is to learn and utilize the power of immediacy. What can you do immediately? What action can you take right now that will move you closer to your goal? Doing something, no matter how small, will immediately break your mental pattern of procrastination and put you back in control. Taking the first step, even if it is small will create momentum and you will almost automatically be driven to take another step. Don't wait for everything to be perfect before you take the first step. Just do it. Just get it going. Often you will only know what to do next after taking that first step.

There are many strategies and skills you can use for overcoming procrastination. You don not have to be stuck or spinning your wheels. Like any skill you need to learn and practise it until you get good at it. Eventually it will become an automatic response and you will develop the habit of taking action despite your fears and apparent limitations.

By: This article is published with the permission of the author, Deon Du Plessis. He is the founder of The Self Improvement Gym, and author (in)action, a groundbreaking new action guide on eliminating procrastination. For more of his in-depth insights into personal development and access to his free self improvement library visit www.The Self Improvement Gym.com

Stop Procrastinating Now - Here's How! Discover the guaranteed methods that will immediately eliminate procrastination from your life.

How To Conquer Your Procrastination Addiction Fast

How To Conquer Your Procrastination Addiction Fast

Procrastination can be an addiction. It stops you from achieving your best and it disrupts your career. Procrastination is putting off or deferring an action. You can even procrastinate procrastination!

It is a problem that affects many entrepreneurs and employees alike. It affects work and personal life. And it can't be treated until you recognize you have it. Procrastination is a habit. And once you understand why you feed this destructive habit, you can take steps to manage your time and your outcomes. Do you want to give procrastination control over your life?

People who procrastinate work just as many hours in the day as everyone else, and sometimes longer. But, they invest their time doing the wrong tasks. They end the day feeling discouraged or disappointed in the amount of work they finished.

There can be many reasons why people procrastinate:

• The task is unpleasant
• The person making the most noise gets attention
• The task is overwhelming
• You doubt your skills
• It's not the ‘right time'
• Fear of failure (or success)
• Poor time management skills
• You suffer from ‘Perfectionism' – if it can't be perfect, it shouldn't be done.

Everyone can identify with a one or more of these reasons but procrastinators act on them daily. The two main motives that most relate to are: the task is unpleasant or overwhelming.

Whatever the cause behind procrastination, it must be recognized, dealt with and controlled before you miss opportunities and your career goes off track.

Most times, you know when you're procrastinating. However, the habit may be so well developed that even you don't recognize the signs! So, take caution if you are ignoring priority tasks, reading emails two or three times, leaving important jobs on your ‘to-do' list, and saying yes to other people when your list is already full.

If you are putting off a specific task and that is creating a roadblock to your success, you have a choice. If you can't delegate it to someone else, then you need to motivate yourself to just get going. Below are several techniques to motivate your actions and improve your attention to the task.

Make up a reward for yourself in advance for completing the task. Rewards are great motivators – especially when they mean something to you personally. Choosing your own reward is much better than someone else's paperweight with their name on it!

Accountability partners are a great way to stay on task. Ask someone to keep track of your progress, but set the rules ahead of time. Ensure that they stay on task too. You don't want to be accountable to someone who distracts you from the task at hand.

Write down what will happen if you don't finish the project. Being faced with unpleasant consequences can be a great motivator.

Break the project up into small, more manageable pieces. Start with a quick task that will boost your motivation as you finish it. When you work from a daily to-do-list, the whole project won't be so overwhelming.

If you really want to conquer procrastination, first admit that you have a problem, identify when you are doing it and take action to overcome it. It won't be long before your productivity increases and your boss notices – even if your boss is you!

By: Rasheed Ali
Rasheed Ali was once a homeless & penniless teenager on the streets of New York is now helping to change the lives of thousands people from all over the world through his innovative and thought-provoking newsletters and websites. He publishes the Power of Concentration Newsletter and provides a complimentary copy of the timeless classic by Theron Dumont at www.FreePowerOfConcentration.com

Stop Procrastinating Now - Here's How! Discover the guaranteed methods that will immediately eliminate procrastination from your life.