When it comes to suffering from procrastination, I'm not exaggerating when I say I could have written the book on it. I used to be a consistently chronic "last-minute Lucy" and delayed, delayed, delayed to the very last minute.
Aside: To be truthful, there are benefits to this kind of
"affliction," in certain scenarios....but that's another article
for another time
Did you notice I said "used to be"? Thankfully, by a series of co-inky-dinks (if you believe in chance) or because I attracted it (if you believe in the powers of manifesting ), I was able to learn how to eliminate the tendency to procrastinate .I still have room for improvement, but have definitely made major progress in the right direction. Here are a few quick tips that have helped me so far.
- Face it
In order to get where you want to go, you need to know what your
starting point is. What is the end result you desire and is your
current activity level going to get you there? Be honest but
compassionate. Progress suffers when we beat ourselves up. Here's
a quote to remember: "What you resist, persists. What you embrace,
dissolves with grace" I thank business coach, Sonia Stringer, for that one. - Things that make you go...hmmmm...???
Ask yourself "What's the smallest step I could take to move me closer
to my goal?" One thing I've learned how to do is to "live in the question." People too often "should" themselves into inactivity. By asking without attachment and releasing the pressure that goes with it, you'll be surprised at what bubbles up. - It's worth repeating
Once you've identified a "teeny-tiny-itty-bitty action" (TTIBA), do it every day. If you find it too hard to repeat consistently, then find a smaller action (see Step 2).
For example, if your goal is to reduce clutter in your home
or office, your TTIBA could be to properly file/dispose of
one piece of paper each morning. If you really want to
ramp up the success rate, attach a silly action, word or
activity to your TTIBA. This will associate your activity
with fun and "good vibes" and make it even easier to repeat.
- CCCCeeeelll-a-brate good times...come on!
Everybody loves a winner...and so does your brain. Behavior rewarded, is behavior repeated. Each time you complete your TTIBA, be sure to celebrate it...pat yourself on the back, let out a big WhoooooHoooo! or anything else that feels good. This also reinforces your good vibrations. - Steady wins the race
Simply put, consistency is key! In fact, consistency trumps the size of the action about 100 fold....maybe even 1000! So steady as she goes, and you're sure to see progress.
Well, there you have it! These 5 quick tips are really just the tip of the iceberg, but effective none the less. For more detailed (and powerful) information on how to pummel procrastination for good, go to www.procrastination-cure.com and tell Wendy that Daneene sent you!
Happy Forward Motion!
~Daneene
