Overcoming Procrastination

Overcoming Procrastination
for Goal Setting. Get It All Done

Procrastination, a behavior which is characterized by the deferment of actions or tasks to a later time, can be a major problem in both your career and your personal life. Procrastination is an issue a lot of us deal with for as long as possible and usually happens when you're faced with doing something you don't like to do, don't know how to do, or fear.

When you procrastinate, it can upset a lot of things in your life. Side effects include missed opportunities, frenzied work hours, stress, overwhelm, resentment, and guilt. Delaying completing projects can also affect your income, relationships, and self-esteem - not to mention your credibility!

Follow these tips to transform yourself into someone who gets things done:

1. Divide and conquer. Most tasks are composed of several different pieces, which is why you'll want to divide the task into a series of attainable action steps. Breaking it down this way makes it seem a lot easier to overcoming procrastination.

• Put some easy steps at the beginning that you can accomplish quickly.
• Jump right in and complete those first easy steps. This will give you the confidence to continue, build momentum, and motivate you to get it finished.

2. Make a list. Write down all the things that you've been putting off so you have a concrete listing of exactly what you need to complete.

• Put them in order of their priority. This way you'll be sure to get the most important ones done first.
• Divide each project into attainable tasks as explained above.
• Post it where you can see it throughout the day.
• Cross off each task as you finish it. Just the action of crossing something off that list makes you feel good and motivates you to get more done.
• Reward yourself after you complete the full project.

3. Get some help. Don't let pride get in the way of letting you get something accomplished to overcoming procrastination.

• If your time is short, ask someone to help with some of the tasks for you, especially the easy ones that can be dispatched quickly. This will give you more time to focus on the more difficult portions of the project.

4. Start some new habits. Now that you know some easier ways to get things done, use these same tips each day for every project that comes up.

• Instead of just putting it aside for later, divide your project immediately into attainable smaller tasks, delegate what you can, and do something on it right away.
• Make it a point to do this consciously for a few weeks and it will become a habit for overcoming procrastination. Most experts agree that it takes three weeks to turn a conscious action into a habit.

Bernard Meltzer said: "Hard work is often easy work you didn't get done at the proper time." How true! The longer you put off doing a task or project, the harder it'll be to get it done because more work has piled up, conditions have gotten worse, and others involved are now irritated with you.

Some causes of procrastination:

• Laziness
- we feel too physically and/or emotionally drained to work.
• Stress
- When you feel stressed, worried, or anxious, it's hard to work productively. See the Signs of Stress and stress reduction techniques.
• Lack of Motivation
- We all experience temporary laziness at times, but if you suffer from chronically low motivation and just can't seem to get anything going, then Self Motivation Tips can help you.
• Lack of Discipline
- Even when motivation is high, you may still encounter tasks you don't want to do. In these situations self-discipline works like a motivational backup system. Tips for Self-Discipline.

Part of the solution is to develop good time management techniques, organizational and personal effectiveness habits, such as those described in SMART goals! . This helps you establish the right priorities, and manage your time in such a way that you make the most of the opportunities open to you.

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