overlooked benefits of living simplyYup. It happens to the best of us. My latest encounter like this was a couple of weekends ago… I had a task to complete something totally boring- yet totally easy. But, that dreaded ‘P’-word won. I kept overlooking it & avoiding it- right up until the very last minute. Before the weekend began, I was so motivated to make those two days really productive. I was determined to get all of my to-do’s done. But, alas- procrastination not only found me but put a serious choke-hold on me. ugh. I was so disgusted with myself. Sunday evening came & that super-simple task was still taunting me. I realized that although the task never got accomplished, it stayed in the back of my mind all weekend because I was dreading the thought of doing it. Although, it would have only taken me a couple of concentrated hours to complete it! When Procrastination comes… It steals my time, my energy, my progress and my thoughts. It delays goodness in my life and quite frankly- providing me no benefit. I know, I know, no one gets happy about the thought of completing a mundane, boring or even hard task- regardless of how necessary it may be. So, I’ve discovered the best thing to do is crowd out procrastination! … by REALLY working the other ‘P’. Yes, I came up with a Plan. A mini-road map to get everything done. Mmmm- I feel warm and fuzzy all over just typing it. Here’s the key… its got to be a real plan- this is not a list, a ‘to-do’ run-down or a 5-minute throw down. Its not the run-of-the mill plan. Nope, a viable plan will take some thought- which means you’ll have to invest a bit of time into constructing it. It’s gotta be something that fits you. Yes, it can be a pain. But, it can elimiate a ton of wasted man-hours because you won’t have to try to mentally prioritize and figure out whats next on-the-fly. It will already be on your road map. When you take the time to thoughtfully create a plan you’ll be much more apt to honor it and stick to it because you have invested time cultivating it. The rewards of accomplishment are so worth it. Yum Which brings me to… Strategy Before creating your plan you’ll need to have a strategy. An anti-procrastination strategy to be exact. You really have to consider yourself for this one. Your little hang-ups, quirks, etc. so you don’t sabotage yourself. For instance,
Think of possible hinderances you may encounter in your efforts to accomplish your intended plan. Then, make the appropriate adjustments or back-ups so you wont be delayed by a snag- including personality quirks.
The purpose of taking time to consider your little unique quirks is to help you best position yourself for success. When you position yourself for success, you’ll get more accomplished. The results- a more organized, more motivated and more productive YOU. The third thing you want to do is to make yourself accountable. This requires establishing goals that are Time-Related. Establishing goals with a specific timeline is good for so many reasons. Establishing deadlines keeps you focused on your priorities. Time-related goals also keep you accountable to your long-term schedule. If you’ve spent time constructing a plan and you dont get a part of it done… the effects are beyond that one task. You just tipped the first domino of delay. Time related goals also keep you accountable if you set up consequences for not accomplishing it in the required timeframe. Respond better to a dangling-carrot? Then give yourself little rewards you will look forward to at the end of your accomplishment. Treat yourself to that movie youve wanted to see or a cup of that expensive specialty coffee your conscience would never normally allow you to purchase. I happen to love fudgy thick-gooey, sticky chocolatey brownies. smile. Its totally unhealthy but, if I successfully complete all of my goals… I’ll give myself permission to happily enjoy this delectable treat. Have a huge project overwhelming you? Break it down into goals. Then break those goals down into more mentally-managable action-oriented tasks. You’ll avoid being overwhelmed. What do you find yourself procrastinating with? Blocking off adequate time to come up with a realistic plan will help you stay on-point. Stragegize. Know yourself and create plans that work for your personality and busy scheule of your life. When you hit a mole hill, you’ll be prepared. You’ll either plow through it or truck around it. But, it will not stiffle your progress. Finally, once you’ve:
If you commit yourself to it- in the end you’ll be able to look back more accomplished, feeling better knowing how much more effectively you used your time in addition to the fruit of your productivity. What things do you ususally procrastinate on? Make a plan today to propel you forward and be more productive. |