Procrastination is the way we cope with the fear of starting a new, boring, or difficult task. The main reason for procrastination is fear of failure. The fear can stem from perfectionism or self-worth.
“It is not that we have so little time but that we waste much of it”
Moral Essays
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Strategies to handle procrastination
You want to collect data about your habits when it comes to procrastination. You create a procrastination logbook. Write down all your activities within the Morning – Afternoon – Evening.
You will then review what you spend your time on and make decisions accordingly.
Plan and schedule every minute of your day. Make sure to include a form of leisure such as exercise or entertainment in your schedule.
2 Primary Tools for stopping procrastination
The Unscheduled
The primary hindrance to procrastination is inertia. Your ability to move from the couch onto your computer to write or study. It comes down to making yourself start.
The ability to start is key to eliminating procrastination.
To achieve this, you set a timer and decide to work for 15 -30 minutes. Period. End Off. You get to it. If do not feel like continuing, you stop. Relax.
Most of the time you will not want to stop because you gather momentum when you start.
The unscheduled is my favorites tool to beat procrastination. Hands down.
Focusing Exercise
You can incorporate a 2-minute breathing exercise to get yourself in a flow state. You can do this before tackling your 30 minutes activity.
Managing People
When managing people who procrastinate you focus on being clear about what you want to be done. They must start as early as possible and bring in a rough draft.
My Take
Procrastination is something we must fight each day. We must be aware it is coming from a place of fear. The only way to deal with any form of fear is to face it. Start!
Practical Insights
- Try setting a timer for 15 – 30 minutes. Get on with your task. Decide whether you want to continue after the period.
- Meditate for 2-5 minutes before beginning work
Buy the Book:
Book Link #ad: The Now Habit by Neil A. Fiore
