7 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Take Action
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 7:03 am
Today I would like to share with you one of the things that is important for success in business. I always emphasize that success requires ACTION. Yet the vast majority of people have a problem with this very thing. They procrastinate on tasks that need to be done. If you want to take your business to the next level, then read on.
When I have personal consulting for online success , clients give me various excuses for why they haven't created a product yet, why they don't have a website yet, why they don't post on Facebook, why they don't record videos...
They list all sorts of reasons why they don't take action. And yet, behind that lies procrastination. We all do it. We all procrastinate for different reasons. We have different triggers. We all procrastinate in different ways.
So let's see how to stop procrastinating forever.
Step One: Find the Cause
Let's take a look at the ten most common reasons for procrastination:
You are a perfectionist.
You have a task that is unpleasant, boring, or difficult. You just don't want to do it because it's not fun.
You are faced with a task that seems overwhelming or simply too difficult.
You resist having to complete a task. You feel like you need a "reward" for it.
You are a person who needs structure and you haven't created a routine that provides structure.
You are afraid of change.
You are afraid of failure.
You are afraid of success.
You don't have a "big picture" - a long-term goal, so you have no motivation.
You don't have much work to do, so you simply don't have the energy for tasks that don't motivate you.
Most of us have encountered most of these reasons at some point - maybe even more than once. Whatever your reason for procrastination, you can eliminate it by:
- understand the reason why you procrastinate,
- you transform your approach to the task.
For example, if you've found that you often procrastinate because you're afraid of success, your strategy will include realizing that you don't have to leap from where you are now to your ultimate goal overnight.
Instead, focus on:
Eliminate from the picture of "success" what you don't really want.
You take things one step at a time. Focus on what you want to achieve that day.
If you fear failure, be aware that this cause is often combined with perfectionism.
You too can benefit from focusing on what you want to accomplish that day. You can also change your expectations. Perfectionists can be paralyzed by the thought of taking on something that someone else, such as a client, will have to evaluate. They want to do a perfect job every time, and when they fear they won't be able to do it, they stop.
What can we do if procrastinating has become a habit?
Method one: Introduce a new approach to the task you are procrastinating on.
Another method: Have someone do it for you – for example, hire an external contractor.
If you really don't want to do a task or if it's beyond your skill set, why force yourself to do it? Hire someone else to do it.
Method Three: Write down a list of tasks (TO-DO list) that you need to complete
You might say:
"I've tried it before. To-do lists just don't work for me. They take up too much of my time."
One of the most common reasons they don't work is that everyone - especially perfectionists - makes them too complicated. The result? We see them as a condemnation.
Here's a strategy that can work for anyone, regardless of the cause of procrastination:
Create a simple - really simple - to-do list.
If the simple word "To-Do List" makes you procrastinate, change its name.
Call it something like: "Life-Changing List" or "Action Steps," something that fills you up or inspires you, and more importantly, doesn't trigger feelings of failure or a desire to escape.
Method Four: Find the Stuck Point
We often procrastinate on tasks not because the task itself is difficult, but because there is a step in the process that always derails us. If you eliminate that step or find a more effective way to overcome it, the urge advertising and marketing industry mailing list to procrastinate often disappears. The task becomes easy - or even more enjoyable.
Fifth method: Reward for action
Small rewards will motivate you to achieve big rewards. People need to have a sense of purpose and joy in each day. If you are relaxed and do all the tasks with joy, you can easily overcome procrastination. Work becomes fun. You are excited about your clients and the future.
Rewards should be an integral part of any strategy for overcoming procrastination, both long-term rewards and the most important, small and immediate ones. It's simply human nature: we like to do what is pleasurable, and if something is painful, we won't want to do it.
Method Six: Create the Right Space for Work
Lack of organization causes chaos and confusion!
Get rid of everything that hinders you from achieving your goals.
Clean up the mess if it accumulates.
Tidy up your desk. Remove anything from it that doesn't belong or doesn't inspire you.
Place at least one object on your desk that inspires you, a framed inspirational quote, a vase of beautiful flowers, a photo of your dream house - something that is related to your long-term goals and your mission.
Keep something fun on your desk - an adult coloring book, a sketch pad, a Rubik's Cube, something you can use for a really short but relaxing break while you're thinking about a puzzle or just giving your brain a break from a challenging task. It could even be a photo that makes you smile.
When I have personal consulting for online success , clients give me various excuses for why they haven't created a product yet, why they don't have a website yet, why they don't post on Facebook, why they don't record videos...
They list all sorts of reasons why they don't take action. And yet, behind that lies procrastination. We all do it. We all procrastinate for different reasons. We have different triggers. We all procrastinate in different ways.
So let's see how to stop procrastinating forever.
Step One: Find the Cause
Let's take a look at the ten most common reasons for procrastination:
You are a perfectionist.
You have a task that is unpleasant, boring, or difficult. You just don't want to do it because it's not fun.
You are faced with a task that seems overwhelming or simply too difficult.
You resist having to complete a task. You feel like you need a "reward" for it.
You are a person who needs structure and you haven't created a routine that provides structure.
You are afraid of change.
You are afraid of failure.
You are afraid of success.
You don't have a "big picture" - a long-term goal, so you have no motivation.
You don't have much work to do, so you simply don't have the energy for tasks that don't motivate you.
Most of us have encountered most of these reasons at some point - maybe even more than once. Whatever your reason for procrastination, you can eliminate it by:
- understand the reason why you procrastinate,
- you transform your approach to the task.
For example, if you've found that you often procrastinate because you're afraid of success, your strategy will include realizing that you don't have to leap from where you are now to your ultimate goal overnight.
Instead, focus on:
Eliminate from the picture of "success" what you don't really want.
You take things one step at a time. Focus on what you want to achieve that day.
If you fear failure, be aware that this cause is often combined with perfectionism.
You too can benefit from focusing on what you want to accomplish that day. You can also change your expectations. Perfectionists can be paralyzed by the thought of taking on something that someone else, such as a client, will have to evaluate. They want to do a perfect job every time, and when they fear they won't be able to do it, they stop.
What can we do if procrastinating has become a habit?
Method one: Introduce a new approach to the task you are procrastinating on.
Another method: Have someone do it for you – for example, hire an external contractor.
If you really don't want to do a task or if it's beyond your skill set, why force yourself to do it? Hire someone else to do it.
Method Three: Write down a list of tasks (TO-DO list) that you need to complete
You might say:
"I've tried it before. To-do lists just don't work for me. They take up too much of my time."
One of the most common reasons they don't work is that everyone - especially perfectionists - makes them too complicated. The result? We see them as a condemnation.
Here's a strategy that can work for anyone, regardless of the cause of procrastination:
Create a simple - really simple - to-do list.
If the simple word "To-Do List" makes you procrastinate, change its name.
Call it something like: "Life-Changing List" or "Action Steps," something that fills you up or inspires you, and more importantly, doesn't trigger feelings of failure or a desire to escape.
Method Four: Find the Stuck Point
We often procrastinate on tasks not because the task itself is difficult, but because there is a step in the process that always derails us. If you eliminate that step or find a more effective way to overcome it, the urge advertising and marketing industry mailing list to procrastinate often disappears. The task becomes easy - or even more enjoyable.
Fifth method: Reward for action
Small rewards will motivate you to achieve big rewards. People need to have a sense of purpose and joy in each day. If you are relaxed and do all the tasks with joy, you can easily overcome procrastination. Work becomes fun. You are excited about your clients and the future.
Rewards should be an integral part of any strategy for overcoming procrastination, both long-term rewards and the most important, small and immediate ones. It's simply human nature: we like to do what is pleasurable, and if something is painful, we won't want to do it.
Method Six: Create the Right Space for Work
Lack of organization causes chaos and confusion!
Get rid of everything that hinders you from achieving your goals.
Clean up the mess if it accumulates.
Tidy up your desk. Remove anything from it that doesn't belong or doesn't inspire you.
Place at least one object on your desk that inspires you, a framed inspirational quote, a vase of beautiful flowers, a photo of your dream house - something that is related to your long-term goals and your mission.
Keep something fun on your desk - an adult coloring book, a sketch pad, a Rubik's Cube, something you can use for a really short but relaxing break while you're thinking about a puzzle or just giving your brain a break from a challenging task. It could even be a photo that makes you smile.