Putting off What Really Needs to Be Done (Procrastination in a nutshell)

Procrastination is putting of undertaking a task, often by replacing it with something else. A task is anything which needs to be done physically, psychologically or spiritually.

I think most people can relate to procrastinating. Of course I relate this to myself. For example avoiding starting an assignment, with acceptance it needs to be done but unfortunately there are other things which seem to be more important, and other things which come after that which seem equally important. Yes sometimes there often is something which must take priority, however after the 3rdor 4ththing it needs to be considered if procrastinating is actually what is preventing you.

Time, Time there just isn’t enough of it. No well Richard Branson and Lord Sugar have 24 hours each day just like anyone else, look at what they are able to achieve. How often has this excuse been used? How much time do you spend on tasks which though are important may not be a priority? After all if procrastinating everything possible will be used as an excuse and be higher up your list.

Certainly the issue that you need to undertake something which is going to cause you difficulty maybe be painful, awkward, difficult and or energy draining. It is going to be the same if not harder to undertake after you have put it off for a while.

What’s the answer? Accept that you are procrastinating, accept that yes you need to do this and rather than have it hang over you go and do it as soon as possible which is generally now. Get it over with, don’t prolong the agony. After all it has to be done sometime, why have it take over any more of you valuable time.

Plan

Examine the task.

Accept the feelings it arouses. Make the decision to do the task as soon as possible, plan what needs to be done and plan thinking time of how to go about it then stick to that plan (brainstorm it, use your diary, meditate anything which helps you focus and think through the task at hand).

Reward yourself it wasn’t easy, but its done now.

Learn from this, action is better than procrastination, what else has you learned form the task which will help you in your development?