Confidence and Procrastination

Today is the day after Labor Day, the time when we're facing all that we put off until after Labor Day! Don't let it erode your confidence. Everyone procrastinates.

Procrastination is not always a problem. There are those times when we need to work on something mentally prior to completion. So, if you get something done on time with good enough quality, don't beat yourself up for a job well done in a timely manner.

The first thing to do is to recognize that you are procrastinating. Some of the signs include:
1-Filling your day with low priority tasks.
2-Looking at a task more then once without starting on it or deciding when you are going to start it.
3-Sitting down to start a high priority task and shortly afterwards getting up to make a cup of coffee, water a plant, bake cup-cakes, change the oil in your car.............................
4-Letting important items linger on your task list.
5-Saying yes to unimportant tasks while important ones remain undone.

The second thing to do is to figure out why you are procrastinating.
The most common causes are feeling overwhelmed and finding a task unpleasant. Other causes include: waiting for the "right" time or mood, a fear of success or failure, underdeveloped decision making skills, poor organizational skills, and perfectionism. Once you identify why, you can then chose the most appropriate action to take the third step, which is to get over it!

Some of the actions to take to get over procrastination are:
1-Promise yourself a piece of chocolate when you're done, or a facial, or a bike ride, or whatever a reward is to you.
2-Hire someone to kill you if you don't do the task. Well, maybe not kill you, just break your legs or just call you and ask you how you're doing. Make yourself accountable to someone to whom you can talk to about obstacles, strategies and wins.
3-Don't think about finishing the task and all that it entails. Focus on beginning it and just go with it. Break it down into small pieces if you need to.

So, the way to respond to procrastination is to recognize you're doing it, figure out why you're doing it, and then get over it. And to accept the fact that you're going to do it sometimes anyway.

So get that after Labor Day thing done then enjoy that feeling of accomplishment and your reward. As for me, I wrote my blog so now it's time to get to all the other stuff I've got to do!