No matter what stage of procrastination you are at, becoming productive and disciplined are the two learnable skills. You will have to invest time and effort and gradually, productivity and self-discipline will become your identity.
“Everything is difficult before it becomes easy.”
Now let’s get to the harsh truths:
- Procrastination is very dangerous when it becomes a habit.
- It is simple to break the procrastination
- And it is a religious experience when you finally break through it
So first things first, don’t view it as a negative experience but as something that will make your life exciting because of the process, you will be going through. It will be an adventure.
I say this because I have watched Suits. A TV Series. If you haven’t I’ll explain.
Right from the beginning they have lawsuits coming at their law firm left and right, until the very end. Characters come and characters go, constant conflicts amongst the people who love each other, but no matter what there is something to be constantly changed and improved and overcome.
And that is what makes it a great show. The Best One.
Problems and solutions and compromises and change make it best.
And that is exactly how you will overcome your procrastination. In the end, all the success is going to feel the best.
In This Post
- 1 What is Stress?
- 2 So let’s start with some basics, because
- 3 Actionanle steps
- 3.1 1 | Commitment
- 3.2 2 | Identify the problem
- 3.3 3 | Get Proper Rest and Nourish your Body and Mind.
- 3.4 4 |Get done first what you would avoid at all costs.
- 3.5 5 | Use the mindset of ‘Just Today’
- 3.6 6 | Make appointments with yourself, and solo work dates.
- 3.7 7 | Get clear on the goal
- 3.8 8 | Plan to succeed and set Systems.
- 3.9 9 | Tips
- 3.10 10 | Take control of your thoughts.
- 3.11 11 | Put the pressure on yourself.
- 3.12 12 | Regular Self Checkin
- 4 Useful Links In this Post
Why Should You Listen To Me?
The best way to deal with procrastination is to identify the pattern. Once you realise the pattern you can begin to change.
And I am constantly in the process of learning why’s behind every wrong or unnecessary habit I do.
I have also been studying procrastination for four years of my life. I have seen the damage of inaction and the fruit of action. With hundreds of home-baked cakes, a 7 and 8 GPA, and years of experience alongside college, I can say that you need to get ahead of your bad habits. Or you will be stuck in one place forever.
I have tried and tested hundreds of ways, thought processes and mindset shifts for me to be able to be consistent with my habits and daily improvements.
Make no mistake that I am evolving every day and you will too, there is nothing as definite. And now that you are here, change is inevitable.
And lastly, I have learned the hard way.
Avoiding situations is not going to make them disappear.
What is Stress?
Stress occurs in the face of a difficult situation or when you don’t really wish to do something, but you have to.
It is when you feel that you have too much to do and too little time to do even half of it. And then you just sit there doing nothing except for watching, as more work keeps piling up.
Oh, and bonus, the time doesn’t even stop for you!
How rude!
So let’s start with some basics, because
Procrastination-in the simplest form-is avoiding doing things you know you must do, to survive in the best way possible.
It happens because of distractions (you know what distractions). Unclarity can be the biggest catalyst but procrastination can be a way for you to deal with your negative emotions i.e. trauma response. Or you simply don’t like doing something.
Procrastination is also shouldered by other reasons like anxiety, low energy, unclarity of goals, self-hate / self-criticism, depression, lack of interest, second thoughts, no rest, inability to prioritize, unable to let go of control, and lack of planning.
We will go through each of those reasons and I will give you the remedies for the same.
We will then discuss how you make procrastination into a productive time when at times you cannot simply help it.
The only reason we will look back on your procrastination is to learn, but for the rest of time, remember to look ahead to live life.
And before we move ahead. I am so proud that you are here.
This step of yours signifies your commitment to yourself and commitment is a good place to start.
The hardest part is getting started, and you have to begin now.
Actionanle steps
1 | Commitment
When things go south, one thing keeps our head above the water. The promise to ourselves and the dedication to keep that promise
Also known as commitment.
So you have to begin with the toughest part. following the 3 D’s (Inspired by The book : Eat That Frog)
Decision.
You have to decide what you are going to do, what you are going to change or improve, and decide on what you are going to leave behind altogether.
This decision is going to give you a path of…
Discipline
Discipline is going to help you keep your decision in practice until you make it a habit.
Discipline is the purest form of self-love and self-service, something we will definitely talk about more in the future post.
Determination.
Your determination to follow your habits is going to make that habit effortless. How? Because when you do something for long enough it becomes a part of you.
Similar to how you automate a machine by programming it into the system. Determination programs your mind and body to automate the habits you choose to work on
The decision to do something.
Discipline to follow through.
Determination to make it a lifestyle.
2 | Identify the problem
You cannot cure what you haven’t diagnosed.
You need to identify where your avoidance for doing things is coming from.
If you do not know what type of allergy you have how are you going to treat it and take precautions?
Start by thinking.
When you notice resistance to doing things immediately ask yourself. Why?
Why do you not want to do it? Why are you feeling this way?
Is it something to do with the environment?
Are you tired? Have you eaten?
Is it because you didn’t do anything?
Is it because you have done too much?
Ask why to everything and eventually you will figure it out.
My why, most of the days is I am simply not in the mood. Then I also want to read (my ultimate excuse of procrastinating) and it also has sometimes to do with the environment.
3 | Get Proper Rest and Nourish your Body and Mind.
3 things you need to commit to :
Sleep
Nutrition
Self-care
I follow this simple mindset; Think of your body as a machine.
Can a machine work continuously 24/7 without having time to cool off? No. It will wear out.
Can a machine work without fuel? No. It simply would not function.
Can a machine work without proper oiling or maintenance? No. It will have a breakdown.
Similarly, your body is like a machine that uses sleep, food, and care to generate energy to accomplish important tasks in your life and work.
And one rule that will help you to follow through is, All I can do is all I can do.
Don’t be a person who is hustling all day long with no results only to have a breakdown.
You don’t have to deserve sleep, nutrition, and self-care. It is yours.
You don’t have to earn it, although you will feel much better after working, but even when you are doing nothing you have to do these three things. The rest will automatically follow.
When you are fully rested, having good food, and taking care of your mind and body you will work five times as much better, faster, and happier.
4 |Get done first what you would avoid at all costs.
You will not be getting paid in your office to sit on your butt and do nothing, then how do you expect to get anything by just sitting?
And if you are only given one option, do the worst task first because chances are, that one task is going to yield you the most results.
You also have to realize that doing nothing (or doing unimportant tasks) will attract misery and negativity.
So get up and get done with what needs to be gotten done.
Refuse to do the small less valuable tasks until you have done the top 20 important ones.
Consider the consequences of doing the less important tasks. how is it going to affect you?
If you are going to spend time cleaning your emails rather than working on a pending project, you might end up getting fired.
The key is not only to focus on important tasks (we have done that already) but to be adamant about not doing anything else if not the important task.
Chances are you won’t be sitting idle without someone noticing or feeling bad.
5 | Use the mindset of ‘Just Today’
Your mind is clever in tricking you into keeping things for tomorrow, but isn’t that unfair to your future self?
So make use of the powerful tool – Your Brain – and trick your mind into ‘I will do it just for today.’
How you can do it is to draw out the ideal version of yourself, her habits, her thought process, her likes and dislikes, and her values. And for today act like her.
Say “Just for today I will do this” and do whatever you have to do.
You might feel tired after completing tasks but you will also get to taste the addictive feeling of getting things done.
The first week of doing this exercise you might only get 2 days of work done, the second week 3 days, and so on until you get used to it. But to get used to it you have to start working.
6 | Make appointments with yourself, and solo work dates.
I have this habit of watching multiple successful YouTubers and picking out things they all do in common.
So here is one thing that I picked up:
Date yourself.
Just like sitting in an office but with someone you like. in a better environment with less distraction and no competition but yourself.
How you can do this is by selecting a time when you work best, before sunrise, afternoon, evening, or even night.
A, If you prefer to get out of your house:
Get dressed, choose a comfortable cafe (full of people or a quiet one) order a non-coffee drink if coffee makes you jittery, organize your table, open your book, and write down all the tasks you have to do and start working. Also, use earphones.
B. If you prefer staying in:
Give yourself half an hour to prepare, clean the space, clean yourself, light up the workspace, and make sure you are not uncomfortable. If there is a small task bothering you – get it done.
Make a drink for yourself, again write down your tasks, and start the work.
You can do these interchangeably as working in different environments is not only going to increase your focus but also allow you to enter into different energies for different spaces.
7 | Get clear on the goal
As the saying goes, decide where you want to go or someone else will.
You also have to decide what you want to do and why you want to do it or someone else will step in and do it for you.
Then know that only deciding on the goal isn’t enough, because it is your reason behind the goal that will motivate and discipline you.
Future intentions often describe your present actions
There are three categories to this :
Want. Have. Privilege.
Why are you doing whatever you are doing?
Is it because you want to do it, or you have to do it or you have the privilege to do it?
Wants are something with little to no consequence.
Haves have a good amount of consequences if you do not do them.
Privileges have dangerous consequences.
Wants are all the small meaningless tasks like going out for drinks and lying around. Have’s are things that keep your life running smoothly like doing laundry, cleaning your kitchen, and washing dishes. Privileges are things you get to do, you get to do work and earn, you get to go to run and be healthy, you get to eat nutritious food and be happy.
Focus on what needs to be done first.
Your ability to prioritize will determine the height of your success.
I will not explain but give you a direct solution, because my priority here is to help you prioritize. And there is always enough time if you use it properly.
The ABCDE method.
Determine the value of the task then work downward on the priority list
So say you have three tasks (very unrealistic but just an example)
- Preparing for tomorrow’s exam
- Cleaning your closet
- Preparing lunch
Here as per logical thinking, the answer would be to prepare lunch so that your mind is short of one task and you can focus better on studying with a full stomach, whereas you can clean your closet after the exam.
Prioritizing requires logic, understanding, and compromises.
The 80/20 Rule.
Do the tasks that are of high importance which are going to give you maximum results.
Do them right in this moment. Don’t put off things for tomorrow.
Here is a key point. Start setting posteriorities. Something that you have to leave for later.
I have said it before, choice is your greatest power, your ability to choose important tasks is what determines the level of your success
8 | Plan to succeed and set Systems.
And to execute this you have to set systems.
Systems are something that will help you stay on track despite the worst times. When you have a system in place that allows you to flow through your day instead of stumbling all the way, you are more likely to enjoy the day. A simple example of a system is drinking water while you clean, or watching/listening to a podcast while you cook. It can be as simple as visualizing while you make your bed and affirmations while you brush. This makes it easier for you to do the tasks.9 | Tips
- Start small:
This will help you avoid getting overwhelmed and procrastinating. - Prepare and make it easy for yourself to show up:
It is easier and faster to make a meal when you have all the ingredients laid out before you. - Plan the night before:
You get up with a GPS for the day ahead. - Set the table:
Prepare the workout clothes the night before. Clean your kitchen before sleeping. Put things in place for action. - Think on paper:
Whether it be your worries, writing affirmations, creating goals, or making important decisions.
What you choose constantly will become a habit.
10 | Take control of your thoughts.
You cannot walk confidently while thinking badly about your clothes, your hair, your face, and yourself.
You cannot smile while thinking of being killed.
You cannot run while thinking of sleeping.
You cannot work while thinking of food.
Your thoughts make a powerful impact on your actions and the good news is you can control your thoughts. In fact you must have the power over your thoughts.
If I sit here thinking that you won’t like the post, you won’t even get a chance to see this post, because chances are I might never write it or get it out on the internet.
You become what you are thinking most of the time, so it’s better to think about what you want to become rather than what you don’t want to become.
11 | Put the pressure on yourself.
Don’t allow someone to ever force you into doing something. Instead, be that someone.
You have to put pressure on yourself to 5 days a week. Be absolutely ruthless these days because a week for you is going to be of 5 – 6 days. Rest 1 -2 days are for rest.
Now it can be working in the sunlight and relaxing in the moonlight or working day and night and resting on the weekend.
Your choice.
Successful people supervise themselves and unsuccessful people are supervised by others.
Force yourself to do the thing, it will be much more efficient than sitting and thinking.
There is no time to do everything but always time to do everything important.
If you want to do something worth your time, there is going to be 110 percent resistance from your mind. So in this case force yourself
12 | Regular Self Checkin
You need to know what you have done. this will allow you to see what worked and what didn’t.
Do more of what worked and less of what didn’t.
Improvement is a process, something that is continuous, something that is fluctuating but consistent.
So you have to open the list of what you have done and what you haven’t. What you thought and what you didn’t. (Thinking on paper is going to be a big help here)
In the beginning, you will dread opening your task list or even end up procrastinating this very step for many reasons, but I will suggest just one thing.
Live with the dread, nothing is permanent.
Sometimes you might see all of your tasks ticked off, sometimes none, and sometimes only one. But I want you to be a part of the process, that is how you are going to be able to learn how you function.
You will get to know yourself better. You will understand how many things you can get done, what motivates you, what you should aim for, what you should avoid, what changes in lifestyle you need to make, and what you need to keep on doing.
Through this process, you will one day become effortless at getting things done that are valuable for your future.
