How to Stop Procrastination
Why Do You Procrastinate - How to Stop Procrastination
Procrastination means delaying or putting off doing something that you should or must do. You can consider yourself as a procrastinator if you have the habit of never getting started or never finishing what you have begun.
But why do people procrastinate? Why do they delay or postpone doing tasks that will improve their careers, finances, relationships, health and wellbeing? Why do they hesitate, dilly dally and vacillate to begin or to complete something?
Look back at your own life. Where were you 3 or 5 years ago? What were you doing? How was your health, finances, relationships and your weight? Look at your life right now. How many opportunities or breaks have you missed because you waited for the right time or the right person to show up?
What Causes Procrastination
Fear of Failure
The fear of failure is one of the major reasons for procrastination. You have no confidence so you wait and hesitate because you are afraid that your actions might not produce the result that you hope for. So the best way to avoid failure and disappointment is not to start or do your best.
Fear of Success
Though you wish for success, a part of you are afraid that you may get carried away and become a different person. You are very comfortable with your life and you dread the thought that you will have to adapt and change.
Insufficient Reasons to Finish Your Task or Goal
When you don't have good enough reasons, you may lose track and abandon your goal. You lose the motivation to continue. You are inclined to notice too many challenges ahead.
The Task or Goal Belongs to Someone Else
Whatever you plan out to do or have started doing has to relate to your own desires and needs. If you do something to please someone else, you may stop when the person you intend to please is no longer your object of desire.
Unwilling to Change
To create something new, you have to discard some of the old habits, attitudes, behaviors and pattern of thinking. As the saying goes, if you keep doing the same things, you'll get the same results. If you feel comfortable with your present situation, you won't change and move out of your comfort zone.
Laziness
Some people are just plain lazy. But then, there is also a possibility that there is an underlying issue such as self doubt.
Negative Mental Association
The thought of going through pain or discomfort is one of the causes of procrastination. If you think that getting things done will take a tremendous amount of time and effort and you feel overwhelmed, you'll put off doing it.
How to Stop Procrastination Tips and Strategies
How to Stop Procrastination No. 1 - List the Tasks or Goals
List the things that you have been putting off doing. After you've written it, sort it according to its importance and add a timeline.
How to Stop Procrastination No. 2 - State the Reasons
Whether you want to lose your excess fat or quit smoking, you must have very good reasons to do so. Ask yourself why? Come up with as many answers as you can. Your reasons will excite, inspire and motivate you to take action.
The challenge is if you feel that the task benefits other people such as your boss. In this situation, you have to change your point of view. Start looking for the benefits that you will gain. Imagine the recognition, respect or other rewards that you will receive including a sense of personal satisfaction.
How to Stop Procrastination No. 3 - Break Down the Tasks
Break your tasks into manageable actions. Write down what you have to do first, second, and so on. Take action on the first and most important task. When you break down the things you want to accomplish, you will feel less overwhelmed and in better control.
How to Stop Procrastination No. 4 - Write Down the Action Steps
A "things to do" or action list will help you get things done. Write down the actions that you need to take each day. If you want to lose weight, you can start by eating less fattening food and taking a brisk walk today. Don't defer it to the next day or month. Develop the discipline to follow through. Include an activity list or journal to check your progress.
How to Stop Procrastination No. 5 - Associate the Goal with Pleasant Thoughts
Picture yourself having accomplished what you have set out to do. Include all your five senses and put yourself in the picture. A picture of your accomplishments will direct your mind toward making things happen.
Delegate or Outsource
Go through your list again and decide if you want to delegate or outsource some tasks. It will reduce your workload or pressure and allow you to focus on the important or urgent things.
Change Mental Conditioning
Old mental programming is hard to break. If you have been procrastinating most of your life, you may find it difficult to write down your list of goals, state the reasons, break them down and take action. Visualization and positive affirmations work very well together to change old mental conditioning that creates negative and fear related emotions, bad habits and wrong attitudes.
To help you solve this problem, you can try to use the Stop Procrastination Hypnosis. Another helpful tool to help you stop procrastinating is the MindMaster subliminal software.
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