Procrastination - It's Like Having a Tenant That Never Pays the Rent!

Winning over the relentlessness of procrastination is critical in your personal and professional development. The practice of procrastination robs you of opportunity, creativity and inspiration. It is often one of the greatest contributors to stress and pressure. Procrastination can cause us to feel overwhelmed and burdened. Consider for a moment how many excuses you have made to justify inactivity? Whether you are a small business owner, a leader in your industry or simply looking to create a life of vitality and balance, procrastination is stealing your energy. No matter what your goal is, avoiding taking action is pulling you further and further away from what you really want.

For several years, I burned both ends of the candle in an effort to grow my business and balance my responsibilities as a patrol officer and mother. Somewhere along the way, I believed that I was 'Superwoman' - capable of effectively managing all three (essentially full time jobs). As demands on my time increased, I slept less, ran harder and pushed myself to perform. I struggled with the shift work and the demands of my business. Friends and family saw less and less of me as time went on. I convinced myself that I could do it all - until I couldn't anymore. I crashed. I took a week off and began to evaluate where I had placed my priorities. Where was procrastination having the greatest impact in my life? I had been running full out, but what was I accomplishing? Were my efforts aligned with my most important goals? Had I even defined what I wanted most?

I realized I had developed a wonderful set of excuses which I kept handy when friends inquired what it would take for me to slow down. I actually took great pride in my ability to juggle so many priorities at one time - a great multi-tasker I thought. None of those excuses were serving me or my quest for excellence. I took a breath and started listening to my own advice. I stopped pretending I was in control. I took time to identify some clear objectives which would assist me in choosing a direct path towards my own success. I asked myself - what do I love doing and how can I do more of it? I created a pros and cons list of the two careers which I was tenuously balancing. I evaluated the impact on my family and my own emotional health. Working that process helped me develop some substantial clarity - the choice was clear. I needed to leave the safety net of my government job and take a leap of faith in the direction of my dreams!

If it time for you to come to terms with where your focus is hiding and develop your own plan for preventing procrastination, then you have finally come to the realization that procrastination is your STRESS! Although in the end your plan may be more complex then this, having a starting point offers some huge benefits:

1. Reframe your focus - if you are avoiding starting or completing a project. Think to yourself - this is not a task 'I MUST do'; this is a task that 'I CHOOSE to do'! Altering your emotional state in this way can assist you in developing the energy you need to be positive and pro-active on the project.

2. Chunk it Down - Adopt the philosophy that you don't have to necessarily complete the project today - you just have to get started. I learned this from my son who almost did not graduate. Upon realizing that avoiding classes (and failing to turn in course assignments) had left him needing to complete 5 correspondence modules in the span of one month. He was overwhelmed by the prospect and began to shut down, feeling it was an impossible task. Together we developed a strategy of breaking the process into time sensitive and manageable pieces. Rather than looking at the whole picture, we looked at one module at a time. As a result, (and with a lot of guidance and support from his teacher and parents), he successfully completed all 5 modules in 2.5 weeks. WOW!

3. Remember: Perfection is God's Business - Excellence you can strive for. If you wait for everything to be perfect, it never will be. When tackling a project, focus on making it good, not perfect. There is no such thing as perfect. Even if there was, you could never achieve it every single time. Despite your desires to the contrary, you are, after all, only human.

4. Make Time to Celebrate - When tackling a project, think to yourself "I am not depriving myself of fun, I am allowing myself the opportunity to have fun while completing this task". When you finish a project that you have put off for a while, celebrate your victory. All successful people take time to celebrate and recognize their accomplishments. If you constantly run from task to task, you will begin to feel overwhelmed and disillusioned by it all. Consider the relief that my son felt walking across the stage to collect his hard-earned diploma and know....he earned the right to celebrate this achievement!

5. Focus on the Goal - Look at every project, no matter how big or small, as an opportunity for you to achieve your own goals. Make delivering on the promises you make to yourself (or your team) about honouring your own personal state of excellence.

Much of the process of changing your habit of procrastination is entirely dependent on changing your mind set. Prove to yourself that you want to do better by beginning the process of eliminating distractions:

Re-organize your work space to minimize disturbances.

When working on a time sensitive project, DO NOT answer your phone - it will only pull your creativity away from the project.

Develop a filing system that allows you to find information and materials that you need quickly and efficiently.

Keep your work space clean and uncluttered - it will help you focus on the job at hand.

Of all the skills to master, determination and persistence are two of the most important. You can have a perfect game plan but if you lack persistence, you may as well forfeit the game before you even start to play. Each time you abandon a goal before it has been completed, you give up a little more of what you have the right to expect. Ultimately, you will lose all faith in your ability to achieve the life you truly desire.

Is your dream, your future, your success worth the effort to locate the tenacity and determination hidden away inside of you? If procrastination has taken up permanent residency in your life, then make a commitment to change that TODAY! Take control and begin living your life with purpose.

Faith Wood is a behaviour management specialist. She provides practical, effective tools which increase productivity, efficiency and personal relationships in almost any situation. Visit her website at http://www.imind.ca to learn how Faith and Inspiring Minds Consulting can benefit you.

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Okechukwu Donald Chigbu,Empowers people for success and wealth creation.
Visit his site at www.okeychigbu.com
He is also the founder www.reachouttoall.com, a ministry to a godly and successful life.

Do You Procrastinate Because You Fear Failure - Here Are Three Tips to Beat Procrastination

By Kell Shaun

Procrastination is an inner battle between a habit of ease and a discipline of action. Procrastination tends to reduce the quality of the work produced, and increase your stress. If time is money then procrastination can be an expensive habit.

You know that you have something to do yet somehow you manage to convince yourself to do it later. Does this sound familiar?

The first step in dealing with procrastination is to understand why you put off doing what you have to do.

Psychologists have come up with a number of reasons for why we procrastinate. One of the main reasons is a fear of failure.

When you think about it, nobody likes to fail. Therefore, it is a natural thing to put of doing those tasks that we fear.

However the hallmark of a successful person is being able to confront your fear of failure. Even the most confident people can procrastinate because they fear failure.

But what do you think will happen if you continue to put off this task that you fear?.....You guessed right...you are more likely to fail.

To overcome your fear of failure, there are three things you can do:

1. Confront your fear. When I say this, what I mean is to work out what you fear and what things will help you to get over it. For example, is your fear due to a lack of confidence, or are you anxious of being judged by others. What things do you need that will help you to get over your fear? Whatever it is that you fear, break it down into more manageable bite-sized chunks.

2. Draw up a pros and cons list for doing the task. The advantage of drawing up a pros and cons list is that it will take the emotion out of the task that you have been avoiding. By looking at the task objectively, you take out the emotional influence that is increasing your stress.

3. Plan your work and work your plan. Lets face it, if you fail to plan then you plan to fail. For example, I feared public speaking but had to lecture at university, so rather than leave it to chance; I wrote an action plan of the things that I could do to become a better speaker. This reduced my fear and gave me confidence.

These three strategies can help to get things done when you fear failure.

Kell works with elite athletes, business professionals, managers and office workers with goal setting, stress and time management. If you would like more strategies to beat procrastination click here

I'd like to invite you to get free instant access to a 7-Part eCourse on Time Management.

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10 Ways to Really Make the Best Use of the Time You Have.

By Tony Brooks



- How often do you say you don't have enough time either in your personal life, career or in business?
- How are you using your time now and how will you use it in the future?
- How often do you take time to breathe in life and take in what is actually happening here and now?
- How often do you look to make changes in the way you are doing things?
- How well do you manage the key things that need to be done to make best use of the time you have?
Here are 10 ways to make a real difference in how you spend your time. Try them out, try other things, but most importantly, think about how you are spending your most prized resource and make some changes!!!

1. Drop things! Log how you spend your time closely for a few days. See how you are using it and wasting it. Think about what you are getting back from the activities you are doing and which activities could possibly give you so much more!!

2. Organise. Do you plan and estimate the time it will take for tasks you have to do? Look at your ideal day, week, month and year and see how you are matching up against this ideal. Keep to allotted times for tasks and don't go over. If it is a task you don't enjoy, do it in short bursts and try and build this. Remember to plan in rest or play time. As you move forwards, review the estimates you have made and improve your planning in the future! Most importantly, don't react to things on the spur of the moment. Think about a new requirement that has hit you and decide what to do about it. If you need to change you plans, then change them!!

3. Goals. Stand back and look at the goals you really want to achieve in life for yourself and others. Are you living life in line with these goals and your grander purpose in life? It is vital to have goals in key areas of your life and to move towards them. A life or business coach can really help with this. We all need dreams, but we also need to have some organisation and structure to achieve them and we need to ACT!

4. Be realistic. When you are planning the use of your time, ensure you don't overload. There is something to be said for parallel tasking, but is a split in focus really going to give you the results you want? It is fine to have background tasks going while you have one main task to focus on, but don't split your time, focus and quality over two or more foreground tasks. This is where quality goes and stress comes in.

5. Delegate. Wherever you can and wherever it is fair delegate things out to others. They may not do things 100% how you would wish, but you can help that along. The alternative is for you to do things in a way that is nothing like 100% how you would wish and that is more stressful1!

6. Focus on important stuff. This is very often not always what seems to be the most urgent. Plan in time to sit back and reflect on what you are doing. What changes could you make that would really help you ongoing and in the future? Time spent in this area can add great benefit and make your use of time much more productive. A small amount of time in creating a new system or approach can save lots of time elsewhere! Always look for things that will make an impact!!

7. Enjoy the moment! Don't be thinking of the next task you have lined up or what you should have done differently. Your planning time is when you look back at things and plan forwards (oh and by the way you should totally enjoy your planning time too!!). Give each moment the fullest attention you can.

8. Use tools and training. Lists and diaries (especially some of the more sophisticated ones) are great tools for you to prioritise and organise your time. You can also use spreadsheets and project planning software, but start simple and if it works for you, then fine. Try not to have long term lists though, with tasks that stay on forever. Use daily lists that are realistic. One good way to control your use of time is to use a timer or stopwatch. Make sure you are keeping to allotted times. Set and beat targets for regular tasks.

9. Chill Out, Rest and Play. How much sleep do you really need? Don't kid yourself you can make do with 4 or 5 hours. Sleep is a vital use of time. Make sure you have time to wind down at night and get a good 7+ hours sleep as frequently as possible. It will catch up with you otherwise! Always make sure you have some rest and play time too and do something for somebody else regularly. It is very good for the soul!

10. Health and Fitness. Set aside time to exercise, eat properly, sleep and holiday. And switch off from all the other things and really enjoy this time. You deserve it!

After you have tracked how you are using your time at the moment, think about the 3 most important things you should be doing, either in your work or personal life (or both). Ditch 3 things that are not the best use of your time and try and delegate 3 other things out. Then plan to use the time you have gained to focus on those important areas!
How much time has this saved you for more important areas?
Where would you be now if you had not wasted time in the past?
Use the time you have to make a real impact on your Life, Career and Business!

Hi, my name is Tony Brooks. After over 20 years in IT, Project Management, Business Management, People Development and Academic Psychology, I establised a Personal and Business Coaching Company 12 months ago in the UK - Building Bridges Life Coaching Services Ltd.

I have a real fascination in relation to what really makes people tick and I love to help people to make much better use of the time they have in their Personal life, Careers and Businesses.

I offer a FREE NO OBLIGATION Coaching session, through my company, as an introduction to the Coaching Services I provide. I would love to hear from anyone who wants to take their Life, Career or Businesses to a higher level with much greater success.

Best Wishes Tony Brooks

07912143040

info@buildingbridgeslcs.co.uk

http://www.buildingbridgeslcs.co.uk

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Quick Secret on How to Save Time - Now!

By Ken Okel

I've learned that little tasks often take up a lot of time, especially when they are allowed to pile up. And in some cases, thinking about doing the project, like paying bills, takes about as much time as it does to do the work. And if you repeatedly put off the task, then you spend a lot of time thinking about something you need to do. As a professional speaker, I need to maximize my time as much as possible and not have to pay catch up with all those little things I need to do.

Now I've adopted a "think it, do it" strategy. If I think that I should fold some shirts, I do it immediately rather than waiting until later. The same can apply for things like answering email, paying bills, and unloading the dishwasher. This way, the project gets done and I don't have to worry about when I'll get around to it. So in a way, the immediate execution saves me time by taking it off my plate. It's a lot easier to tackle a small task quickly than let a bunch of big ones become major time losses.

Of course, these low priority items should not interfere with scheduled events or used as a way to avoid starting blue chip projects. But if you're sometimes overwhelmed by a variety of small tasks, you may want to try this method. My goal is to spend a little time worrying or stressed out about the little stuff.

Ken Okel is a communications expert who helps people and organizations move from survival to success. For his free newsletter and special report, 7 Communication Mistakes that are Costing You Money, go to his website at http://www.kenokel.com

You'll also be able to see a video of Ken's famous police dog attack story.

See Ken's tips invade YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/KenOkel

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Time Management - Best Ways to Start Your Day

By Luke Blaise

When it comes to managing your time, one of the best things to do is to get your day off on the right foot. Devote sometime every morning to do something for yourself. Try to develop a morning routine that leaves your feeling refreshed and energize by the time you walk out the door.

Here are some great ideas to add to your morning routine:

1. Get up early: If there is one way to properly start your day it is to get up early. If you look at any of today's top achievers, inevitably they wake up early. By getting up early you have more time for yourself and there are less distractions and noise.

2. Review your to do list: This is one of the most important steps to getting your day off right. By reviewing what you need to do today, you can mentally plan in your mind what needs to get done so your subconscious mind can start bringing about your goals.

3. Eat breakfast: Some people don't eat breakfast, while others eat too much, or the wrong things. A small meal that includes protein is the best thing you can eat in the morning. Protein gives you a fuller feeling, while carbohydrates will just leave you feeling tired.

4. Exercise: Once you start getting in the habit of exercising in the mornings you will not stop. It feels great to get the blood pumping and stretch your body out.

5. Do something for yourself: Whether is it reading something you enjoy or just cleaning your house, but doing something for yourself you feel like your are more in control of your day.

Time management often comes down to a mental state; do we feel in control of our time or don't we. By doing something for your self every morning you are saying that you are most important, and your work comes second.

FREE Time Management book

Visit http://1timemanagement.com to get your free book that includes time logs and forms.

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Say "Goodbye" to Procrastination Using This 3-Step Process

By Lucy Beal

Lucy Beal
Level: Basic

Lucy Beal holds a master's degree (M.S.) in counseling from the University of Wisconsin and is a nationally certified counselor (NCC) who is now practicing ... ...


"What if you could say "goodbye" to procrastination forever?" Believe it or not, there IS one way you can do this!

You can literally say, "Goodbye!" to it! Now that might sound "too simple," but it really IS that simple--simple but very effective! What I'm suggesting is that you learn to "Externalize It!"

Try this 3-Step Process to Externalize, Eliminate, & Determine

Step 1: Externalize It!

Externalizing, in the therapeutic sense, means to make a mental projection, in image form, outside of oneself, and it is a method for counseling that is used in Narrative Therapy. It is a very useful therapeutic 'tool' for reducing self-blame and allows clients to create space for re-framing and restructuring self-identity. Therapists and counselors alike may tailor their use of externalization for a much broader spectrum---just as I am when I challenge your current view of "Procrastination."

We don't often call it by name directly, more often we indirectly speak of or think about it (i.e., "I should do this, but..." or "I can't seem to get to that project, maybe later...") only to wonder "why" we can't follow through and accomplish our goals. We know we "hate it" and "want it gone," but it seems that we surely haven't become great experts when it comes to saying goodbye to it for good.

So, if you view "Procrastination" (I capitalize now because it has become an "It" with a name!) as an entity outside yourself...someone else or something else...it can greatly help you to get past the feelings of "I am a 'bad' procrastinator" or something of the like. When you externalize, you essentially relieve yourself of the burden because the "Procrastinator" or "Procrastination" is outside yourself...It is NOT YOU! So, that means that the next time you find yourself struggling with your time management and feel Procrastination is directing your actions, you can stop blaming yourself and sabotaging your belief in yourself to change your behaviors. You are not "The Procrastinator" and "The Procrastinator" is not your identity! Period.

Perhaps look at it like this: "I am learning now that Procrastination can no longer be in my life and my choices will not be made to benefit Procrastination anymore! I am me and It has to leave now!" Make a mental picture of Procrastination (create a specific vision in your mind's eye) and watch Procrastination literally walk through a doorway and out of your life."

Externalizing "Procrastination" allows you to release It and the inner grip that It once had on you. Procrastination does not have to be your resident arch nemesis any longer. If you try viewing It as separate from yourself, can begin to have the upper hand, free of the frustration It brought with it. But the work doesn't stop here.

Step 2: Eliminate Resistance

Once you decide to release It, you need to begin to eliminate it's companion, which is resistance. Much of your procrastinating behavior is grounded in 'mental resistance,' so it makes sense to find a way to create space for a new mindset. You can even repeat Step 1 now and externalize "Resistance" ("It" now has a name, too). Let it go out the same doorway as Procrastination!

The bottom line is: You've been battling two fierce opponents and it seems that the more any of us 'resist' the more we procrastinate, and the stronger "Resistance and Procrastination" become, taking over our very existence it would seem. So how do you fight off Resistance?

Start using affirmations to help you eliminate Resistance. Use your words and create action to accomplish this. For instance, you could say, "I am no longer allowing Resistance and Procrastination to rent space in my head and use up my mental energy," or, "I am watching Resistance and Procrastination leave me now," or you might take a slightly different approach and say, "I am free to choose Procrastination and Resistance as friends (or perhaps teachers) so that I can learn more about why they held me back and I fought with them and myself to get things done!"

Also, to eliminate Resistance you need to become very aware of Its presence. It's sneaky if you're not paying attention. Resistance will make your body feel terrible. Any response you have to a negative feeling is your body's attempt to send you the "red flag" that It is in motion. What you may or may not realize is that you get to control your "resistance gauge" and if you don't want Resistance, you can let your thoughts overcome it. Again, use your words and say, "I am feeling anxious right now, and that tells me that Resistance is trying to come back into my life or my home. There isn't room for you, Resistance. I am at peace here without you." The more you say it, and believe it, and feel it, the more you can lower that heartbeat and your anxiety will start to dissipate.

Taken a step further, resistance is a by-product of fear. Fear is not as easy to externalize, so we need to expand the search for answers by looking at the underlying fear that initiated your resistance that resulted in allowing Procrastination and Resistance to rent space in your mind.

Step 3: Determine Your Fear

Begin to ask yourself what you felt the last time Resistance led to procrastinating behavior. Did you feel anxious, afraid, confused, frustrated, angry? Think about this and really try to dig deep into the process of your procrastinating behavior. Step 3 is an important piece of this puzzle, so start by considering these three questions:

1. Am I fearful of rejection by others if I follow through with this goal or task?

2. Am I fearful of not knowing all the answers going in, so it's better to lack the initiative than it is to attempt and fail?

3. Am I fearful of letting go of Procrastination because it has protected me and if I freely give up something that has become valuable to me, won't I feel lost without it?

This should jump-start personal introspection if you really want to look to the source of your fear. Remember: "Your fear is what led to your Resistance that enabled Procrastination." It's never an easy process to look inside and become acutely aware of negative emotions and behaviors. But if you start this process by letting go of your identity as "The Procrastinator" or "A Procrastinator," you've made the first giant step in learning to "Externalize, Eliminate and Determine" your way to success!

If you struggle with procrastinating behaviors and are interested making different choices and creating a more productive lifestyle, life coaching can help. Lucy Beal, M.S., NCC is owner of Pathways Total Life Coaching in central California. She holds a master's degree in Counseling from the University of Wisconsin and is a nationally certified counselor (NCC), although she has chosen to establish her own private practice as a life coaching professional near her home in California.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucy_Beal

How to Keep Taking Action With an Effective to Do List

By Gerard Goh


What comes to mind when you think of a to do list? There is a huge difference between an effective to do list and an 'ordinary' to do list. Imagine the traditional to do list where you list all the things you need to do. This will only cause more stress as you keep adding more and more things on your to do list.

So how do you deal with the problem? Create an effective to do list. You will be able to keep taking action non-stop if you know how to deal with it. This is the best time management tool you should use to manage your time. It is also the most effective tool you can use. But you must make it effective, a traditional to do list is not enough.

Have 2 to do list
Have one to do list for the week, and one for daily tasks. By having 2 to do list, you get an overview of the things you are suppose to do for the week.

Set monthly goals. As you set monthly goals, you can create a weekly to do list really quickly. This is because you know exactly what to complete.

How to use the 2 lists effectively
How does this work. I'll give you an example so you can picture it easily. So imagine that you want to deliver a speech by the end of the month. So that would be your goal.

The next thing you need to do is to create a weekly to do list. In your weekly to do list, you can write things down like practice body language for speech, improve tonality of speech, and read a book on 'how to deliver a great speech'.

By doing this, your weekly to do list is in line with your goal in mind. Now the last thing is your daily to do list. But this time you will need to write down action steps to achieve the tasks of your weekly plan.

So to deliver that speech, what action steps do you need to take? Follow your weekly plan (practice body language for speech, improve tonality of speech, and read a book on 'how to deliver a great speech'), but break it down into smaller steps and set a time frame for each of it.

Tracking Action
The next thing you need to do is to track what you are doing. Keep track of whether you are in line with your goal. Make sure you focus and keep your concentration on the task until it's finished, then tick it off as you complete each task.

This will give you a peace of mind, and allow you to complete tasks with ease. You will never experience unfinished work anymore by having an effective to do list.

Gerard Goh runs a time management website at http://www.time-management-improvement.com which contains extremely useful free resources which can help you increase your personal work productivity. You can also learn various time management techniques which can help you get more things done in less time.

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