4 Ways to Postpone your Procrastination

(Because fight fire with fire)

We’ve all done it at some time or other. We are doing it right now. Fellow procrastinators, I feel you. We put off our exercise routine until tomorrow; we continually delay finishing that project or starting that business. There is always tomorrow. And there is always something more interesting and exciting to do right now… like browsing social media pages. (Does reading this article count?)

 Some people perform better when deadlines loom but most don’t. And for projects or tasks without deadlines, very often, they just don’t get completed… ever.

 Here are 5 effective processes you can use to postpone your procrastination… because that is what we do best:

 1. Do it now

Hold your breath and jump right in! Take it from Nike, Just Do It.

Do it now. Not 5 minutes later. Not tomorrow. Tell yourself, now or never.

Putting things off until the last minute is a bad habit and like all habits is ingrained in our subconscious mind and hard to break. It feels like the normal thing to do and we simply continue along our path. To complete a task immediately may even feel strange or like a forced action. But yes, force yourself to do it.

2. Take baby steps

Sometimes we procrastinate because the task may be intimidating to us. Perhaps we have no possible inkling on where to start. In these cases, it is quite fine to take it one step at a time. Say you are preparing a business plan and for the 5th time this week, you’ve turned on the PC and looked at the blank screen. Or you’ve just remembered you need to do some more research before you begin…you’re still not ready. You simply need to break down the project into smaller pieces and tackle each bit separately. Make each task an individual project and after completion of each one, celebrate and acknowledge your achievement.

3. Forget it

What?? You may ask. But hear me out.

Why force the issue? If you have been ‘dragging your feet’ on something for a very long time, it may be for the best. Something, somewhere is trying to tell you something. That something is your intuition and it may be right! Think about something that you have been putting off again and again and again. What are the reasons that you need to complete this task in the first place? What are YOUR reasons for this lengthy delay? Is there really a need to do it? What happens if you don’t do it? Answer these questions truthfully and determine if the task is worth doing. If it is, then refer to Step 1. If not, give up on the project and be at peace with it.

4. Call for Support

Do you put off tasks because you feel that they are too big and complex for you to handle alone? Or because you need assistance? Or you just need that spark of motivation?

Be honest with yourself. Reach out, ask for help! Ask friends and trusted family members to keep you accountable for the goals you set.

Procrastinating on life changing activities could be as a result of fear of the unknown. Get a mastermind group together, find a mentor, join a support group. You don’t have to do it all by yourself.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Procrastination can set in at any step. The most important step one can make is the next step. Visualize your goal, be your own best cheerleader and take the next step. You can do it!