We could all use a tip or two when it comes to beating procrastination.
Despite our best intentions, we sometimes fall into the trap of slacking off when it comes to getting our most important work done.
It’s a form of self-sabotage and being afraid to succeed, but in procrastinating, we are hurting ourselves and causing ourselves unnecessary stress in our lives.
I’ve written down 6 Game-Changing Ways to Beat Procrastination that was taken from a video by the very successful leadership expert named Robin Sharma. I have implemented a lot of his techniques into my own life as I believe they are beneficial and helpful.
1. Write down your magnificent obsession statement
Right now take an index card and write down your biggest goal for the next six months or the next year.
For example: By December 31, 2016 I am a bestselling author. Or I am the owner of my own business.
It’s very important to write “I am” because your dream life all starts with believing in yourself.
2. Create a dream collage
Take all the images of your ideal life and your dreams coming true and glue them into a notebook or onto a board. Why do this? Well, about 95% of your life is run by your subconscious mind. So only 5% of your life or what you’re perceiving is your conscious mind. And the subconscious mind operates through pictures, which is why it’s important to fill your subconscious mind with the pictures of your ideal life (i.e. your dream home, car).
3. 30-day procrastination diet
Pick one thing each day you’ve been resisting, and write it down it a calendar. For example, on the first day make your bed (if you don’t normally), on the second day- exercise, and on the third day- forgive someone. As you do what you’ve been resisting, you take back your power from the thing you were resisting. You will rewire the way your brain works and build your willpower (willpower is a muscle).
4. Power of exercise
Exercise is one of the best productivity tools known to human kind. A good idea is to work out for 20 minutes in the morning, and 20 minutes at night (for a second wind workout). Go for a walk, jump rope and get your heart rate going. You’ll be full of energy and full of focus.
5. Create distraction free environments
In the famous tennis player Andre Agassi’s book called Open, he talks about his tennis bag. And when it comes to his tennis bag, noone touches it. He says that when there’s disorder in his tennis bag, there’s distraction in his mind. Similarly, when there’s disorder in your workplace or disorder in your home, you will not be focused, you will procrastinate, and you won’t get big things done.
So clean out distractions, work alone as much as possible and get rid of clutter because mess creates stress and diminishes your focus.
6. Release your self-sabotage
Ever since we’ve been little kids, the world has pulled a veil of doubt and fear over our eyes. Our parents, teachers, friends, television and society has given us these messages like you can’t be world class, or you can’t be a genius, or you can’t have all the money you want, be in perfect health or do impossible things.
All of these messages create this subconscious realm called the saboteur. It’s a voice of fear that starts to scream anytime you get up off the couch, leave your comfort zone and do a goal that’s important to you.
The #1 reason for procrastination is fear- it’s a defense mechanism. Once you start to look at the reason you sabotage yourself in this way, you will be able to move past fear and leave who you were yesterday and become someone new and better today.
[Featured Image Credit: businessinsider.com]