Procrastination is defined as the deferment or postponement of tasks at a later time. Putting off doing things is actually part of being human and almost all of us procrastinate, at one time or another. We put off doing things for a variety of reasons. These reasons could range from fear of the outcome of a particular task, lacks self-confidence to do the tasks, one’s feeling that another time would be better to do it, inadequate motivation or just  feeling discourage,  anxious and stress out at the moment that we feel putting off the tasks would be so much better for our overall health.

What’s our benefit if we do things right now?

      People, who practices the do-it-now principle will definitely have better self-image, more self-confidence and lots of peace of mind. On the personal level, the do-it-now persons will enjoy more meaningful relationships with the opposite sex, with friends, family and will definitely find great fulfillment in life. For career-minded individuals, performing their responsibilities on time will give them more respect from both management and staff alike, give them more levy over procrastinators when it comes to advancement in career opportunities and would be more likely to succeed in grabbing the best deals.

What will happen if we always procrastinate?

      When we consistently defer doing things we should do, we will also fail to live up to our responsibilities and commitments, which in turn would proved to be quite damaging to us. Most common effects of procrastination would involve guilt, social disapproval, unemployment,  loss of chances & opportunities, anxiety and depression.

What are the ways in conquering Procrastination?

      When we are able to identify the cause why we always put things off, we can then have the means of finding the solutions that will allow us to take full control of our commitments and responsibilities and be able to do them on time. Here are some of the methods to help us overcome procrastination.

• This is what’s important to me.  Ascertain what’s important to you.  Ensure that the things you are engaging in are what’s  vital to you and your whole existence. Spend your time pursuing them and not the things which are just trivial to you.

• I believe I Can. Believing that you can do  anything that you can think of or that which you put your heart and mind can do, will greatly help you in your quest to conquer procrastination. Don’t believe anything negative about you or what you can do. Believe in yourself and you will find yourself that you can do it  indeed.

• Doing the Most Difficult thing first. Getting the most difficult task for the day done first  will get it out of the way and other easier tasks would just simply be so easy to tackle.  Making such difficult task at the end of the list would simply zap your energy just thinking about it and would lead you dreading the inevitable, which would definitely makes you think of deferring it to some later time when you’re more energetic and less tired.

• Have my prioritized daily to-do list. Getting organized and prioritizing a to-do list from which you will based your tasks for the day is one of the best ways to avoid procrastination. Make a to-do list and commit yourself to complete each task in accordance to the priority sequence of your list.

• Plan and Organize my projects. When you have something to big to do which requires more than an hour of your time, you should break it down to manageable segments. When you have identified all  individual components, arrange them into a logical priority sequence and then you’re ready to commence your activities.

• Learn to push myself outside my comfort zone. Sometimes, we have to go beyond our comfort zone to be able to learn that we can do a particular thing. It enables us to do things we never thought we’re capable of doing. As Dale Carnegie said, “Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it… that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.”

• Be my number 1 fan.  Sometimes, we just have to take matters into our own hands. We can’t wait for others to motivate us to do something we know we should do but just not wanting to do it. We should encourage ourselves. After doing something, which we did not feel like doing, we should congratulate ourselves. Cheer yourself to continue the good work.

• Commit our self to conquer procrastination. If we really want to overcome procrastination to improve our personal as well as professional life, and have a better self-image, we should commit ourselves to becoming a procrastination-hater and be a Do-It Now individual. We should command and conquer procrastination.

Our Challenge

      We should not let ourselves be a member of the secretive society of procrastinators. Secretive since nobody would really want to be identified as someone who always put off doing things and society since there are so many people who procrastinate out there who might as well form a society for such. The definition of procrastination might be simple but don’t be deceived into thinking that the solution to it would also be simple. For a lot of people, it is not as simple as doing things which we know we should do.

      We should set aside quality time thinking about our reasons why we procrastinate, the problems that led from it and what to do about it. It would be a good idea if we document, put into writing our reasons, the problems, our own formulated solutions and our commitment to overcome procrastination. It would not be an easy task, but if we really push ourselves to strive harder to do the things we should do at the time that we should do it, coupled with our determination to succeed, we would be able to do it. Since procrastination can have devastating consequences, it would be for the best  if we start action today. Right here and now, let’s start working on conquering our procrastination.

      Have you had problems with procrastination? What have  you done to overcome it? Maybe you could share some of your most effective methods in conquering it. It would be much appreciated.

Here are the best methods I have discovered in order to defeat procrastination. These methods have been scientifically proven. They are guaranteed to work. You simply need to apply them. Learn the methods, apply them, and change your life forever.

1. No More Excuses

   The first method is to change your thoughts. You must develop a new set of beliefs. Instead of repeating to yourself: “I don’t feel good right now. I need to rest. I will do it later. Now is not a good time. Etc.”, you need to develop an action-oriented mindset. Here are the new beliefs you must repeat: “Action is the best option. I must do it now. Action will make me feel better. Action will produce great results in my life. I will take action right now and I will succeed.” This is only an example. You can develop you own personal set of beliefs, but make sure they are action-oriented. Moreover, make sure you analyse the excuses you are using right now when you procrastinate and try to defeat them using your action-oriented beliefs.

2. The Four-Second Rule

   Decide to develop the habit of taking action right now. Every single hour of your working day, ask yourself the following question: “What can I do right now to accomplish my goal?” Answer the question and take action right now. As soon as you get the answer, stop thinking and take action right away. Just do it! There is no need to think for hours. There is a need for action. So, take action right away!

   This is what I call “The Four-second Rule”. As soon as you ask the question “What can I do right now to accomplish my goal?”, you have four seconds to answer the question and start taking action. This method is excellent because it stops you from thinking too much and finding excuses and it leads directly to action.

3. Have a To-Do List

   Always have a To-Do List with you. When you ask yourself what you should do, simply do the first thing on your to-do list. Don’t think about your emotions or your personal problems. Look at the first task on your list and take action right away without thinking. Your thoughts and your excuses are your worst enemy and they are the cause of your procrastination. Therefore, develop the habit of taking action right away without thinking.

I wish you all the success you deserve. Take massive action and see great results happen in your life. If you have any question, don’t hesitate to ask me your questions on the forum.

Here is that something else

1. Take a power nap: This quick 20-30 minute nap will revitalize your bloodshot eyes relieve your computer induced headache and prepare you for the rest of this list. Remember to set an alarm!
2. Rediscover the wonder of detail: Go outside and look at something very closely, you can use a magnifying glass if you have one but even without one your eyes will do fine. Look at a bug or small plant.
3. Get into an intellectual argument: find a Friend or family member, take up opposing standpoints and argue. This is a great intellectual stimulant! Remember to keep cool and calm, stop the argument if it becomes too heated.
4. Create something: Grab a bit of glue and a box of matches and see what you can come up with
5. Observe the wonders of the sky: Go outside, lie on your back and look at the stars or clouds (depending on the time of course), if it is overcast or cloudless listen to the birds or sounds of the night
6. Use your imagination: Close your eyes and go on a flight of fantasy and fun. This may take a bit of practice if you’ve been made numb by worldly worries or if it’s been years since you’ve last done this. I love to skydive, snorkel or float around in zero gravity.
7. Get up and take a long stretch: Aaaah! Don’t you just love that?
8. Make a fire: Oh! How I love to sit by a fire, to peer deep into its amber core, into its dancing tongues
9. Shout as loud as you can: Find somewhere where no one will see you and shout with everything you’ve got. What a stress reliever! Its fun to yell “can anyone hear me?” or a similar question and sometimes get a reply. Have a long distance “yell-versation” with an anonymous person. Just be careful not to let people think you’re being murdered, you can try and find a deserted open place.
10. Make music: Use cans bottles with water pots and anything else you can find. If you experiment long enough and practice a bit you can really play something impressive. It’s not as hard as you might think nor as childish.

Now go along and have some fun before your eyes become square and your brain shrivels up like a raisin!

Feel like a kid again.