Beat Procrastination – and do it now!

We’ve all heard the old adage, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.”    A simple proverb, yet one that is occasionally very difficult to put into practice.   Some of the biggest reasons for procrastination, and some tips for beating them, are: 

Fear of failure.  Or maybe it’s a fear of actually succeeding!  Either way, fear is a terrific motivator to not do something.  But one thing is certain: If you keep putting it off, you will fail.   The best thing to do is take a deep breath, acknowledge your fear, and then remind yourself that you can, and will, do this. 

Feeling overwhelmed.  Are you facing a large task or project that seems daunting or even impossible?  Remove the overwhelming aspect by breaking it down into smaller, manageable tasks and setting deadlines for each.  Once you actually get started and begin to realize that the task is doable, you’ll probably feel far less out of your depth than before.

Low self-confidence.  Sometimes we all need an emotional “boost”.   Perhaps a chat with a coworker or supervisor will give you tips and ideas, or simply serve to remind you why you were chosen to complete a particular assignment.  Another good step to increase you own self worth is to make a list of your past successes and refer to it whenever you feel your confidence lagging.

Distractions.  Don’t let unimportant things eat up your time.  Block out time in your schedule to work on your priorities.  Close your door, turn off your email, maybe even block your phone calls, so that you can spend the time you need to get focused.