Ah, September is here again. It’s the end of June. You blink. And it’s September.
It’s a high pressure month. Vacation for many is over. School starts up. Project deadlines loom. Client’s and colleague’s expectations rise. You know the drill.
At this time of year I know how strong your intent can be to start or complete a project and yet, there it is: procrastination.
It’s a problem as old as time itself, but don’t let yourself believe it’s not solvable.
[Tweet “The thing about procrastination is you need to grab it by the throat and wrangle it in. “]
And yes, I do have specific tips for how to do that.
Here are my to 5 ways to wrangle procrastination:
1) Find your kick-start comfort zone. For many procrastinators, the very first steps of a new project are the hardest. Once they get going, all is well. I believe everyone has certain things that can ease their discomfort at this initial stage. Maybe you need to get out of the office, grab a latte at your favourite coffee shop and spend an hour completing your initial step. Or maybe you always need to play some old-school R&B to put yourself in a bright mood and let go of anxiety. Figure out what works for you.
2) Reward yourself for progress. I mean this literally. Call a friend for a chat, treat yourself to some chocolate, take a walk in nature…whatever floats your boat. If you celebrate progress along the way, you’re more likely to keep moving forward.
3) Stop berating yourself when you stall. You’re human. Accept imperfection. Yes, you may find yourself procrastinating again. Congratulate yourself for noticing! Yes, I’m perfectly serious. Berating yourself will not give you courage or motivation to start again. So, just notice you’ve slipped into an old pattern and figure out what needs to happen to move on.
4) Focus on one step at a time. Overwhelm contributes heavily to procrastination. What is the one thing that needs to happen right now to move your initiative forward? Focus on that one thing. Celebrate when it’s complete.
5) Forward motion is what matters. Even small steps are awesome steps. Some days you might make tremendous headway. Other days you may struggle to complete one small task. It’s all good — as long as you are moving forward. Be comfortable with the ebb and flow of progress.
One final word of advice on procrastination: If you’ve tried every tip and despite your very best efforts you continue to stall on a particular thing, reassess. Is it a true priority? Can someone else get the job done faster, better? Is it time to let it go?
Leadership Development: Don’t let one stalled desire upset your whole life balance. Letting go of something often opens up a world of new possibilities. But keep your priorities moving. Don’t let procrastination get the better of you.