5 Tips to Beat Procrastination

What have you been putting off or avoiding? And do you ever wonder, what's the best way to beat procrastination?

In today’s article, you'll learn five simple steps that you can implement right away to overcome procrastination.

This is important for successful, high-achieving leaders like you because procrastination and putting things off can cost you significantly. You might know what you need to do but can’t find the time or motivation to do so. This becomes problematic when it chips away at your self-confidence. And, if others are expecting something from you, it can cause them to lose trust in you. 

The "knowing / doing gap" is when you know what you should be doing but you aren’t. Here are five tips to bridge the gap and beat procrastination.

Tip #1: Be clear about your desired outcome.

What exactly are you postponing and what do you really want? Imagine how terrific it will feel when you have your desired outcome. This is important because when you imagine your desired outcome, it helps to lift your emotions and feel inspired. You want to have a spirit of inspiration around starting it and actually getting it done. Visualize the outcome and how great it will feel.

Tip #2: Make a decision.

Decision is a mental activity that can propel you forward. It's derived from latin decidere which means to "cut off." When you make a decision, you "cut off" other options in favor of moving forward.  Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, describes decision as the "mastery of procrastination" and the opposite of procrastination.

Tip #3: Tell a friend.

Next, tell someone you really trust about your decision as this creates accountability. I like to think of accountability of a success insurance plan. And be very specific: tell them a date when you plan to deliver your result. For example, I set a deadline for the first draft of my book proposal and shared the date with my accountability partners. It's keeping me on plan!

When you tell someone that you are going to do something, you are more likely to actually do it. You don't want to let someone else down when they hold you accountable.

Tip #4: Take action!

You have to just jump and do it. Start small - one step at a time. Be okay with imperfect action. One of the reasons for procrastination is that we expect perfection or for things to line up. But if we wait for perfection, we may never do it.

Just do it.

Tip #5: Reward yourself.

Acknowledge your forward momentum and give yourself credit. Give yourself a small reward. I love to take walks in nature so it's something I treat myself to when I'm getting things done. And keep moving forward. Take these five steps and repeat them as often as you must to beat procrastination.

These are five simple steps that can help you to overcome procrastination in your life. Procrastination has many layers to it that we barely touched today, so if you feel like procrastination is an issue for you please schedule a complimentary consultation with me here.