Five Effective Procrastination Strategies

Five Effective Procrastination Strategies

One of the most damaging effects of procrastination is the feeling of being out of control. Procrastination is an "invisible force" that prevents you from doing what you know you should do. With more demands on our time and attention, there appears to be an increase in procrastination as a chronic problem, particularly among those who want to succeed the most. Procrastination usually occurs when you are overwhelmed by all of life's "have to's," and instead of making steady progress, you take on too much and never complete any of it.

Feeling out of control robs you of your ability to shape and direct your own life. True, you have no control over many things, but you always have complete control over what happens to you – and what happens to you is a mental process independent of the circumstances and events of the outside world. Being empowered implies that you recognize that you already have power and that this realization gives you the ability to act. Here are five empowering procrastination tips to help you come to this realization and become empowered to deal with procrastination and inaction effectively.

1. Everything Is Inside:

Procrastination is an internal process, and while it may appear to be happening to you, you are, in fact, responsible for it. This procrastination technique can help you regain control almost immediately. Procrastination is an internal response and evaluation rather than an external force. The simple realization that 'you are doing it to 'you' gives you the power to act.

2. It's All About You:

When procrastination drags you down, it's all too easy to believe that 'it just is and that there's nothing you can do about it. Although you may have no control, you do. You feel out of control because you believe you have no control over the situation. There are two critical beliefs you must develop to break free from procrastination. The first is that procrastination CAN be overcome, and the second is that YOU CAN overcome procrastination. Nobody else can do it for you, and because you made it, you can undo it.

3. Everything Is In Your Head:

Fear is the reason why most people remain stuck in procrastination patterns. At its most basic, all forms of procrastination are motivated by fear. What you don't face has power over you. To overcome fear and the associated procrastination, you must confront and do the very things you do not want to do. You take control the moment you do, and it no longer has any control over you. The irony is that fear exists only in your mind – it is always something that hasn't happened yet. Procrastination isn't a real thing; it's just how you evaluate things in your head.

4. It's All in the Conditioning:

Consistency is essential for success in any endeavor. Those who can consistently repeat their greatness are the best of the best at anything. Conditioning is the only way to achieve consistency. Conditioning is how your nervous system works. When you do something repeatedly, it becomes 'normal,' and when something becomes routine, you don't have to think about it – it becomes automatic. The problem is that this principle works in both directions. Your nervous system does not distinguish whether your conditioned responses help you or hinder you. If procrastination is your conditioned response, you will always feel out of control because it is what you have 'learned to do automatically—simply reconditioning yourself to a new reply, teaching yourself to respond differently.

5. It's All About Being Aware:

Procrastination has a purpose, and it is significant, but only if you are aware of it. We only procrastinate on things that are important to us. You believe, either directly or indirectly, that taking action will benefit you. It wouldn't bother you if it didn't, would it? Be thankful for procrastination and use it to help you 'know' what you need to do. Being aware of this fact and developing an awareness of what you do and do not do can empower you to take control of yourself on a much higher level.

When you are empowered, you are in command, and even if things appear to go wrong on the surface, you know that you can deal with them effectively. Procrastination is disempowering because it limits your ability to act quickly and deal with any situation. Remember that you are ultimately in charge of yourself. Tomorrow will be the same as today. Please don't put it off. Act!