If I don’t make my bed first thing in the morning … it may take till the end of the day to do so.
If I don’t do the dishes - hang the washing out - and everything else in between, time gets away from me and nothing whatsoever gets done.
Procrastination is one of those things that even the most well organised and punctual person can fall victim to at some point or another.
Think about the last time you found yourself watching television when you really should have been doing doing something important.
While common, procrastination really does have a detrimental impact on our lives.
Fear is one factor that contributes to procrastination.
This can involve a fear of failure, a fear of making mistakes, or even a fear of success.
By addressing the fear that is keeping you from getting started, you can begin to overcome your procrastination habit.
As you know I spend a lot of time writing these blogs.
But I have to tell you my chores always come first.
I use them as the enticement to do what I love doing most and that is my spiritual work.
So I say to myself do that and then you can do this - it is a habit forming approach that really does work.
Anyway, for me it works well.
I literally make a list and tick off as I go along.
When I started to make lists in order to help me be more organised, I tended to pay attention to when thoughts of procrastination started creeping into my mind.
If I found myself thinking "I don't feel like doing this now" or "I'll have time to work on this later," then I knew I was about to procrastinate.
Instead of giving into the urge, I forced myself to do at least the first few things on the list, and in many cases, I found myself motivated enough to complete what needed doing.
These days, by the time I’m sitting down to connect with clients. friends. students and doing my spiritual work, I feel no pressure.
Procrastination causes immense pressure and in the end nothing ever gets done properly.
It's hard to get any real work done when you keep turning your attention to what's on television or checking your friends Facebook updates.
Give yourself a period of time during which you turn off all distractions, such as music, television, and social networking and use that time to focus all of your attention
on the tasks at hand.
While procrastination might not be something you can avoid entirely, becoming aware of the reasons why you procrastinate and how to overcome those tendencies can help.
By implementing the approach I’ve suggested, you just might find that it is easier to put your effort in and get started on those need-to-do tasks, that once completed, give you the opportunity to really enjoy the rewards of doing what you want, without time stealing your passions.
Kindness matters
YOU matter
WE all matter
Love Elizabeth x
