5 Days to Overcome Procrastination

Procrastination is something that creates a lot of havoc in people's lives. Most people know exactly what they need to do for success. The path to achievement in any endeavor is already paved. What separates those who achieve what they desire versus those who fail to do so is the action taken. Successful individuals do the things that creates successful outcomes. This is true whether one is referring to careers, athletics, relationships, or personal development. Success simply is determining what you want, creating a plan for the attainment, and taking action that moves you towards that end.

People who are afflicted with procrastination find it difficult to succeed. Since success is predicated upon action, procrastinators find themselves on the opposite end of the spectrum. Procrastination, by it's very nature, inhibits action. Instead, it breeds stagnation. Productivity is reduced in all areas as this terrible trait gains a hold of one's life. Over time, it assumes more control. The act of putting things off becomes a procrastinator's default mindset.

Procrastination is a habit. It is not something that we are born with. Like most things, it is a trait that is learned through years of experience. Our mind uses this technique to “protect” us from experiencing negative consequences in our lives. Whenever it views a situation as one that might result in pain, our mind seeks ways to prohibit us from moving that way. Procrastination, derived by the instilling of fear, deters action. We follow the mind's wishes by avoiding the task. Of course, we usually can put off something for only so long, until it is imperative that we complete it. It is at this point where the pain of avoiding is greater than the pain of doing.

How do we go about reversing years of procrastinating habits? Obviously, there will be degrees that each person suffers this. Some people are only mildly afflicted by it. Periodically, they put things off. However, for the most part, they are action-oriented. Then there are those who are totally paralyzed by procrastination. They put off everything. These are the people who's minds instantly tells them “later” whenever confronted with an activity. It matters little how difficult or easy the task is. The default mindset is delay.

Regardless of where you are, this activity will help get you on the path to action. The key to reversing a habit is to develop a new activity and do it over a long enough period of time to form a new habit. In our example we will show 5 days. To form a new habit, it is best to follow this up for a period of 21 days. This exercise is expanded by simply adding more tasks to the list.

To begin with, we are going to make a list of 10 activities we are putting off. If you want to handle the list for the 21 days, then write down 42 actions you are avoiding. It is typically best to start with activities which are fairly easy to accomplish. These tasks are forming our Procrastination List. We make a list putting down all those items we are presently putting off. After we complete our list, we choose two tasks that we are committing to completely the first day. We highlight these activities and put them in our daily planner. Next, we go complete those tasks. We cease thinking about it and simply go ahead. Easier activities are best because they allow us to develop momentum. The first day we cross off two items on our Procrastination List.

Guess what occurs the second day? Obviously, day 2 is a repeat of the first day. Choose two more items, highlight them, put in the daily planner, and complete. Again, we get to cross off two more items. This continues for a full five days. At the end of that time, we completed 10 activities which previously were left incomplete. This will give us tremendous momentum to accomplish more. You will find that your energy levels increasing as you put to rest uncompleted tasks. Energy that was previously spent thinking about an unresolved task is now regained. This will give you the necessary incentive to move forward for the remaining two weeks.

Completing two tasks each day will develop the habit of taking action. If you feel motivated, you can do three a day. I will caution against trying to do too many at one time. That has the tendency to burn one out quickly. It is equally as important to create the habit as it is to complete the activities. Procrastination instills the mindset of putting things off. This exercise will start shaping the mind to think “do it now”.