Accomplish more, worry less - Procrastination is the enemy of us all
Accomplish more, worry less – Procrastination is the enemy of us all
As I start writing I feel a sense of relief. A task has begun, I’m on the path to achieving a goal. It’s no longer taking up space in my mind or on a to-do list, it’s in motion and the finish line is in sight.
Many of us procrastinate to varying degrees, sometimes it’s the small everyday stuff like changing a lightbulb or cleaning the bathroom and other times it’s the more challenging things in life such as embarking on a new career or ending a relationship.
So, what’s stopping you from starting (or finishing)?
Anxiety?
Anxiety uses up energy and can leave us feeling drained and lacking motivation. There is often an element of risk or discomfort to taking action; perhaps it’s the fear of failure or judgement; maybe the inner perfectionist in you knows it will never be good enough; perhaps its fear of the unknown, or you have no idea where or how to start
Distractions?
Temptation is all around us so too are instant rewards. We are constantly connected with access to information at our fingertips whilst juggling a multitude of roles; maybe its not the right time to take on anything else; perhaps you set out with the best intentions but with so many to do’s and interruptions there just aren’t enough hours in the day;
So, what’s the big deal?
The brain needs to finish what it starts. Each time a goal is set and not achieved it registers in the mind as a failure but not the juicy kind of failure that you can learn from as nothing actually happened – and that’s the problem. Repeatedly contemplating taking action but failing to do so depletes energy and comes with none of the rewards associated with completing a project or task – it’s a double negative! Each time we achieve something our brain releases a hit of dopamine, making us feel good, more motivated and focussed – we are building the achievement muscle. We feel a sense of accomplishment and freedom from the task and attitude that previously held us captive.
Failure to take action and complete our goals no matter how small can result in a mind full of incomplete actions causing us to feel out of control, overwhelmed and unable to switch off due to the volume of intrusive thoughts. These unfinished actions become tension systems resulting in stress and further distraction – not fun!
So how can we move away from procrastination to a land and mind free from unfinished business in order to accomplish more, feel free and be fully present??
1. Shift goals and tasks from your awareness to actions
What are you aware of but are yet to take action on? What are you putting off? What is the benefit of not taking action?
2. Chunk actions down into bitesize chunks and consider the words you use
Setting smaller goals will ensure you get that hit of dopamine that spurs on your motivation. What is the smallest step you could take today to get moving? How could you adapt your language to make the goal more achievable?
3. Remove distractions
Our attention span is constantly being challenged by the world around us The average user picks up their phone 1500 times a week – yikes! Putting your phone on airplane mode and turning off email alerts can have a huge impact on your productivity. Always having ideas and going off course? Capture these when they fly into your brain to be reviewed at a later stage and schedule time for this each week to review your ‘distraction actions’.
4. Relate it to your bigger picture
Not feeling energised about a particular task? How does it relate to your future? What’s the potential impact of not doing it?
5. Deadlines & Accountability
Only you at the helm of making this happen? Set yourself deadlines to create urgency and focus. Who could you invite to hold you to account?
Still not feeling motivated to take control? Check out you Tim Urbans brilliant take on procrastination:
