4 Easy Steps to Stop Procrastination

Are you a victim of procrastination? Do you often find yourself unable to meet deadlines because you spent too much time in front of the TV, cooking or even sleeping? Well, I was exactly like that just a few years ago. But, that’s now Past. These days, I can set goals and achieve them easily without any complaints. And you can do the same. Here’s a few tips to get you started.

1. Plan your daily must-do activities. Draw up a to-do list; preferably, write it down on paper; or, use a computer if you prefer. And, include all the MUST do’s in your list. These are things that must be done today. Period.

2. Prioritize the activities, the more important ones taking precedence over the less important. If there are urgent things to do, but not important enough to be worried about if not done, put them below the important ones. The idea is based on the established principle that 80% of rewards come from 20% of effort directed towards accomplishing important work.

3. Start working: Even if the deadline is 5 days from now or a month from now, starting out on an important project will help you avoid stress and do it well. When you start a major project just the day of the deadline, you are bound to stress out and leave out important points. Get in the habit of starting things before the deadline.

4. Start working bit by bit. Things may seem like huge mountains at first but it is important to stay calm. Just start working on the project or task on hand and don’t worry about getting it perfect. You still have a lot of time to iron out the details. Remember to start well before the deadline so you can focus on finishing the task and then ironing out the details. Trying to get everything right on first attempt is the best excuse used by procrastinators!

Procrastination is a deadly disease and it not only kills motivation but also your chances of success. Stop procrastinating right now and start achieving your goals. You can learn more about getting rid of procrastination and how to manage your time to achieve all your goals by visiting: http:// www.managemytimenow.com

Why Goal "Setting" Doesn't Work

Read any personal development book and you are nearly always advised that "setting goals" is the main key to success. But why is it that so many people try goal setting, only to fail and become disillusioned with the idea?

The answer is because, while important, the actual "setting" of goals is only part of the process. Anyone can set a goal to be a billionaire by next Wednesday. It should be relatively obvious that you need to do a little more than just choosing something, then sitting back and waiting for the courier to arrive with it in a box.

This doesn't mean that goal achievement is hugely complex. In fact, it's relatively easy when you know all the pieces of the puzzle. The key is to understand and apply all those pieces.

Super-achievers don't just view their goals in isolation - they don't just set a goal, then go on with their life as normal. They have developed "goal-centered lifestyles," in which their goals are part of their day-to-day lives.

The benefits of choosing this way of life is that people are more focused, at peace with themselves, more financially secure, have fulfilling relationships, are happier and - of course - achieve far more than most people could even dream about. If they want to become rich, they do so. If they want to have a great body, they know how to make it a reality.

The sad fact is that only a small percentage of the population choose to live their lives this way. The rest choose the alternative, which leads them to life passing them by, and missing out on the great opportunities out there right now.

For more information on the differences between the goal-centered lifestyle (and the alternative that most people live by), visit: http:// www.goalguide.com

How To Define Procrastination To Get The Most Out Of Yourself

How To Define Procrastination To Get The Most Out Of Yourself

How do you define procrastination? For many people procrastination is something that they associate and identify themselves with far too easily. The challenge is that once you identify with a behavior (positive and negative) it becomes part of who you are and your experiences and actions are filtered through this identity.

We can define procrastination as "task aversion" which is the irrational delay of an intended course of action. Translated from the original Latin meaning, procrastination quite literally means 'in favor of tomorrow'. As human beings we are always pursuing ways of being better off - everything we do, we do with a positive intent. Although procrastination seems to contradict this fact, it actually illustrates a very important point. What we do, or fail to do, is not purely the result of our conscious choices, but often the result of factors we are not aware of consciously. When you procrastinate, at some level of your unconscious thinking, you believe that taking the action will leave you worse off than actually taking the action.

To change this negative tendency, you need to do two things. Firstly you must remove the association and 'attachments' that you might have with procrastination. Realize that you are NOT a procrastinator. Although you might procrastinate at times, you cannot afford to limit yourself by defining yourself by your behavior. Secondly, you must redefine procrastination in such a way that it will motivate and empower you instead of limiting you.

The way we define things for ourselves will determine the way we interact with it. If you see procrastination as a chronic problem that you were born with, then it is likely that you will struggle with it all your life. If you define procrastination as a bad habit that you need to deal with at some point in the future, then it will control you. If you see procrastination as something you cannot overcome then you will probably be right.

If you define procrastination as a negative tendency that you choose to put aside, then you will be empowered to take action despite procrastinating. Whether you CAN do something is rarely the result of your ability. It's almost always a case of motivation. Motivation is nothing but an inner drive that compels you to action, and gaining leverage on yourself is a powerful way to find the necessary motivation.

There is a definition of procrastination that can do just that. I choose to define procrastination as the thief of time. When you think about it you will realize just how true it is because procrastination is what keeps you immobilized and stuck in inaction. Time is your most valuable and your most precious asset. People go to extreme measures to protect their money and their possessions, but do very little to 'protect' their time - the one thing that money can never buy. Learning to value your time, is a powerful strategy for overcoming procrastination and getting the most out of your life. When you value something you will look after it and protect it.

Your time is limited. Have you ever wondered how many days you have in your lifetime? At first blush you might guess that it is a hundred thousand or even a million. In fact, if you grow to be 70 years old your entire lifetime will only have 25 550 days. If you are 30 now, then you've only got another 260 000 hours left - and a third of this will be spent sleeping.

You have just as much time as Bill Gates, Mother Theresa, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey or any other person on this planet. The only difference is in the way you use your time. Don't allow procrastination to steal your most precious asset.

Instead, see procrastination as a call to action. It is likely that what you are procrastinating about is something that you 'must' do. See, what we don't do and what we don't face controls us. But when you face it and you do it, you liberate yourself and it no longer has any control over you. If you have this sense of urgency and awareness that your time is precious, then you won't allow the thief of time to hold you down. What you get out of yourself does not rely on your ability. It relies on how much of your resources you can get access to and this is almost exclusively a psychological exercise. By changing how you define procrastination for yourself you can start to change this internal conversation and empower yourself to take action and make things happen.

About the Author:
Deon Du Plessis from Overcoming-Procrastination.Com is a former chronic procrastinator who never managed to get anything done. He now teaches some of the most powerful strategies for overcoming procrastination in A Course Of Action, a FREE online course.>>>> You can Enroll Here

How to Overcome Procrastination - Using the Law of Attraction!

How to Overcome Procrastination - Using the Law of Attraction!

"Procrastination is opportunity's assassin."
~ Victor Kiam, American businessman, Remington Electric Razors (1926-2001)

"Oh, how I wish I could overcome procrastination! Somebody please help me stop procrastinating! But not today, I'm busy."

Procrastination is a double-edged habit. It deserves our attention as well as our appreciation. The guilt we feel indicates that our procrastination serves as the destroyer of dreams. However, when inspired by our connection to our values it also serves as the protector against wasted energy and futile activities.

Regardless of the type of procrastination, it's important to forgive yourself for doing the best you could do, given who you are and what you've learned up until this point. You are a Divine Child of God and the Truth is that it's possible that your sensible delays were inspired according to your Divine path.

On the other hand, feeling frustrated because your lack of action has postponed your good, is a message from your higher self that what you want requires your attention and you're not currently in alignment with its effortless fulfillment.

Let me clarify the distinction between when we can appreciate our procrastination and when we should instead kick ourselves out of lethargy.

Once upon a time, I was stuck at the Los Angeles airport with no money for my cab or shuttle ride home to Newport Beach, about 50 miles South on Pacific Coast Highway. I knew I had to get home and I had neglected (procrastinated) to call friends to arrange a ride. Then, when my flight arrived, I was really ready to get home but for some reason I sort of meandered through the airport a bit aimlessly.

I admit that because I didn't have the money for the fare, I procrastinated finding a ride for fear of having to ride-and-run, known in other circles as dine-and-dash!

I picked up my luggage, went to the gift shop, grabbed a bag of chips and truly walked around aimlessly for an indefinite amount of time. Eventually, reality sunk in. I had to get home and even though I didn't have the money, I had to take the shuttle.

My heart raced and my stomach ached thinking about how I would face the driver at my driveway. What would they do? Would they call the cops? Would they take a hot check so that I could cover it later?

I made a decision as I got on that shuttle that would change my life forever. I decided to manifest a miracle. I didn't know how but I knew enough about the law of attraction to know that if I could put my attention on what I wanted while handing it over to God, that something would happen and I'd be alright.

I got on the shuttle, smiled and said hello to the man and his daughter, the single woman, and the cute elderly couple. I immediately began to pray and apply my thoughts toward a magical solution and most importantly, every time I felt fear, I handed it over to God (the big U).

The father and daughter were the first to exit, and I began to really be persistent with 'handing it over' as the fear came in waves. I began to feel a sense of willingness to just handle whatever happened and found myself inspired to talk with the elderly couple. They were visiting from South Africa, had a daughter my age, loved to travel and meet new people. We laughed and continued to talk as I intermittently remembered my dilemma and handed it over again and again.

The next stop was to be the hotel of my new friends but the gentleman told the driver to take me home first as they were enjoying my company. When we arrived, I turned to tell my new friends what a pleasure it was to meet them and they were talking to each other. He turned to me and said, "My dear, we have enjoyed your company so much. Please allow us to pay for your fare."

With tears of delight and gratitude, what could I do but graciously accept?!

This was a turning point for me and my ability to succeed as a conscious creator. My procrastination in arranging a ride inspired my aimless wandering, which in turn was actually inspired by my higher intentions to succeed in truly understanding the law of attraction. I was inspired to procrastinate so that I would show up at the right time, in the right pick-up zone to meet my new friends and manifest a mini-miracle.

This is inspired procrastination. Honor the truth that sometimes there is a higher purpose for Divinely Ordered procrastination. If you are running behind schedule, you miss your exit, you meander aimlessly, etc. allow yourself the flexibility to accept that somehow this too is perfect and in alignment with what you really want.

On the other, deadly edge of the procrastinator's sword is the fear based procrastination that will inevitably delay and destroy your dreams.

The following tools may be used to overcome this type of procrastination. You want to set yourself up for success by inspiring inspiration. Yes, using the law of attraction, you can actually inspire and aligned action.

If you postpone making the number of cold-calls necessary to succeed in your business, then you are procrastinating out of fear of success, fear of rejection, or fear of failure, for example.

If you postpone working out and eating right, then you may be procrastinating out of a sense of futility, a feeling of worthlessness, or a fear of deprivation.

If you feel guilt when you look at your procrastination tactics, then you are being called to move towards inspired action from your higher self.

To overcome procrastination here are a few practical tips:

1 - Write it down! Write everything that you must/could/should/want to do on paper; write out your high-level goals, the mini-milestones, the tasks involved, and the decisions that must be made to accomplish your goals. Then, prioritize and write down your reasons and your rewards. If it's too big a task, then spend just 10 minutes at a time until it's done.

2 - Chunk it down! We procrastinate eating the Elephant because it's such a huge undertaking! Break it down into bite-sized morsels (on paper) and ask yourself what is ONE thing I can do today or right now.

3 - Use a timer set for 15 minutes. You have 15 minutes to do ONE thing on your list - pick it and do it. If you are inspired to do more, great keep going. If not, that's okay too!

4 - Just put on your shoes! Whatever goal you have in mind starts with the first inspired action. If you want to run 6 miles, it begins with simply putting on your running shoes; nothing more, nothing less. When you are procrastinating - simply ask yourself what's the first task? Take action on the smallest incremental item on that task. You'll be amazed at how quickly you will be inspired to run once your running shoes are on.

5 - Reward yourself - when you accomplish each project as well as each milestone.

6 - Be human and give up perfectionism! Do it imperfect on purpose. If you procrastinate for fear of it being imperfect, get over it. An action performed imperfectly is superior to inaction performed perfectly.

To overcome procrastination using the law of attraction, use both the law of attraction and Emotional Freedom Technique.

First, launch a living vision that paves the way for inspired action then upon awareness of doubts/fears use Emotional Freedom Technique to eliminate the blocks.

A - Inspire Inspiration with a Living Vision

Launch a living vision that addresses inspired, daily action. This is a one minute exercise that will change your life forever. If you will simply imagine yourself 'enjoying the act of taking daily consistent action towards your goal' in a consistent, daily living vision, eventually you will be inspired to do what you are imagining.

Launching a Living Vision that you are taking daily, inspired action is a "No Fail" method! You will find yourself inspired with a passionate, connected sense of certainty and eagerness and you won't be able to stop yourself from taking action. It will work in one way or another every time.

For example:

If you want to be a prolific writer but you procrastinate or feel that you have writer's block, then launch the following living vision every day for 7 - 21 days and record what happens:

"Yes! I am so enthusiastic about how easy it is for me to write every day. It's like the words just flow and most of the time I don't even know where they are coming from. The characters inspire me to new heights and the storyline comes out of left field, jumping onto the computer screen with profound clarity and conviction. You know, I'm so grateful that it's always been this easy for me. I have always been able to simply sit down and allow the words to flow. I have to admit that I am a prolific writer and it's always been easy for me."

If you want to start exercising or be more consistent with your exercise routine, then launch the following living vision every day for 7 to 21 days and see what happens:

"I love exercising and staying focused on my goals. It's so easy for me to make this a priority. I always seem to have the energy to work out, not matter what time of the day it is. I also always seem to have the time as my life simply supports me in achieving my ideal health and fitness. I know others say they don't have the energy or time, and I just can't even imagine this being the case for me! I simply feel inspired to work-out regularly and the time happens easily as does having the energy within to accomplish my goals. There's something magical that happens when I put on my work-out gear or my gym shoes, it's like the angels practically carry me through my routine as soon as the gear touches my body. I simply put on my gear and I'm destined to a fabulous work-out that I absolutely love. And, I love the way I look and feel. I love and enjoy my body!"

Launch your own living visions to inspire inspiration and action. Allow your living vision to be a breathing, flowing, ever-evolving masterpiece of the activities that you want and desire.

B - Use Emotional Freedom Technique to overcome procrastination.

Formulate your own using the following Emotional Freedom Technique set-up phrases and positive implanting statements as prompts.

* Even though I procrastinate, I choose to love and accept myself anyway.
* Even though I am a habitual procrastinator, I lovingly support myself in taking inspired action.
* Even though I sabotage my success by procrastinating, never the less, I am pleasantly surprised at how easy it is for me to take action from this point forward.
* Even though I am afraid of success and therefore I procrastinate, never the less, I see myself easily taking inspired, consistent action.
* Even though I put off doing what I know must be done, I love, accept and forgive myself. And, I choose to easily take inspired, daily, consistent action.
* Even though I can't seem to stop procrastinating, never the less, I am so passionate excited that I am reliable and unswerving in my commitment to take action.
* Even though I hate the fact that I keep procrastinating and I don't know how to stop, never the less, I find myself easily focusing on the completion of small steps every day.
* Even though I feel terribly guilty for being such a procrastinator, I easily choose to chunk my projects down and just begin it now!

The law of attraction is our ally in manifesting success and prosperity as well as the little things that we want in life, such as successfuly defeating procrastination. Remember that it's important to use your attention to manifest your big dreams as well as your daily desires.

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