It is a fact that you can’t get far in New Jersey life if you continuously procrastinate; setting aside tasks that can lead you to meet your goals. If you are one of those people, here are seven strategies to eliminate your procrastination. They are tied to the days of the week to help you remember them.
On Monday, Make it Meaningful. If you have been putting something off, take a minute to find the benefits of completing the task. Why is the job important? Write it down, and below it write how it relates to your goals. Be specific about the payoffs and rewards.
On Tuesday, Take it Apart. Break big jobs down into smaller, more manageable parts. Then be determined to complete every one of those tasks. Make the results measureable so you can see your progress. Write a list of the tasks, and cross each one off as you complete it.
On Wednesday, Write an Intention Statement. Write down what you intend to do that day in working toward your goals. Carry it with you or post where you will see it often during the day. For example, if you intend to finish a report at work, write “I intend to finish the weekly report by 5 p.m. today. I will reward myself with a movie this evening.”
On Thursday, Tell Everyone. Announce your intentions publically. Tell your spouse, tell a friend, tell your children, or tell your parents. Telling the world your intention is an excellent technique to ensure its completion. Make the world your support group.
On Friday, Find a Reward. Rewards can be difficult to construct. A reward must be something that you would genuinely withhold from yourself if you did not earn it. For example, don’t make a movie the reward if you plan to go anyway. If you don’t complete what you set out to do, and go to the movie anyway, it becomes an ineffective reward.
On Saturday, Settle it Now. Just do it now. When you notice yourself procrastinating, just plunge into the task and get it done. Imagine yourself at the edge of lake about to dive in. Walking in gradually would be torture. It’s less painful to leap in.
On Sunday, Say No. Just say “no” when you notice yourself pushing a task into a low-priority category. Re-examine the reason for doing it in the first place. If you realize that you really don’t intend to do something, quit telling yourself you will. That’s procrastinating. Tell yourself the truth and drop it. Then you don’t have to carry around the baggage of an undone task.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Dale Carnegie Training of Central & Southern New Jersey. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter @CarnegieJersey.