Written by: Rodolfo Parlati, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Have you ever procrastinated? For better or for worse all of us have had to deal with procrastination at least once in our lives. You know exactly what you need to do, yet you waste a lot of time-wasting on useless activities or wandering the internet aimlessly. This tendency to always postpone that, at first glance, it may seem something innocent, actually affects it in a very profound way, also considering the large number of people who suffer from it.
Constantly switching from one excuse to another, taking small breaks that suddenly become a wait that lasts for hours, ultimately only leads to your work being no longer done or done badly. Indeed, you are not a machine! A little break now and then is due but, by continuing to procrastinate you will only push yourself into a vicious circle, where frustration and poor results will only lower your self-esteem.
One of the main causes that lead to procrastination is the lack of the right incentive to start a certain task. Another is known as "decision paralysis", which is when, faced with a plurality of choices, one is unable to establish what are the real priorities. This leads to a block where every possible choice hides pitfalls and for fear of making a wrong one, you end up choosing none. Finally, the lack of effective time management also leads to continually postponing your tasks, especially when you tend to get distracted easily.
How To Turn Your Procrastination Into Procrastina(c)tion
Fortunately, stopping procrastination is possible, by putting in place some effective strategies that can help you break out of this trend and take action by turning your procrastination into “procrastina(c)tion”. Here they are:
1. Identify the reasons why you procrastinate. Become aware of the emotions that lead you to postpone and review the way you perceive them. When you feel like you are about to indulge in procrastination, stop for a moment and think about what you might be like and what you could do if you could just overcome your tendency to postpone. You would certainly be better than you are now because procrastination will only limit you in your actions and personal growth.
2. Start taking action. Try to plan your activities avoiding thinking about how you should do it and to carry out every little detail perfectly. This would only lead you to wait for conditions to be perfect, actually blocking you without ever starting. Whenever you postpone what you need to do, just take a step back. Just start and stop thinking.
3. Focus on the first step to take. When you set a goal you often think about the amount of work you have to do and this can throw you into despair. In this way, you will tend to get around the obstacle, dedicating yourself to unnecessary activities that lead you nowhere. To avoid this trap you have to focus not on the final goal, but the present, on the first step to take. Once you get started, everything will flow easier and you are ready to move on to the next step. In this way, step by step, you will reach the final goal.
4. Face your fears and step out of your comfort zone. Staying in your comfort zone is easy. No efforts, mistakes, bad figures and disappointments. It is more difficult to take the initiative and make the dreams you have cultivated for so long come true. Not facing a commitment gives a momentary feeling of security that can never replace the lasting satisfaction of a dream that comes true.
5. Start with the most complicated things. Starting with the most difficult activities is an effective strategy to combat procrastination and also to manage your time better. Whatever it is, take the challenge and carry it forward. Tackling difficult activities first will make you feel good about yourself and increase your self-efficacy.
6. Don't turn a slip into a fall. Don't make a mountain out of a pebble. If you constantly think about a commitment instead of facing it, you will only enlarge it more and more. Over time, your putting off will help make it grow until it is impossible to deal with. Commit to plan effectively and act accordingly.
7. Visualize yourself in the future. By changing your attitude you can improve your perception of yourself and of the activities to be carried out. It simply takes about 10 minutes a day to visualize yourself in the future, imagining what you want to become and the experiences you want to live.
Conclusions
To stop postponing, all you have to do is put these strategies into practice every time you should take an action that you keep postponing, regardless of the type of action. It is essential that you find the courage to free yourself from these oppressive and heavy chains so that you can finally put your full potential into practice.
In particular, Coaching can help you develop your responsibility and increase awareness of your emotions, as well as support you in choosing the actions to take. These are key aspects in understanding what prevents you from living a full and satisfying life. Furthermore, they are essential points to learn how to avoid procrastination.
Rodolfo Parlati, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Rodolfo Parlati is a Professional Life & Executive Coach. Always inspired by the desire to impact others positively, his mission is to help people and professionals be happy and successful by finding out their inner potential and exploring the right path to follow to "give shape" to their goals. Passionate about building connections, the key elements of his coaching strategy are creating meaningful actions to attain the clients' goals, knowing what is holding them back, and supporting them in finding higher awareness. His natural curiosity has always driven him to be an eager lifelong learner, explore new fields, and look for the answers to any question.
