What's at the top of your procrastination list? Would you like to get that task done now? How much has it been "weighing on you"? How long has it been on the list? Is it something you really want to get done? Give that question some careful consideration.
On a scale of one to 10 (10 being high priority) - what is it's priority? If it's a 5 or above on the priority scale, please see the steps below to get it done. If it's below a 5 on the priority scale, would you be willing to take it off your list and let it go? Chances are that if it's on your procrastination list - it's either something you don't really want to accomplish or there's a step to the accomplished task that is difficult for you or that makes you feel stuck. Here's some tried and true way of getting it done.
Steps to getting "IT" done:
1) Take some time "sitting" with the vision of the task completed. How will it feel to have it done? How will it feel to check it off the list? How free will it feel?
2) What's getting in the way of getting it done?
3) Can this task be broken down into smaller steps? If so, what are the small do-able steps to getting it done? Commit to take 15 minutes in the next two days and come up with the list of small do-able steps. Make a reasonable estimate of how much time each step will take and write it down next to the step on the list.
4) How can I get these small steps done? Are you the kind of person that likes to do the hardest thing first? If so, do the more difficult steps first. If not, do the smaller, more manageable steps first. This will give you momentum to keep towards the goal of completing the task. If you'd like use the parking lot approach (see below). Most importantly, do what works best for you.
5) Is there a small step you can do with a friend? Who can you ask for help with the difficult steps?
6) How can you use your strengths to get around the roadblocks? (see below)
7) Give yourself a reasonable deadline. Set reasonable deadlines for each small step. Ask someone you trust to hold you accountable.
8) Celebrate in a simple way when you've gotten a particularly difficult step out of the way.
9) Plan a greater celebration for when "IT" is all done! Use what you've learned for the next time you feel stuck or feel like you are procrastinating.
Getting it done,
Cindy
Parking Lot
You are the parking lot attendant. It's your job to move all of the cars out of the parking lot. Move out one parked car at a time. Each step is a parked car. If it's a larger step - commit to moving one car out of the lot a week. If it's a smaller step - commit to moving one car out of the lot each day. Celebrate once all the cars are out of the lot. Your job is done :)
Signature Strengths
If you'd like to take a signature strengths inventory - visit www.authentic happiness.org. Register and take the VIA strengths inventory. It's a quick 240 multiple choice questions. It gives you a ranking of your top strengths. As a coach, I like to encourage my clients to use one or more of their top 8 strengths with tasks they find difficult to complete. It really helps to tackle a difficult task with one of your strengths. For example, creativity, playfulness and sense of purpose are 3 of my top strengths. When I'm stuck, I use my creativity to figure out how to make the task fun and meaningful. Believe me - this approach really works.
