Overcoming Procrastination
With The Two-Step

Then I had kids.

They stymied my schedule so much I lost all sense of getting anything done on my own time - because I didn't have "my own time". To top it off, one of my kids could win procrastination awards worldwide.

Great help. Not.

So, what causes this "put it off till tomorrow" attitude, and how have I gotten around so many bad influences and (no longer so little) interruptions?


Cause and Effect

Overcoming procrastination involves, first, knowing why we fall prey to it.

Why do we put things off? It doesn't make us feel good, either about ourselves or about those around us who procrastinate alongside us.

It certainly doesn't accomplish anything.

We're basically following the law of inertia, right? At least many of us are.

Or, maybe, just maybe, we're afraid?

Actually, I can think of lots of reasons we procrastinate. For me, being tired after a long day is my perfect excuse to put off the dinner dishes until tomorrow. Then I'm so busy tomorrow I don't get them done then, either.

(That's when I cheat and make one of my teenagers wash them!)

And if I'm tired, I certainly can't write anything worthwhile, can I? (Yeah, it's called an EXCUSE.)

Other times, I'm seriously overbooked. Like so many others are month after month. It's much more difficult to get more than the bare necessities dealt with when there's no squeeze-it-in room in your schedule.

Quite often, I'm simply overwhelmed. As an introvert, too much outside activity, too many people, too many days busy in a row - all those do me in. I can't think straight if I don't get some time alone to recharge.

And if I can't think straight, I can't complete many of the things I want to get done. No matter how much I may want to. Overcoming procrastination is nearly impossible, then.

Maybe the biggest roadblock of all? Fear. Fear of failure.

Failure stinks. It feels bad, it can hurt our self-esteem and our pocketbooks. So if we think we might fail at something we're putting off, good chance that's why we're procrastinating about it.

How do you surmount that fear?

By giving yourself the gift of believing in your abilities. Even if you aren't great at writing novels, yet, your desire and willingness to practice your craft can lead you to greatness.

So believe in yourself and give yourself permission to fail if need be. We learn a lot more from failure than we do from success.

So, now that we've figured out why we procrastinate, what are we going to do about it?


Goal Setting 101

Everyone will tell you that one of the best ways of overcoming procrastination is to set goals.

Umhm... And if you never get around to setting those goals?

Seriously, folks. This is step one to learning how to beat your procrastination over the head and drag it kicking and screaming out of your life.

Not that it won't slink back in when you're back's turned, but you'll just have that list of goals to smack it upside the head and send it packing again.

First, list all the things you want to accomplish this year (and beyond, if you want). Think about your career goals, your family goals, your health goals, wealth goals, your dreams and fantasies.

Everything goes on this list. (Learn to rhumba. Teach my son how to be polite. Pack up all the things we no longer need and give them to charity.) Try to be specific, and if it's date-driven, by all means put a date on achieving that goal.

Put as many goals as you can think of down. You'll edit later (in practice for that novel writing you're putting off because there's a dust bunny under the bed calling your name). Hah! You're a step closer to overcoming procrastination!

Once you have your list, walk away from it for a day. Then come back, and read it over. Start sorting it according to priorities.

What do you want to accomplish most? (I hope it's to write that novel, but it might not be.)

Put that at number one. Continue until you have no more than five things listed as highest priority.

The rest you get to procrastinate on. Whee! Aren't you glad you don't have to kick the habit entirely?

Those five things you put at the top? You're going to give yourself deadlines for them.


Deadbeats Don't Use Deadlines

Now you've got your list, it's time to break each priority down into small weekly and daily tasks. Why? Because otherwise you're going to procrastinate because they seem too huge to tackle.

Once you have your task lists, think about two things: how much time will each smaller task take, and how much time do you have to devote to those tasks?

Once you've figured that out, calculate how many days or weeks it will take to accomplish each part of your goal. Then assign a deadline for each task by day or week. Go all the way through the year if you want, or just through one month for now.

A month of goal-reaching is good for a start.

Then... Stick to your deadlines!

Yeah, I know. This makes it sound easy. Overcoming procrastination isn't! Not by a long shot. Until I find the motivation to be my own butt-kicker, I don't usually do so hot with deadlines.

But recently, I've made myself a few promises. One of which is to make this website great for novelists-in-the-making, and novelists-who-think-they-aren't-yet. And you know what? I'm so passionate about it, that I haven't missed any of my self-imposed deadlines, yet! (That's three months running, now.)

I don't know how to tell you to learn to push yourself. I do know that I've recently begun to take my promises to myself much more seriously. All of them (not just those attached to this website). Because if I don't, who am I cheating?

Yeah. Myself.

So, next time you put off something you think you really want to do, think hard about whether you really want to do it, then make yourself a promise. And keep it.

That's the best way of overcoming procrastination I know.

For some great step by step help in setting goals and overcoming procrastination, try these two books by Brian Tracy. I've met the man at a conference, and he's an incredibly motivating speaker. Amazon.com carries both books, and when I looked they were both in stock and reasonably priced.

Do yourself a favor. If you really have an issue with procrastination, try one or both of these:

Goals! How to Get Everything You Want - Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible ($17.98 on Amazon)
Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time ($10.17 on Amazon)