Just Get Started: Overcoming Procrastination
If you were looking for a sign to do that thing you’ve been avoiding, this is it!
Let me first say that procrastinating is not necessarily a bad thing, until it is. According to psychologist, Piers Steel, ”Procrastination is part of our human nature and almost everybody does it. 95% of us do so at least occasionally.” However, putting off important things can cost us more time, energy and money in the long run.
Merriam Webster defines procrastinate as “to put off intentionally the doing of something that SHOULD be done.” The key thing here is nine times out of ten, the thing you’re putting off actually needs to be done at some point. It’s not something you’ve chosen not to do or to eliminate from your tasks, goals or vision for your life.
Well this then begs the question, “Why do we procrastinate if we know that we actually need to do the thing that we’re avoiding?”
Procrastinating is so often rooted in anxiety, fear and dread of what’s in the process of “the doing.” Also, when situations seem overwhelming in general, we have a tendency to put those things off.
So what are some strategies you can apply to your life to overcome procrastination?
Reframe your situation. Acknowledge why you may be procrastinating. Is it fear? Overwhelm? Are you simply distracted? Whatever is blocking you, acknowledge those things and reframe your perspective about it. For example, if you need to declutter, and it seems like too much stuff to purge, you can decide that you don’t have to do it all in one day, one week or even one month. Breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks can be helpful in seeing the task in front of you as more achievable.
Get an accountability partner. It’s helpful if your accountability partner is someone who has been successful in an area you are trying to improve in. If not, just having someone who you know will actually hold you accountable is more than enough. Also, as a trade-off, you can offer to provide accountability in an area for them that they may be procrastinating in.
Just Get Started. More often than not, once we start a task, it ends up being way less stressful or exhausting than we first imagined it would be. That is, of course, unless we’re talking about burpees, and then all bets are off. But hey, even with burpees, the best way to complete that task is to push through. Now back to the topic at hand:
“Simply put, our success is in the doing. Just get started and then keep going.”
Let Go of the Guilt. Stop beating yourself up for what you haven’t done and celebrate the fact that you’re now moving forward. Lament and regret can be exhausting and counterproductive. It is quite alright to acknowledge the procrastination, but only to learn the lessons from your situation. Once you’ve learned the lesson(s), the key is to focus on moving forward.
Reward Yourself. Promise yourself a reward once your task is complete. Knowing that you’ll have something to celebrate at the end of completing your goal, in addition to the actual goal completion, is a good way to motivate yourself to keep going. It can be something big or small, but the key is simply to celebrate your wins.
Here are a three coaching questions you can ask yourself anytime you find yourself procrastinating.
How will completing this task make me feel?
What impact can completing this task have on me and possibly those around me? What will I gain from completing this task?
How is not completing this task holding me back?