Archive for of Procrastination
Procrastination changing your life 30 minutes at a time
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Quicker and quicker things are being accomplished in today’s world. Computers, PDAs, cell phones, and many more marvels of modern technology have enabled us to accomplish more in less time then we could have imagined a mere 10-15 years ago. With all this ability to get things done at our fingertips, why do so many put off their responsibilities and even their dreams? Why do they put off accomplishing tasks that would launch their careers, their relationship, or their self-esteem to new heights? Why do they continue to endure the pain of wondering “What if?” Let us spend a few minutes answering those questions, as well as sharing some steps, you can take to avoid becoming (or remaining) at the mercy of the plight of procrastination.
5 Ways to become Action Oriented
Posted by: | CommentsOver the course of my time studying and teaching about personal development I have shared many tips on how to get what you want faster than you dreamed possible. In order to become a high performing person myself and teach others how to become the same I have taught everything from goals setting to brain storming to masterminding. However, while all these are true anchors in one’s travel to success, perhaps one of the most important traits of the high performing man or woman is “action orientation.” For if you do not take action all the brainstorming, masterminding and goal setting in the world will not help you. You have to become an action oriented person if you want to achieve your dream, goals and desires. So here are five ways to become an action oriented person.
- SET ASIDE TIME TO THINK AND PLAN
Action oriented and successful people set aside time to think about their goals and dreams, to plan their next steps and ways around potential obstacles and of course to set priorities in all these goals, dreams and next steps. All this thinking, planning and priority setting enables them to focus on taking action on the important tasks and execute large chucks of work far faster than the people that spend that same amount of thinking, planning and action time on activities that do not take them closer to their goals – assuming that those people even know what their goals are. - GET INTO THE ZONE
One of the benefits of that thinking, planning and priority setting is that you will be focused on high value tasks as your next steps. When you take action on your high value next steps continuously you will get into ‘the zone.’ All of us have experienced it at one time or another – that state when things just seem ‘to come to you’ with minimal effort. You feel clear of mind and almost euphoric as everything you do seems effortlessly accurate, and just want to keep going. - STAY ALERT AND AWARE
Keep a mindful eye out for some of the interconnected ways that people and circumstances can be leveraged to help you achieve your wants, dreams and desires even faster. Remember that one of the fastest ways to get what you want is to help others get what they want. So while you are in ‘the zone’ use that heightened state of creativity and mental precision to spot ways you can help others reach their dreams. I find that these unselfish acts always find their way back – with interest. - HONE YOUR SENSE OF URGENCY
I can hear the question now “How do I get into the zone Tracy?” Well one of the quickest ways is to hone your sense of urgency. Your sense of urgency needs to be impatient, for that is when it will motivate you and drive you to get things done. Your sense of urgency when impatient will stoke that inner drive or desire you have to reach your goals. When you have a sense of urgency and begin taking those next steps towards your goals, dreams and desires you will find yourself in ‘the zone’ far more often than you ever had before. - Be prejudice against procrastination
I do not like to lean to the negative but when it comes to procrastination, negative is what we need to be. When you hone your sense of urgency you will become very negative to procrastination and lean more towards being action oriented. You will find yourself talking less about when you want to do and actually doing it. You will find yourself coming up with ideas and next steps (probably back in step one) and immediately want to do something with that idea – so do it!
Okay now that you have the five ways to become action oriented what can you do now?
- Pick one goal, dream or desire that you have and jump into it right now. Yep right this very minute. Heck I don’t even mind if you stop reading this post to do that – your dreams are WAY more important than this post.
- Ok well your still here. Hopefully that is because you want more advice not because you don’t have dreams and goals. Anyway the next thing you can do is take these five steps EVERY single morning so that they become a habit. Then you will be realizing your dreams, desires and goals fasters then you ever imagined!
Think Successfully & Take Action
Tracy Brinkmann
One of Today’s TOP Motivated Coaches & Author of Success Atlas Programs
Ending Procrastination – Even if…
Posted by: | CommentsEnding Procrastination – Even if… click to watch the video
Overcoming the Plight of Procrastination
Posted by: | CommentsQuicker and quicker things are being accomplished in today’s world.Computers, PDAs, cell phones, and many more marvels of modern technology have enabled us to accomplish more in less time then we could have imagined a mere 10-15 years ago.With all this ability to get things done at our fingertips, why do so many put off their responsibilities and even their dreams?Why do they put off accomplishing tasks that would launch their careers, their relationship, or their self-esteem to new heights?Why do they continue to endure the pain of wondering “What if?”Let us spend a few minutes answering those questions, as well as sharing some steps, you can take to avoid becoming (or remaining) at the mercy of the plight of procrastination.
Perfectionism also ranks high on the procrastination list.So many believe that they must create the perfect essay, the perfect presentation, or the perfect business model.In this push for perfection, they put off even getting started.Insecurity plays into this as well.Those that do their best because they have a true desire to win or to succeed tend not to procrastinate.However, those that think they must be perfect in order to gain acceptance, or to please those around them, often put off important tasks.This belief that you must do something perfectly from the onset will cause you stress.You will then associate stress to the task, and thus you will tend to avoid the task to avoid the stress.Eventually when there is not enough time to complete the task perfectly, you let yourself off the hook.For then you will be telling yourself, “If only I had enough time I would…”
Beliefs at times will also be the root cause of procrastination.Beliefs such as “I work better under pressure,”“I don’t have the knowledge (or skills) to accomplish this task,” or “this task is such a mammoth undertaking.Am I up to it?” all have the potential to cause procrastination.In addition, choice stealing thoughts/beliefs along the lines of “I must…” will push you to put off tasks as you will feel a bit of resentment at not having a choice.Take a moment and ask yourself what thoughts were keeping you from your task the last time you fell victim to the plight of procrastination?
Action is the first step to overcoming the plight of procrastination.While that may sound simple, those that have fallen victim to procrastination will attest, it is easier said than done.So let us take a look at some solutions the will empower you and help you fend off procrastination, allowing you to reach your goals in a timelier manner.
My first and most impassioned recommendation is to set goals.Real goal setting will do wonders for most every symptom that makes us sick with procrastination.Sitting down and seriously setting out your goals for your desires, your business, your career and even your family and social life will reap amazing results, if you follow through.Trust me when I say that follow through will become much easier with a real set of laid out goals for all areas of your life.So step one of overcoming the plight of procrastination if becoming a goal setter.For more information and some basic guidelines around goals setting, please listen to the episode of my blogradio show entitled “Goal Setting 101.”This how is available at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TracyBrinkmann/2009/04/18/Goal-Setting-101. I will also put up the goal setting process touched on in that show in an upcoming blog post so be sure to listen and come back to this blog for more. Use the goal setting process to address any/all of your fears as well.If your fears reside in the area of knowledge – then set goals to get the knowledge you seek.If time does not allow you to get the knowledge via conventional means – then find a resource that already has the needed knowledge and get it from them.You would be surprised how many people out there would love to share their hard-earned knowledge.I find most people are even flattered by the request.
Avoid “I must…” style statements.“I must,” and “I have to,” style assertions affect your outlook to a mood of not having a choice and you risk feeling resentment.Your control over your life really starts with what you think on a regular basis.It’s like the saying goes, “You are not what you think you are.But, what you think, YOU ARE.”You must recognize that you do have a choice.This realization will enable you to move from “I must,” to “I want to!”Do not get me wrong I know there are situations where your choice does not seem to be yours, but if you think it through – the choice is ultimately yours.You do not HAVE to keep spending money to market your product – but that CHOICE not to market your product will seriously cramp the growth you want in your business revenue.
For all my perfectionist friends – allow yourself permission to do a 50% solution first.Your urge to do it 100% right on the first try will be your biggest challenge.During your goal setting process, I encourage you to make the “quick and dirty” solution one of your sub-goals.If your goal is cleaning the garage, then perhaps your quick and dirty solution can be – “Getting rid of all the trash.”Surly that does not constitute the 100% solution of a clean garage but it at least serves a stepping stone to the level of perfection your striving to achieve.If you break down your overall goal, in this case cleaning the garage, into smaller sub-goals;get out all the trash, organize the garden tools, straighten the shelves, dust, sweep the floor, paint the walls, etc.Then your perfectionist urge can help – if you apply it to the smaller sub-goals appropriately in order to accomplish the overall goal of cleaning the garage.You have to remember you are only human and the imperfect job completed today is far superior to the perfect job postponed indefinitely.You can always revise it and make it better – once it is started.
The last tip I am going to leave you with is the quickest one you can put into action today:The 30-minute plan.Select a small piece of work that you can commit thirty minutes to.Next, choose a reward for yourself – one that you will claim once you have worked on this task for the allotted thirty minutes.No matter what you accomplish in the thirty minutes, the reward is yours – as long as you put in the time.The reward you choose is purely up to you and your preferences.For me rewards such as thirty minutes of game time on my favorite Xbox game are a motivating reward, or watching my favorite TV program etc.Your rewards must be meaningful to you.The idea is to shift your focus from the displeasure of doing the task to the pleasure of the reward.The idea here is that if the reward is worthy, then you will be able to endure the mere thirty minutes of real effort in order to reach it.
What will happen, most of the time, once you sit down to put in your thirty minutes, is that you will work forty-five, sixty, or more without giving it a second thought.You will actually get so involved in the task, even if it is a difficult one, that you will WANT to keep working on it.The next thing you know, one hour or more has passed and you have actually accomplished something.All the while, the reward you identified was there.Once those first thirty minutes went by you could have rightfully claimed it.However, what happened was that once you sat down and began working on your task your focus shifted.It moved from the worry and fret of the task to focusing on completing the current piece of work placed before you in this small thirty-minute window.
Once you decide to stop working, claim your reward (as long as you have put in your thirty minutes).Enjoy your reward you earned it!Then quickly schedule your next thirty-minute block of time and select the reward for that block as well.You will quickly begin to associate more pleasure to the task and its completion as you realize that your rewards will immediately follow your efforts.
Well you now have a few tactics for fighting the plight of procrastination.I would encourage you to go through the goal setting process outlined in the “Goal Setting 101” show.Then, combine those goals, sub-goals, and action tasks with the thirty-minute plan.With that, you will begin to move yourself quickly along the road towards reaching those goals one half hour at a time.
Tracy Brinkmann
Today’s Top Motivated Success Coach
& Author of Success Atlas Goals Programs
PS
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