12 Steps for Overcoming Procrastination and Reach for Success

By:Gregory Burrus

Avoidance, procrastination, overwhelmed, perfectionism are all the daggers in the heart of efficiency. Use the following tips to overcome procrastination in your life.

1. Write it down, Write it down. There are many details that you have to remember in any given day, why should you try to keep it all in your memory? At the very moment that you remember something needs to be done, the very best thing to do is get it to your memory device. Then, just when you need to recall it, it will be available for you in an instant.

2. There Can only Be One! Keep it all in one place. Once you have developed the knack of writing everything down, your next step will be to keep your writing/recording it all in one place. Otherwise, you are going to spend valuable time procrastinating. Notice as you tend to search for your notes, you conveniently procrastinate more as you engage in a number of elaborate preparatory activities, all along you are avoiding success.

3. Stay fit, stay healthy. A keen memory is a well-nourished mind. Eat healthy; get plenty of sleep and lots of good exercise. These will all see you through to having the energy to do more and to having a good memory that stays focused and alert.

4. Get it out of your head. Record your every thought. You might find yourself driving when a good idea comes to mind or you might recall something that you really need to write down. No need to pull over and start writing, record the idea instead on that wonderful MP3 player or IPOD that you received for the holidays. If yours does not record, well get one! This way you will be better organized and it is safer then digging around your bag for one more electronic device. Use your handy recorder to be your second eyes and ears.

5. Deliver advance warning. Step into the future and call ahead to yourself. When you are at the office and you want to do something when you arrive at your next destination, call ahead to your answering device and leave yourself a message. Better yet, if you have the new VOIP (voice over internet or cable services,your messages are with you all day. They follow you; hence you have another organizing tool to help stop the procrastination. As soon as you get to your destination, you can listen to your message and execute on what needs to be done ASAP.

6. Have confidence in yourself. Avoid the perfectionist mode. Not everything has to be perfect. You will notice the world is very imperfect and it has survived. If you keep thinking I am forgetting something and saying you have a bad memory, you will probably continue to have a bad memory and you will do nothing. It is important to have a motivated, I CAN remember and I CAN DO success attitude. Remember, some procrastination is purely a lack of self confidence that is being covered over with the perfection syndrome. You end up feeling you can't get the job done, so stop the excuses and have faith in yourself and stay motivated.

7. Build email reminders. You can type in what you want to remember, such as a buy milk reminder versus the reminder to buy Christmas gadget for your nephew, or special event. You will receive an e-mail reminder when the date is approaching. This is a terrific way to jog your memory by using internet technology.

8. Love those sticky notes. Want to remember something prior to leaving your home? Just mark it down on a Post-It Note and stick it to the inside of your door. Get the ones with the bright, neon colors; post them where you have to see them. Need to make an urgent call first thing in the morning? Leave a Post-It Note on your telephone. Need an oil change, need to pay a ticket; leave a Post-It Note on the windshield.

9. Create Visual memory joggers. Visual reminders will help you remember and stay focused. Use visual reminders for remembering your goals. If your goal is to take a trip to a Barcelona or Tahiti in a few years, keep a magazine photograph of Barcelona right on your desk or on your refrigerator. If your goal is to lose 25 lbs. in five months, maybe a current picture of the successful new you or for some of us the old de-motivated you is motivation enough to stop the procrastination and move towards your goals.

10. Use timers and alarms. Take advantage of all the electronics that you carry with you. Who doesn't have an alarm on their cell phone? Do what I do, set alarm clocks and timers throughout your day. Have a 30 minute activity; make sure it doesn't run over its allocated time for the day. Want to leave for the ladies luncheon by 6 p.m.? Set your cell phone to beep a few minutes before it is time to go and jog your new no procrastination mindset. Make sure you get to the next activity on your schedule.

11. Multitask better. Not enough time in the day, but you need to get more done. The key to successful multitasking is to plan two activities in advance and avoid giving precedence to more interesting, easier, and less urgent tasks. Look at your to do list and combine activities. When going up stairs, take something, there is always something waiting. Do your laundry and exercise. As mentioned in step above, set your alarm and create your wash and exercise period of the day. The key is planning not random multitasking.

12. Do not forget time is money. Time is a precious commodity so remember that the reason we work is to use time to make money and feel a sense of accomplishment. Stop waiting until the very last minute to start working. Why not make the most efficient use of time and improve your chances of making more money in less time. Why self sabotage you? Procrastination means you are being inefficient and therefore stopping yourself from reaching your goals. Build success through the use time and money will follow.

Learn to use your mind, your friends and your colleagues to help you stop procrastinating. We need to force ourselves to use the tools and technologies of the day to help support us in reaching our goals.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article keywords: Procrastination, perfectionism, accomplishment, techoss, success, IOVC, overwhelmed, Gregory Burrus

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

TechOSS IOVC BPI Services Save money, reduce cost and increase customer acquisitions through Internet, Office, VOIP and Coaching solutions

Top Inspirational/Motivational Articles
1). Tale of A King and His Wealth By : Arun Pal Singh Once lived a great king who was getting old and wanted to retire. One day he announced that all his personal wealth would be distributed to the public. However one would have to earn his share as the king did not want the wealth to go to unworthy.
2). How Learned Happiness Can Overcome Acquired Fear By : Annett Tate Can the past be overcome? Can we finally be free of fear?
3). 7 Sure Fire Ways to Sabotage Your Life By : Sharon Marquart A Witty Approach to Getting Back on Track if You�ve taken a Left Turn on the Road to Happiness
4). STOP! AND NAME YOUR INTENTION By : Martha Ruske How often are you confronted with something you want to do, or need to accomplish, but find it hard to stop, focus, and sit down to actually do it? Here�s a technique to help you clear your mind and focus your intention, if you�ll let it.
5). The Secret Power of Faith By : Gerri D Smith Faith is a permanent belief that is natural to every human soul. Whether you exercise that right or not, is up to you. Depending on the circumstances, the power of your faith is stronger at times, and weaker at other times. What are you prepared to sacrifice for your divine right to this awesome power?
6). How To Discover Your Purpose In 15 Minutes By : Terence Young �Who am I, why am I here?� That basic question has been asked by every thinking person since the dawn of time. It is interesting to note that every philosopher and famous person who has ever uttered their opinion on the purpose of life all seem to reach the same conclusion: The true purpose of life is to be happy.
7). A Dream Come True, Again and Again By : Jeanie Marshall Do you have a dream? This article focuses on the importance of having multiple dreams. When one is in the process of being fulfilled, that is the time to dream another dream. And another.
8). Leave the Thinking to the Horses; They Have Much Bigger Heads than You By : Johan Tonsbeek The SBS/SAS and Navy SEAL Special Forces Training courses are designed to physically and mentally test the Trainee and how he thinks to the absolute limit.
9). Attaining the Right Mindset By : Terence Young Much of the time, we ponder over the tools that can provide us an edge in turning our dreams to reality. The tools that we would think about can be your competence to handle difficult situations, honesty or sincere efforts.
10). Self Improvement Is The Way To Happiness By : Sandra Stammberger Self improvement is a way in which a person makes an effort in improving his performance in various activities.

New Inspirational/Motivational Articles
1). Achieving Success With Your Home Business By : Obinna Heche Do you want to start your own home business? Are you a bit scared because you think that you will lose all of your money? Does it seem to you that every home business fails? If you answered yes to any of these questions you are in the majority.
2). Let There Be Light By : Karishma Roy Information about decorative candles.
3). All About Clinical Depression By : Mark Webb Depression, a mental illness that is often characterized by prolonged periods of sadness and melancholy, experts from the field of psychiatry say.
4). Which Is More Important, Reading Faster Or Comprehension? By : Melvin Ng It is an almost instinctive reaction to think that reading faster equates with comprehending less. Empirical evidence, however, seems to indicate otherwise - individuals who read at slower rates are just as likely not to fully comprehend what they have read as those who read too fast.
5). The Science of Fung Shui By : Gail Metcalf Traditional feng shui practices attempt to create a harmonious environment that helps its occupants happy and relaxed, and studies show that at least some feng shui techniques definitely have science on their side.
6). Taming Your Inner Critic By : Jeff Chambers A simple exercise that will teach you how to stop sabataging yourself with negative thinking.
7). How to Achieve What You Want Through Goal Setting By : Terence Young Most of the great achievers in life were natural born goal setters. They started at an early age to challenge themselves to reach the next objective.
8). Can Hypnosis Really Produce Results? By : Bill Urell With patience and courage you can effect many life changes as you delve into the world of hypnosis, specifically self hypnosis.
9). Success and The Law of Attraction By : Jeff Chambers Regardless of your particular spiritual or religious belief system, for most it is undeniable common sense that somehow, in some way, everything is connected with everything else - that there is a source within the Universe from which all things flow.
10). Iran, $10 Gas and World War 3 By : David Maillie Iran is obviously taking advantage of the toll that Iraq and Katrina have taken on the U.S. They are building a nuclear arsenal and there may be much worse implications than just higher gas prices.

� 2006 articles2k.com - Privacy Policy