Pushing Past Procrastination with Baby Steps

Have a good idea? Need to finish a project? Have you been putting off doing things that would bring you closer to your desired goals?   Hummmm… sounds like PROCRASTINATION. 

The definition of Procrastination is “to put off or to defer”

Often interchangeably used with laziness, we all procrastinate and it is almost inevitable. The most successful people procrastinate too, but they do it less often and they especially do not do it on important things. For most of us it’s just our everyday responsibilities that seem to overwhelm us. In the midst of all the important things we know we need to do, we somehow convince ourselves that none of these things really need to be done right now and so we choose do them later.  Problem is often times later keeps coming later or not at all.

Ever see the movie What About Bob? (1991) Bill Murray plays Bob Wiley, a neurotic New Yorker struggling with a whirlwind of paralyzing phobias. Between his fear of failing plus procrastination, Bob lives a limited existence. His therapist, played by Richard Dreyfuss tells him he could start to be happy if he didn’t look at all his problems as a whole. That he should break them down and tackle them in baby steps.  So little by little, one foot in front of the other his life begins to improve. OK, so it’s Hollywood, but the concept of baby steps is a good one, especially when we are trying to achieve our goals.  

So you’re not neurotic like Bob but you know you’re procrastinating. Question is… Are you ready to do something about it? Here are three easy baby steps that can help you push past being paralyzed by procrastination.  

1. Social Accountability: Tell Somebody. Forget what you were told about not telling people because they may steal your ideas. Let friends know what you plan to do. Ask them to hold you accountable and remember, real friends are truthful and supportive. Surround yourself with positive people and embarrass yourself past procrastination.

2.  Make a List. (I’m a tactile learner. I need to write things down, often twice) Be sure to check your list at the end of each day, draw a thick black line through your accomplishments.  Take note that feeling you get as you see that list getting smaller and smaller. Feels good right?

3.  Schedule It. If you don’t schedule it, it’s not real. Seriously. Put that action item on your calendar, (make it an event on your smart phone, utilize the first and second alerts to keep yourself on point.

Weather you want to become financially independent, champion a cause, learn to scuba dive or just clean out your closet, it’s your goal, your dream, so take ownership of it and make it happen. Let’s see how quickly and easily you can push past procrastination. Go ahead, try it and let me know how it works for you.