Stop Saying and Start Doing!

If you’re one of the many people who struggle with procrastination, then this post is for you. It’s so easy to say you’re going to do something, it’s the actual doing it part that’s challenging. So how can we stop saying and start doing?

Stop Assuming. When we procrastinate, we assume something can get done at a later time. We assume the timing will be better. We assume we’ll have more motivation. We assume we’ll have another opportunity to get it done. But do you really want to bet on your assumptions? Stuff comes up and just because you have a good plan doesn’t guarantee a thing. What is guaranteed is that right now you have the opportunity. If we stop assuming we’ll have another chance to get something done, we’re more likely to do it now.

List Your Excuses. You have some really valid reasons for procrastinating, right? Well, write them down then. Listing why you’re not going to do something can force you to evaluate whether or not your reasons are just excuses or legitimate justifications. If your reason for not doing something is that you’re just generally busy or tired, that’s an excuse. If your reason is that you have to leave for work in ten minutes, that’s a legitimate justification.

Make a Date. This might seem counter-intuitive to stop procrastinating because it means planning to do something at a later time. But sometimes you really do have a legitimate justification for not doing something right away. In that case, you need to choose a specific day and time that you are going to do it. Write it in your calendar, program a reminder in your phone, and don’t make any other commitments for that time. It’s harder to procrastinate when you’ve given yourself a set time to complete that task.

Written by: Noelle C.