Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT9M2EeCX5Y[/embedyt]

“Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can’t buy more hours. Scientists can’t invent new minutes. And you can’t save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you’ve wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow.”
― Denis Waitley

Procrastination is one of the ways in which you could be delaying or avoiding your success. You may think of yourself as a procrastinator, and you are not alone. Everyone has procrastinated at one time or another, however, it does not mean you are a procrastinator. It means you are delaying or avoiding a task because it is not as pleasurable as something else you choose to do. Procrastination is a choice although it may seem unconscious at times.

There is a gap between the intention of what you say you want to accomplish and what actions you take. You may know some of these people, they talk but do not walk their talk. Take a look at your intentions and examine your WHY for doing things. Your WHY needs to be greater than your fear.

Why Do People Procrastinate?

There are many reasons that people choose procrastination over productivity.

“I am not in the mood.” OR “I don’t feel like it.”

Your thoughts and feelings, emotions, are drivers of the actions you will take. If you don’t feel like doing something or you are waiting for the right mood to hit, you could be waiting for awhile. You may need an attitude checkup. What is influencing how you feel right now? You may not feel like it now. Once you get started, you will change how you feel and your motivation will increase. You have probably heard of people who did not feel like going to the gym to workout but once they did they felt great and were inspired to continue. Sometimes you need to do things even if you don’t feel like it at the time especially when you know they will get you closer to achieving your goals.

“I do not know how.”

I have heard this way too many times. People stall success with this. This is where I tell people to turn their questions into their quest by finding the answers. We literally have a lot of the HOWs at our fingertips by doing an internet search and speaking with others. Some people refer to procrastination as laziness. It isn’t – it can mean that the task is not as important as they say it is or it is a form of avoidance due to a fear.

“I do not think I can do it.” OR “I am not good enough…(so why bother?)”

People avoid doing something they believe they cannot do for the fear of being seen as less than perfect or being embarrassed. Who cares? Isn’t better to learn and grow and get farther ahead? You do not know if something will work or not unless you make some efforts. You may even surprise yourself. Done is better than perfect. Aim for productivity over procrastination.

“It’s boring.” OR “I do not find it interesting.”

You may not find brushing your teeth interesting yet most people do it for their oral health. Every task is life may not be interesting but it leads us to where we want to go. Start putting your most important tasks at the start of the day…even when you find them boring. They can be the one thing that propels you forward to where you want to be.

“I will need to do it better next time…I do not think I can do it.”

Once people have had some level of achievement they can back off on the momentum they created because they have suddenly raised the bar of expectations. They think to themselves, “What if I cannot deliver the same quality again or exceed it?” This goes back to the fear of not enough. We can be our own worst critics and forget that we have control over the situation.

“I will not be forced to do something I do not want to do.”

We all have choices. This phrase reminds me of those who are getting in the way of their own success. They are determined to do things their way even though they have not been getting the results they want. They need to be open to exploring a different way of doing things. Albert Einstein said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.” Are you truly being forced or are you resisting what could be getting you further ahead?

At the end of the day, you can choose productivity over procrastination because DONE is better than perfect. It gives you an opportunity to ask questions, make new decisions, and chart and adjust your course of action. Be the person who walks their talk. Set a timer. Eliminate the distractions preventing you from getting things done – turn off electronics, schedule breaks to check email and social media, and do your work where you are not distracted by other things to do. People often fill their day with low priority tasks which fill time. You get done whatever you allot your time to. When you are tempted to deliberately look for distractions to avoid a task, remember you WHY! What will be doing this activity do for me? Step toward your success!

What do you do to avoid procrastination?

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone”
― Pablo Picasso

We would love to have you subscribe to the Success Secrets newsletter on my website at www.debrakasowski.com where you’re going to get my just release FREE e-book about the 21 Habits High Achievers Kick to Achieve Success. I would love to hear about this podcast has impacted your life. E-mail me at Debra@DebraKasowski.com. Thank you for listening to The Millionaire Woman Show where we talk about leadership, business, and human potential to help you live rich from the inside out. Subscribe to The Millionaire Woman Show. Share it with Your Friends. Give us a 5-star rating!

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free e-book download today! www.debrakasowski.com