How do you know that you are procrastinating? (Part 2)

Last week, I talked about procrastination and how to avoid it. Did you check in with yourself? Have you been procrastinating in some areas? In order to conquer and avoid procrastination, we first need to create awareness and recognize that we are procrastinating.

Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks until the last minute, or past their deadline. It has been defined as a "form of self-regulation failure characterized by the irrational delay of tasks despite potentially negative consequences." Procrastination can impact different areas of life, including, social, mental, and physical well-being as well as financial and professional success.

Common Signs of Procrastination:

• I often find myself doing less important tasks instead of focusing on the important ones.
• I get distracted (example: social media) and before I know it 30-60min has passed without me getting the tasks done that I had planned to do.
• I regularly have a hard time meeting deadlines.
• I keep putting things off in multiple areas of life.
• I continually tell myself  "I can just do the task tomorrow".
• I delay deadlines often.
• I postpone working on things I don’t like to do.
• When I have a deadline, I wait till the last minute before I get started.
• I avoid tough decisions.
• I tried and failed to have good work habits.
• I often find excuses for not doing what I need to do.
• I have a hard time getting started on a task.
• I have a hard time admitting my procrastination to myself or anyone else.
• I feel often stressed and overwhelmed.

Now, since you are aware of your procrastination... here is a review from last week:

3 Ways to Beat Procrastination

STEP #1  AWARENESS

STEP #2 IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES

Clarity

Evaluate your past 6 months. What has worked, what has not? Gain more clarity by answering these questions:  What is my goal(s)? Why is it important to me to reach this goal? What actions do I need to perform to reach my goal? What skills do I need? What can I outsource? What tasks should I drop, that are not as important?

Keep going...if you like to deepen your skill of seeking clarity then check out the NeuroHP Community. We meet 1x per month via zoom to gain more clarity in all areas of life.

Avoid Distractions

Distractions are a killer of productivity. First, gain clarity (see above). Then set intentions for the day and specific tasks in the morning. A good morning routine is key. Plan for the distractions since they show up no matter what. In your morning routine already think of the scenario of distraction. Envision the moments that you may get distracted. How do you know that you are distracted? For example: "I tend to get distracted by social media" - Action: already leave your phone in a different location during certain tasks. If I do get sucked in, how can I make myself stop? Plan for the action that you will take in the "if" scenario. Example: "If I get sucked into social media, I will ....."

Planning

Planning, planning, planning, and finding a spot in your calendar are key. Everything needs to find a spot in your calendar. If it isn't then, it will more likely not happen. This includes your relaxation, recharge time, vacation, fun times, and tasks that need to get done that matter most.