Procrastination? I'll Sort That Out Tomorrow

My recent teleclass on procrastination dealt with the whys and hows, including the 3 steps to getting out of procrastination and the one essential ingredient to really get yourself moving forward. But on the call I didn’t have time to explore in detail some of the most wonderful procrastination activities, so I thought I’d cover that here.

Yes, it’s not totally serious, but I think it will make the point that we are all endlessly creative in putting things off!

So, what are the major reasons excuses for procrastinating:

1. I have to sort my office out. Ever popular, this one. And it might well be true. If mice are nesting in the corners, strange smells are emanating from the desk drawers and you really can’t find your tax return (which you were in the middle of doing yesterday) then health, safety and sanity might advise you to do a good clear out and clean up.

Otherwise, admit it, its just a displacement activity. If your desk surface last saw daylight before the last ice age and you computer keyboard is dusty/sticky then take emergency action – consolidate the desk surface so you can see daylight and de-stick the keyboard. This will give you just enough space to do you latest procrastinated event. Stick at it for two hours, then go back to sorting out he entropy in your office. And if you still can’t get down to the tasks you’ve been putting off, you’ll have to find out the essential ingredient for getting round your stuckness (the one I told you about in the teleclass).

2. I have to get my house sorted out. This might mean tidying up and sorting (see 1 above, similar situation). It may also involve major remodelling, extensions decorating etc. All projects that take time, create mess and need you on the premises even if you are not doing the work yourself. OK, I’ll give you some latitude here. You may not get much done while walls are being knocked down. But you still get strategic thinking time, so use it to describe and decide. And part of the decision should be setting a deadline for when you are going to deliver (describe, decide an deliver were the steps we covered in he teleclass)

3. I can’t do it until the children have grown up and left home. I’ve got news for you, they may never leave home. On a more cheerful note, they do grow up. And this is a tricky one. You may genuinely want and be committed to bringing up your children. But they will not be around all the time so can you spend some time on yourself and your own personal and business goals while they are at school? Your ambitions might be different to the dedicated career people but you can still get stuff done. Especially now, when so many businesses can be internet based and can literally be run from the kitchen table. Spend time with your family but also spend time thinking about and acting upon your own goals and ambitions.

4. I or a close family member, has a major health problem. If you need to spend time with someone who is seriously ill or terminally ill, spend that time with them. And then use that experience to live your life to the fullest. Be determined to know your dreams and live your passion with this one, beautiful, unique life of yours. And set a date for when you are going to step into living this new purposeful life, then do it.

You only, in this incarnation, have your one, beautiful life. So make the most of it and do what you are meant to do. You know, in you heart of hearts, whether what you are doing is busywork or worthy but essentially unneeded activity – and it may actually be blocking you from your true purpose. So be honest, be brave and do it. And, of course, the teleclass is here to hep you.

So move forward in your business or career or life – advance your career and business goals by stopping procrastination and moving into action!

(c) 2010 Liz Copeland