Today I will start with PROCRASTINATION; you might wonder why I started with that, its simply because its a disease I battled for a long time in my life. According to Wikipedia, Procrastination is the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, and thus putting off impending tasks to a later time, sometimes to the "last minute" before the deadline.
Simply put in my own fathers words- Procrastination is a lazy mans apology.
This particular habit dealt a big blow to me while growing up, I put off everything humanly possible and played a lot of PlayStation games. This happened until one day I entered the public toilet of a Club in Owerri, as I was peeing, I saw this sticker on the wall with these words written on it:
"NEVER PUT OFF FOR TODAY WHAT YOU CAN DO TOMORROW".
These words changed my life. This was in my 3rd year in the University..
If you've found yourself putting off important tasks over and over again, you’re not alone. In fact, many people procrastinate to some degree – but some are so chronically affected by procrastination that it stops them fulfilling their potential and disrupts their careers.
The key to controlling this destructive habit is to recognize when you start procrastinating, understand why it happens (even to the best of us), and take active steps to manage your time and outcomes better.
Here are step by step ways I tackled that grey area of my life that probably dragged me down for a long time;
Step 1: Recognize That You're Procrastinating
If you're honest with yourself, you probably know when you're procrastinating. But to be sure, take a Procrastinator self test here
I became honest with my disease and I fought it head on. Here are some simple indicators that you’re procrastinator:
- You put off important task day after day
- You fill your day with low priority task or even no task at all like me. I filled my days with playing games all day and things that really never contributes to my growth.
- When finally you get to execute something serious, you leave it half done and jump off to something fun.
- Being a friends Man or woman all the time. You are always free to accompany a friend go somewhere that is non of your business. Simply put, you do other peoples chores.
- You wait for the right time but guess what? it never comes. there is no better time than now.
Step 2: Work Out WHY You're Procrastinating
One reason I procrastinated was that I found particular task unpleasant, and try to avoid it because of that. But what I never knew was that no task that makes you grow is that pleasant like playing soccer on Playstaion. Find a reason why you procrastinate..
Secondly I procrastinated because I was so disorganized I couldn't even hang my own cloths when I pulled them off. Am I talking about you?
Surprisingly, perfectionists are often procrastinators, as they can tend to think "I don't have the right skills or resources to do this perfectly now, so I won't do it at all."
One final major cause of procrastination is having underdeveloped decision-making skills. If you simply can’t decide what to do, you’re likely to put off taking action in case you do the wrong thing.
Step 3: SOLVE IT NOW
Procrastination is a habit – a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior. That means that you won’t just break it overnight. Habits only stop being habits when you have persistently stopped practicing them, so use as many approaches as possible to maximize your chances of beating procrastination. These tip are the ones I used and can 100% say it worked and more.
- Get a dairy or use the note on your phone: For me to overcome this habit, I didn't get a dairy neither did i have a nice phone then. I carried a jotter and a pen always and everywhere. First thing I did every morning was to write everything am meant to do for the day. I number them and i strike them off immediately am done. My list was always funny because it had everything for the day. it was like this; Bath, dress, breakfast, school, meet course adviser, meet Ken, Call mum, Call my Instructor, and so on.. everything and guess what! I was even done before I knew it. As I spent the day, I populate my to-do till all is done. I followed my list to the last like a ritual.
- I rewarded myself when ever I accomplished a huge task. Am sure you already know what the reward is- Playing soccer with a beer. This is important because it really motivated me but then I include playing Soccer just after the huge task and I time it so I don't over play. These days I have other ways of rewarding myself as i hardly play games anymore.
- I asked friends for help.. this is an important factor in battling procrastination but most times we have friends that are just like us "Procrastinators" but there is always this one friend that is cool, ask him or her for help.
- Prioritizing your task and learning how to break down huge task really helped me overcome this habit. Get the important huge tasks done first before the important small tasks. lets say you have an appointment with your coach and you need to do laundry, you might want to see your coach first before laundry depends on your priority. Learn to multi-task, you might want to make that all important call to your mum while you are on your way to the gym.
- Understand the power of that clock or watch of your. I think time is the most important tool ever made if you know how to manage it. I became a stickler to time and timing, I calculated my day on hours and minutes instead of Monay to Sunday. I time all my "timable" tasks.
These are a few of how you can get that bad habit of yours kicked out, you can research more on this topic and get solutions that you feel suits you. The important thing is that you need to make a move.. time waits for nobody friend.
Thanks
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