Archive for the ‘Procrastination’ Category

Enthusiasm is what makes the difference between reaching our goals and giving up before we get started. Thomas Edison said, “If the only thing we leave our kids is the quality of enthusiasm, we will have given them an estate of incalculable value.” Edison’s research laboratory burned to the ground when he was 67. As the fire consumed his world-famous “invention factory,” Edison told his children, “Kids, go get your mother. She’ll never see another fire like this one.” Edison knew that enthusiasm is the best antidote for tragedy, and it’s the most powerful weapon to use in the war against procrastination.

I have learned that my level of enthusiasm has nothing to do with my feelings; my feelings wake up on a different side of the bed every day. To take control of my life, I must choose the way I feel-I can’t let my feelings control me. Can you talk yourself into a positive frame of mind when you’re discouraged? How do you keep yourself motivated? How do you stay focused when a job is tedious? How do you handle failure when your plan isn’t going well?

- Stay away from negative people. Attitudes are contagious-negative people infect us with negative attitudes. Associate with positive thinkers; their self-confidence is contagious, too.

- Schedule difficult tasks for the time of day when your energy is highest. If you haven’t determined the best time for you to tackle the day’s least appealing jobs, try doing them as early as possible.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

- Tackle a problem that’s been a thorn in your side. When you get in the habit of making things happen, your enthusiasm goes through the roof. Inactivity is a major cause of depression and anxiety. (On the other hand, you can increase your energy level without eliminating other forces that cause procrastination; teenagers are particularly adept at expending enormous amounts of energy without getting anything done. Always remember that any technique is only effective when used as part of a total strategy.)

When you breeze through a task with particular ease and competence, make a note of the time of day. And ask yourself what other factors might have contributed to making you more productive. When you start to discover a pattern, you will have found how to operate at a higher level every day. And when you identify the time of day when you are usually most efficient, schedule some of your least enjoyable tasks for that time.

We must continue to learn new things as if we were going to live forever, while living each day as if it were the last. Telling myself that “Today is the first day of the rest of my life” doesn’t work for me. If today were the last day of my life, how would I live it? That is the question I ask myself when I must fight against the forces of procrastination.

Always remember that enthusiasm is a choice. Mark Twain said, “Do something every day that you don’t want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.”

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

- Do you make excuses when you miss deadlines?
- Do you tend to look for excuses to explain why you didn’t do something, rather than take action to finish the job?
- Is there a good reason why you didn’t finish the job?
- How important is finishing the job?
- Have you written down a plan for finishing it as soon as possible?

Stop blaming failures on the circumstances around you. The next time you hear yourself making excuses, it may help to remember what the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said about the predicaments procrastinators get themselves into: “It takes less time to do a thing right than explain why you did it wrong.”

Do you see yourself as a victim of events and circumstances? Do you complain more than other people? What do you do when you procrastinate? How do you spend your time when you’ve decided not to do something you should do? Are you serious about wanting to change? Are there hidden causes of your procrastination that you need to discover?

Procrastinators are always able to find reasons for not getting started. To take control of your life, you have to accept responsibility for everything that happens with your projects. When you fail, analyze what happened and ask yourself if you could have produced a better outcome by doing something differently. This will improve your ability to successfully complete the next project, and you’ll be ready to take the first step to get started on it. Identify what needs to be done and do it now-circumstances will never be perfect for starting the job.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

The only way to break out of the vicious circle of procrastination is by asking hard questions. We are not victims of our circumstances. You can do the things that need to be done. And you can learn to distinguish between the things that need to be done now and the things that can wait. Whenever you consider delaying a project, ask yourself the following questions:

- What are the benefits of waiting?
- Do I have a justifiable reason for postponing this project?
- Do I want to go on living with the consequences of leaving things undone?

Look in the mirror and ask yourself if you’re delaying a task for a justifiable reason. Put all your reasons for wanting to delay the project under a microscope; consider the possibility that your reasons are merely excuses for not getting started. Think about the last time you delayed a project. What benefits did you expect to receive by waiting? Write them down. Now ask yourself how the project came out. Did the project benefit from the delay?

Justifiable reasons-or if you’re just making excuses. What would have happened if you had pushed forward on the project anyway? And always remind yourself of what Napoleon Hill said about waiting: “Do not wait. The time will never be just right.”

So now you know a little bit about Procrastination. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Have you discovered your purpose in life? Do you have long-term goals? Finding and focusing on your long-term goals is a powerful cure for procrastination. A vision is simply a statement of what you want to achieve in life, and how you plan to achieve it. Without a vision, it’s easy to fall into a lifestyle of procrastination. And without a clear statement of your vision, you’re more likely to give up on projects in the face of difficulties.

If you haven’t written your vision, you need to make this your No. 1 priority. Your goals and your attention will shift from one project to the next, year after year, if you don’t have a vision to guide you.

- Make a written list of your lifetime goals. Wishing won’t make it happen-writing down a goal is the first action you can take to conquer procrastination. One research study discovered that people who write down their goals earn ten times more than people who don’t. You may think you have a goal, but if you haven’t written it down, research suggests your chances of accomplishing it are small.

Most of this information comes straight from the Procrastination pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

- Break down your long-term goals into measurable tasks. This is the only way you can stay focused enough to keep moving toward your long-term goals. Without a series of clearly-defined milestones to measure your progress, you can delude yourself into thinking that you’re moving toward a goal when in fact you haven’t taken the first step yet. Do you constantly miss deadlines? Do you make up reasons to justify why you didn’t finish an important task, rather than tackling it and getting it done? Are you sincere enough to recognize the real reason why you missed your deadline? Do you have a written plan of attack for finishing the job without further delay?

- Perfectionism is one of the main causes of procrastination. Recognize the difference between striving for excellence and getting stuck in a vicious circle of perfectionism. Ask yourself what type of work demands perfectionism. If the job you’re doing is not the type that requires perfectionism, then remember that your goal must be excellence rather than perfection.

- Always keep a journal or idea book with you. Use spare time to jot down ideas about how you plan to attack your next goal. When you’re working on one project, what do you do when you get random ideas about other things? Do you write them down? Writing is a great way to use spare time and unleash your creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar-just get your thoughts down as quickly as you can. If you need to show what you’ve written to someone else, you can revise it later.

Remind yourself that every task you face today is part of a divine plan for your life. “There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will,” Shakespeare wrote. You were created to accomplish more than you think you can-do some “rough hewing” on your life’s goals today.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about Procrastination.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

All procrastination is the result of deluding ourselves. Procrastinators deny reality, refusing to accept responsibility for their lives. To defeat procrastination, we must stop playing games with ourselves. You can’t overcome procrastination until you accept the fact that you are responsible for what you make of your life. That may be more honesty than many people are capable of, but there is no other way to achieve a richer life.

The first step toward overcoming procrastination is recognizing that it’s a problem. Procrastinators have big problems and small problems, but most of their problems are caused by procrastination.

All procrastinators share certain traits:

- They know what they should do about a problem, and in many cases they know what specific action needs to be taken. Yet they find reasons to avoid action.

- They are reluctant to do anything about a problem now, but vow to take action at some vague time in the future.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

- They promise to take action when the “right” circumstances present themselves. By making performance of the job depend on something else, they justify their decision to delay action. They delude themselves into thinking that their hands are tied. They would like to do something but can’t-it’s not their fault.

Research shows that you can develop new habits in just two weeks if you’re serious about changing. Think about people you know who always get things done. What are their work habits? How do they approach unappealing tasks? How do they stay focused?

Here are some simple tips that can help you take charge of your life today:

- Mentally prepare yourself to be productive. I begin every day in prayer and meditation. I keep inspirational messages where I can see them. Then I visualize my success during the day. Procrastination is a real monster, and it won’t go away unless we do something about it every day. If I’m passionate about a job, I can get it done at any time of day and under any circumstances-the problem is when to tackle the hardest and most tedious jobs. Always ask: At what time of day am I most productive? Most people say they’re most productive early in the morning; by mid-afternoon it’s harder for them to sit still and concentrate on work. Try to schedule the hard jobs for your most productive time.

- Don’t over-socialize at work. Office chitchat and gossip keep many people from getting more accomplished. Let people know when you don’t want to be disturbed. Think about the things in your work environment that contribute to staying focused. What things distract you or make you want to postpone a job? How can you redesign your environment to eliminate causes of procrastination? (A workspace doesn’t have to be neat, if you know where to find things.)

We are not victims of our circumstances. You can overcome procrastination now-you can do the things that need to be done. And you can learn to distinguish between the things that need to be done now and the things that can wait.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Mark Twain had something to say about almost any topic you can imagine. On the subject of how to avoid procrastination, Twain said, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” Everyone can enjoy the humor in Twain’s comment. But for many of us, Twain’s insight on the danger of procrastination is painfully true.

You can take the first step toward a more satisfying life by getting serious about overcoming procrastination. And the place to get started is in your own mind-that’s where the war is won or lost. To overcome procrastination, you have to change your attitude. All successful people know that you have a better chance of completing a job when you approach it with a positive attitude:

- Your attitude is a choice. Many people procrastinate because they tell themselves that they will increase their chances of success if they wait for all the circumstances to be “right” before tackling a project. To be successful, you must force yourself to make a decision and do something no matter what the circumstances say.

- Your attitude determines the outcome of your actions. People who are successful at what they do are rarely those with the greatest natural ability or the highest IQ. People who are constantly able to complete jobs successfully have a positive attitude-they believe they can complete the job.

- You cannot control the past, so move on. Thinking about how you might have responded differently to a difficult problem in the past is an important part of preparing to be a better problem-solver today. Analyze what you could have done differently, chalk it up to experience, and then forget about it.
The following quiz will help you identify areas where you can take action today. Answer “yes” to each statement that describes you.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I’m sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

1. I don’t wait for the “right” set of circumstances to tackle a job-I know the circumstances will never be perfect.

2. I believe my project will be successful if I give it my best effort.

3. When I fail, I don’t blame circumstances beyond my control; I ask myself what I could have done differently to bring about a different result.

4. I don’t fret over decisions once I’ve made them-I stay focused on what I’m doing in the present.

5. I know when to wrap up a job-if I spend more time on it I’m only making up excuses for not starting something new.

If you answered “no” to any of the above statements, make a commitment to change your attitude today. Choose one item and do something about it. Don’t move on to the next item until you can truthfully answer “yes” to the previous one. “Be not the slave of your own past,” Ralph Waldo Emerson said. Cut the chains of procrastination and start living life to the fullest.

Now you can understand why there’s a growing interest in Procrastination. When people start looking for more information about Procrastination, you’ll be in a position to meet their needs.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

I believe that procrastination is the No. 1 cause of stress in our society today. Throughout history, great thinkers have noted the connection between the failure to take action and the feeling of anxiety. The American philosopher William James once said, “Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging of an uncompleted task.”

If you have the habit of putting off tasks you fear-if you tend to avoid situations and events that terrify you-your fears have grown out of proportion. Every time you decide not to do something because you’re afraid of failing, your self-confidence takes another hit. There is only one way to overcome fear-you have to force yourself to do the thing you fear. When you face your fear and do it anyway, your confidence gets a big boost. Soon you will laugh at the imaginary fears that have kept you from becoming all that you can be. And you can do something about it today.

Establish goals. Prioritize. Measure your progress. Ask friends and office mates for feedback. Adjust your goals if necessary. Reward yourself when you finish jobs. If you’re a leader, get procrastinators to encourage each other. Help them overcome their fear of getting things done. Find a mentor to help you overcome your fear. When I have to do the thing I fear, I recite a verse from the Bible: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Procrastination, keep reading.

Be as truthful as you can in your estimate of how long it will take to do the things you dislike. Many of the tasks we put off are simple ones. They cause an amount of stress in our lives that is altogether out of proportion to the time they require for completion. Think of when it took you much less time to do a dreaded job than you thought it would take. Can you learn something from that experience that could be applied to a task that has been left undone? Research shows that workers waste as much as a third of their workday. These same workers habitually complain about chronic stress caused by not having enough time to finish their jobs. Can you see the connection? The less you accomplish, the more you suffer from the sensation of stress and anxiety.

The only way to get at the root of the problem is by measuring how you spend your time. Keep a log of how much time you spend on things that you don’t need to do. Make a note of the things that could be done more efficiently. Try to do this for one full workday. When you analyze your list, you may be shocked at how much waste has seeped into your workday. Treat those items as a list of wasteful activities that need to be kept in check or completely eliminated. You probably don’t control the cause of all the wasted time you’ve identified. Ask yourself what you can do to eliminate those things that you can control.

As the Mad Hatter said to Alice, “If you knew time as well as I do, you wouldn’t talk about wasting it.”

This article’s coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Research shows that most of us spend up to 80% of our time on activities that have nothing to do with the success of our projects. We load ourselves down with endless tasks that keep us feeling busy, yet at the end of the day we wonder why we have accomplished so little.

Why do we miss deadlines, put off doing things we dislike, and accept stress and procrastination as a necessary part of life? What experiences have shaped the way you think about time? Do you need to rethink your views? If you were asked to speak to a group of students about the best way to use time, what would you say to them?

This quiz will help you identify areas where you can take action to overcome procrastination today:

- I often delay taking action and making decisions because I need to gather more facts.

- I have a hard time knowing when to wrap up the research phase of a project. I worry about not having enough information to complete it.

- I tend to get stuck in the middle of a project if changing circumstances suggest the need to make adjustments.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Procrastination. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

- I always feel that I’m using my time well as long as I’m gathering information for a project.

If you answered “yes” to any of the above statements, you need to recognize that procrastination is keeping you from achieving all that you can in life. Many people delay taking action by convincing themselves they need to gather more facts. Successful people know that effective decisions are based on opinions and experience first, facts second.

Set deadlines for yourself, even when you don’t have to. You will never be able to gather all the facts. You must learn when to say enough. Make the best decision based on the facts you have now. The important thing is to act. We live in an increasingly complex world; our information-gathering techniques can’t keep up with all the changing circumstances that affect our lives. We cannot control many of these circumstances, and we cannot control how other people respond to them.

Force yourself to act. Whatever decision we make today, we will have to rethink it-and almost certainly modify it-when circumstances change. No matter what you decide to do now, you will need to make corrections as you make progress toward your goal. Delaying a decision in order to gather more facts is one of the most common ways that people waste time.

Always ask yourself if a task needs to be done at all. The Bible says, “How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove?” Ask yourself: What do all my tasks prove? Focus on getting things done, rather than on filling your day with more activities than you can possibly get around to. If you want to overcome procrastination, stop gathering facts and get started on your project.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Benjamin Franklin, who knew how to conquer procrastination as well as anyone, said that “by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.” How do you plan your work? And if you don’t plan, how do you know if you’re reaching your goals? It’s time to find out.

Make a list of everything you’ve been putting off at work. Not just the big things, but all the little things, too. Make another list of everything you’ve been putting off at home-large tasks and small ones. If you can’t think of anything right away, walk around the house. Walk through the yard. It won’t be hard to fill a page with projects that have been talked about, but not carried out.

Make another list of things you’ve neglected to do in the area of your personal relationships. That includes letters, emails, phone calls, visits, family trips, and vacations. Then make a list of all the things you’ve put off doing for yourself-a class you want to take, an exercise program you know you should start, or a bad habit you know you should eliminate.

You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about Procrastination. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?

Don’t worry about priorities. Just get the juices flowing and write down everything that comes into your head. It may be hard to get started, but once you start the ideas will come more easily. Keep writing them down; you’ll be amazed at how one thought triggers the next. Words will start to flow onto your paper or computer screen.

Now let me explain why I asked you to do this exercise. First, you’ve probably been putting off more things than you realized. That’s the first step toward defeating procrastination-recognizing it as a problem. Procrastinators go to ridiculous extremes to explain their inability to take action. Accepting the truth that procrastination is a problem is the first step toward overcoming it.

Second, I hope this exercise has taught you the importance of getting started. The failure to take action breeds doubt, doubt gnaws at your self-confidence and your diminished self-confidence increases your indecision. The result is paralysis-and the vicious circle of inactivity keeps turning. After you recognize that procrastination is a problem, the next step is to focus on one thing you’ve been postponing. Take one thing you’ve been putting off and make something happen. You started your list with one thing; it led to another. Take one action and that action will trigger another.

Ask yourself how much time you waste in a day. Keep a log of how you spend your time. How do you plan your work to ensure that deadlines are met? Always ask yourself if the work needs to be done at all. According to research findings, we spend as much as 80% of our time on tasks that do not contribute to the success of our projects-many people load themselves down with work that is unnecessary, or that could be justifiably postponed. Learn what all successful people know: If you’re failing to plan, you’re planning to fail.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

When most people think of Procrastination, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to Procrastination than just the basics.

People get stuck in a lifestyle of procrastination because they believe their own excuses for not taking action. Procrastination is the main reason that people fail to live richer and more fulfilling lives. If you’re stuck in a rut of continual procrastination, make up your mind to stop making excuses.

If you’ve been making excuses for putting things off, here’s how to take charge of your life. First, think about all the things you’ve been postponing-at work, at home, in your personal relationships, or for your personal development. Make a list.

Now choose one thing on that list that you can do something about today. Write down every excuse you’ve given yourself for not having done anything about it yet. Ask yourself if you have considered all the consequences of your procrastination in this area. Do you want to live with them? Do you have a legitimate reason for postponing this job?

You have to be honest about this or it won’t work. Forget about what other people think; look in the mirror and ask the hard questions. If you have a legitimate reason for delaying action in this area, move on to another item on the list. Find something that you can make happen today, simply by deciding to make it happen. Now do it. When you’ve completed this task successfully, your satisfaction will motivate you to repeat this process with another item on your list.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Procrastination now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

Successful people know that their accomplishments depend on two things: taking action and staying focused on their goals. People who are successful in any business or profession have an ability to make things happen. All successful people win the war against procrastination because they develop certain traits. To defeat procrastination and get all you want out of life, you must:

- Know what you want.
- Force yourself to take action.
- Be willing to make mistakes and learn from them.
- Stop making excuses!

Now go back to your list and choose another project. Write down every excuse you’ve been giving yourself for not getting started, or for leaving it unfinished. Put as many things on the list as you can think of. Now try to eliminate one excuse at a time. Ask yourself hard questions: Why do I have to postpone this project? Is it necessary to go on postponing it? If Bill Gates were in my situation, would he postpone it? What will happen if I keep putting this off? If I keep putting this off, when will I get it done? Can I get started on it now? What part of the job could I complete now? If I postpone this job now, what other job will I tackle to make better use of my time?

As you eliminate your excuses, think of what you can do today to make this project happen, and do it. Anne Frank wrote in her diary, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Make a decision to start improving your world today.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO

Lack of exercise is a well-known cause of chronic fatigue. Research studies have found that of all people who visit doctors to complain about problems of fatigue, only about 20% require medical treatment. What about the other 80%? They suffer from the effects of a sedentary lifestyle-in the overwhelming majority of cases the cause of chronic fatigue is a lack of exercise. And people who complain of chronic fatigue also tend to be victims of procrastination.

When is your energy highest? Why do you think that is? Do you stay depressed for long periods? What foods give you energy? What foods slow you down? What foods and beverages help you sleep better? What foods and beverages rob you of sleep?

- Boost your energy. You’re more likely to tackle the jobs you’ve been putting off when you feel energized. The best way to increase your energy level is by exercising regularly. More energy in your life will make the tedious jobs less tedious because you become better at getting them done. The more energy you have, the faster you get them done and the better you feel about yourself.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of Procrastination is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about Procrastination.

- Monitor your habits and lifestyle. I am working on this article at a stand-up desk. Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe are just a few of the writers who discovered that they worked faster and better while standing. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on a stand-up desk that he designed for himself. A stand-up desk keeps my posture right-and it keeps me focused on my work without squirming around as I tend to do when I’m seated for extended periods of time. A high stool lets me alternate between sitting and standing. I’m amazed at how my productivity and concentration have increased since I started to use a stand-up desk.

- Be grateful you have the opportunity to do the hard jobs. I think about the woman who finished a regulation 26.2-mile marathon at the age of 92. It’s easier to do things you normally dread when you’re conscious of your blessings; be grateful you have the opportunity to do the hard jobs. When you see things in their proper perspective, your time is too precious to be squandered in a life of procrastination.

- Research shows that certain foods contribute to deep sleep. I have always been a sound sleeper. Here are some of my favorite late-night foods: bananas, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, and potatoes. I also know what foods and beverages keep me tossing and turning at night; when I indulge in them after dark I pay the price the next day-my energy is low. Pay attention to what works for you.

Following a regular exercise program, eating the right foods, alternating between sitting and standing, and doing some simple stretching during the day-all of these techniques keep my energy high. And when I feel energized, I’m less likely to fall into the procrastination game. As the American humorist Will Rogers said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit this new site for my swedish customers: Billigt Webbhotell – from SEK 10:- per month!