Kill your inner procrastinator. It does nothing good for you. You can’t even truly relax if you put off all of your work.
The time you spend chilling, isn’t chill. The work being put off is anxiety inducing and runs rampant through your mind.
Putting off the work doesn’t eliminate it. It only adds to your to do list. What was once a manageable workload (if handled promptly) transforms into an insurmountable amount of work.
There will be a lot of things you do not want to do on that list, but they must get done. It’s on you to do so.
No one is coming to save you.
“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” – Seneca
The idea of doing things is always worse than actually doing them.
Fulfilling responsibilities actually feels good.
The hardest part is getting started.
Resist the urge to nap, put things off, chill on the couch, procrastinate. As much as momentum works positively towards progression, it can work against you, towards regression.
Momentum is in accordance with Newton’s First Law of Motion: An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Use this to your advantage. Continuously take action towards your goals, let your inertia work with you.
One day breaking your diet, skipping the gym, sleeping in, turns into a week of doing so. Which could easily turn into years. The longer you stay out, the harder it is to get back on track.
If you’re ‘an object at rest’ putting things off, take action and be that unbalanced force, start building positive momentum.
Growing up I had perfect attendance. My parents wouldn’t accept any excuses. There was no option. Unless I was throwing up with a fever, I was going to school. I only missed a week of school in Middle School after my dad unexpectedly died of a heart attack. Other than that, I was in school, on time, every single day, 0 tardies.
There were days I didn’t want to go, but since I had no choice, I sprang out of bed, hopped in the shower and prepared myself to take on the day.
This generated positive momentum and made each morning that much easier to wake up and handle my responsibilities.
College was another story.
I started off going to every class. But now I was the one to decide whether or not I would go to class, not my parents. Seeing other friends skip class and seem to keep there head above water was enough reason for me to start skipping.
My grades were fine but skipping class wasn’t helping. I would go up to Trees Hall to play pick up basketball instead of attending Micro Economics (a class i ended up retaking smh).
If the professor posted the slides online, I skipped the class.
By senior year, I was majoring in procrastination and became a pro at skipping class. I would wait till the night before a 10 page paper was due before I started writing it. It was miserable. I’d end up pulling an all-nighter just to hastily throw together a report of lesser quality than I was capable of doing.
I skipped so many classes throughout College, I continue to have a recurring nightmare: it’s the last day of finals senior year. I need to pass one more exam to graduate. And it’s a class that I skipped the entire semester. Not only do I have 0 idea of what material was covered, I don’t even know what building or room number the exam is held in. I spend the rest of the dream scrambling around campus to no avail.
3 years post graduation and I’ll still have this dream on occasion. Waking up and realizing that I already graduated is quite a relief.
I’ve learned from my mistakes and realized I must use momentum to my advantage. Keep moving forward.
Consistency is the compounding interest of life.
The more you do, the more you realize you’re capable of. This breeds confidence. And confidence breeds success.
Don’t give yourself the option to quit, slack off, procrastinate.
The heaviest weight at the gym is the front door. Show up, put the work in, and ride the wave of momentum.
Remember, an object in motion stays in motion.
Strategies to Combat Procrastination
- First Things First:
Do your hardest task first thing in the morning. Whatever is the most urgent/ difficult task should be completed as early as possible. Finishing your hardest task first makes the rest of your day that much easier.
- Consistency Calendar Streaks:
Whether it’s healthy eating, going to the gym, or learning a new skill, attempt it every single day. Mark an X through your calendar everyday you take action toward your goal. Try to get as many consecutive X’s on your calendar as possible. Build that momentum. - 2 Minute Rule:
If a task takes less than 2 minutes to do, do it immediately. Get it done now rather than adding it to your to do list. Do the dishes. Put your clothes away. Reply to that text. Stop letting easily managed tasks pile up and cause undue stress. - Make Your Bed:
This is an easy way to gain positive momentum. It sets the tone for the day, everything that must get done, will get it done. Even the little things. And life is primarily made of the little things. You’re a product of your environment. Keep it clean and your thoughts will be clear. Leave it a mess and your mind will be cluttered. Don’t believe me? Try it. - Remind Yourself of Your Mortality:
If you’re putting something off in fear of what others will think of you, consider this quote:
“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” – Steve Jobs
We think we have time, but nothing is promised. Make the most of your time here and live the life that you want to live, not the life others want for you. - Review Your Goals Daily:
Seeing your goals each day helps remind you why you’re doing what you’re doing.
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” – Nietzsche
If your ‘why’ means enough to you, you’ll be able to persevere through whatever obstacles lie ahead.
These are some of the strategies that I have successfully used to combat procrastination.
I hope they help you do the same.
If you have anything you would like to add to the list please do so below, or reach out to me on Twitter: @_shanedugan
Sincerely,
Shane