Monday, May 02, 2005

Procrastination Help

If you are a procrastinator and need procrastination help
don’t despair there is hope. With only a little work on
your part and a determined mindset you can overcome
procrastination, help yourself and start getting things
done. Procrastination help is on the way.

Here are a few simple strategies.

1. Admitting there’s a problem - The first thing that will
help you overcome procrastination is to admit that you have
a problem. You cannot help yourself overcome
procrastination unless you first realize that you are a
procrastinator.

By admitting to yourself that you are a procrastinator you
have taken the first and most important step in helping
yourself overcome the problem of procrastination.

2. Make A List – Making a to-do list will help you organize
and prioritize those things that you have put off doing by
procrastinating about them.

If you have felt overwhelmed by the things you need to do,
but have not done, putting them down on a list allows you
some control over what might seem an out of control
situation.

Also, you will receive a sense of satisfaction when you
cross off completed tasks. Making a list puts you in
charge of your efforts to help yourself overcome
procrastination.

3. Self-talk - The way you talk to yourself about a task
can either help or hinder you in overcoming procrastination.

If you tell yourself that the task is simply dreadful,
horrible, too difficult, etc. you will be more likely to
procrastinate about it.

However, if you tell yourself that the task is really not
that bad, will only take a few minutes, will make you feel
better about yourself, etc. it will be easier to overcome
the temptation to procrastinate about it.

Positive self-talk can make a world of difference in
helping you overcome procrastination.

4. Accountability - Making yourself accountable to someone
can also help you overcome procrastination. Enlist your
family and friends and ask them to hold you accountable for
the tasks you have been procrastinating about.

Accountability should not be confused with nagging.
Accountability means someone you care about will simply ask
if the task has been completed or not.

Nagging, on the other hand, is a demand that the task be
completed, and often serves to make the procrastinator
procrastinate even longer.

By making yourself accountable to someone else, you help
yourself overcome procrastination by sharing your
responsibilities with others.

5. Rewards - As any psychologist knows rewards encourage
positive behavior. This is especially true with
procrastinators and can significantly help you overcome
procrastination.

The rewards don’t have to be costly or time consuming.
They can be as simple as allowing yourself to watch a
favorite television show only after you have completed one
of the tasks on the to-do list.

Or, it could be allowing yourself a dish of ice cream, a
phone call to a friend, or just about anything you would
rather be doing instead of the tasks on your list.

If you consistently reward yourself for each completed task
you will find that you have helped yourself overcome
procrastination in a positive and fun manner.

Procrastination can be a serious problem and frequently has
long-term, negative consequences. You can overcome
procrastination, help yourself gets things done, and become
more successful simply by making up your mind to take the
first step today. Don’t wait and do it tomorrow. Do it
today and give yourself some procrastination help.

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert.
He recently produced a very popular free report that
reveals how to crush procrastination and sustain lasting
motivation. Apply now because it is available for a
limited time only at:
http://www.getmotivatedstaymotivated.com/special.htm

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