An article in ProductivityBlog provides some neat tips on how to stop procrastinating. The author, Henrik Edberg, has seven ways of dealing with the “tomorrow” habit.
Stop Thinking Too Much
Start doing. Don’t let too much over-thinking result in its own undoing, as Eva Young said. Plan and then take action immediately. A longer, perfect plan could sap your energies before you even make a go of it.
Don’t Blow a Task Out of Proportion
You don’t start a task by putting it off because it seems doubly hard. You’re literally making a mountain out of a molehill. Take action before your pessimism controls you.
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Take the First Step
Martin Luther King, Jr. said that you only need to take the first step and never mind the whole staircase. If you scrutinize every turn and bend ahead, it might overwhelm you and make the project look like mission impossible. Instead, focus on your first step so you can progressively move forward.
Tackle the Biggest Monster First
Dale Carnegie said that you should do the hard jobs first and the easy ones will follow. Make that critical call. Do the biggest task now and made the rest of your tasks a walk in the park.
Make the Best Decision You Can
Theodore Roosevelt said that, the best thing you can do is the right thing to do, the next best thing is the wrong thing. The worst thing you can do, he said, is nothing.
Don’t Fear Your Success
Dennis Waitley said that some people procrastinate because they fear the responsibility that goes with success. It’s true, and some may find it easier to procrastinate, sit back, and live by the “someday I’ll” philosophy. Take risks; don’t shun challenges; live life.
Finish It
Starting a task and then leaving it unfinished gives you low self-esteem. According to David Allen, people are stressed out not so much because of too many things on their to-do list, but from not finishing what they started. Check out your unfinished tasks. Finish them, and feel a whole lot better.
Life has too many challenges for you to be watching TV. Take action now, there’s no time to procrastinate.