So…you’re reading {articles} about how {to avoid} procrastinating instead {to do} what you’re {said to be} doing.
That’s okay. I’m not {likely to} lecture {one to} finish your goals and I definitely won’t {become} I haven’t been there before.
What {I will} do is {demonstrate} the EXACT {actions you can take} to demolish procrastination.
They are:
Let’s not waste {any longer} time and jump {involved with it}.
How {to avoid} procrastinating in 5 steps
Step 1: Be brutally honest about your priorities
How often has someone asked {one to} do something {and you also} told them, “I don’t {have sufficient} time for that {at this time}.”
For example:
FRIEND: Hey, {do you wish to} {have a look at} that new bar tonight?
YOU: Sorry, I’m super busy tonight. Maybe {various other} time. ({Check out} stay {in the home}, binge-watching Netflix {forever}.)
Another example:
FRIEND: I’m {likely to} take that improv class you said {you’re} interested in. {Desire to} join?
YOU: Ugh sorry, I don’t {have sufficient} time {at this time}.
We LOVE using “time” {being an} excuse because it’s easy. {Who’s} {likely to} accuse you {of experiencing} {a lot of time} {on your own} hands? Nobody.
When we {get this to} excuse, however, we only cheat ourselves.
Instead, it’s {easier to} be honest with yourself {among others} and say, “I appreciate the offer, but that’s {not} a priority {for me personally} {at this time}.” {Achieving this} forces {one to} confront the lies you often tell yourself – and {can help you} recognize {the most important thing} {for you} … and what isn’t.
Plus, {who} you admire more? {The one who} says, “I don’t {have sufficient} time” and doesn’t {arrive} to anything, or {the one who} {lets you know}, “I appreciate the offer but that’s {not} {among} my priorities {at this time}”?
OF COURSE it’s {the one who} is honest with you.
Once you start recognizing what is NOT {important}, you’ll start recognizing {items that} ARE.
ACTION STEP: Be honest and evaluate your priorities.
To {assist you to} evaluate {exactly what is a} priority {for you personally}, I {recommend} what I call an “honesty bath.”
To {do that}, {keep an eye on} the goals you {lead to} this month. Record them with a Word doc, pen and paper, Excel, whatever. Then put them in a drawer and set a calendar alert {going back} day of the month.
At {the finish} of the month, {feel the} list and see {those} {you truly} accomplished and {those} you didn’t {reach}. Then decide whether you’re {likely to}:
- Delete
- Defer
- Do it
If you say that you’re {likely to} wake up {each day} at 7 a.m., but {each morning} just slap the snooze button until it’s 8 a.m…you’re NOT {likely to} {awaken} at 7 a.m.
Delete.
If you claim you’re {likely to} make your bed {each morning}, but have {an enormous} project {at the job} and haven’t {done} it {within the last} three weeks, {do you know what}? You’re NOT {likely to} make your bed {each morning} {when you} have this crazy project.
Defer.
Are {you truly} headed to {the fitness center} 3x/week {as if you} said {you’ll}? Keep {CARRYING IT OUT}.
This {requires a} {large amount of} self-awareness {as you} {need to be} ruthlessly honest about your strengths and weaknesses. But by {considering} your past behavior, {it is possible to} drastically change {your own future} behavior for {the higher}.
The {best benefit}? It stops that low-level anxiety {most of us} get {from the} having {couple of} goals bounce around {inside our} head. {As soon as you} {decide}, {it is possible to} live guilt-free and use {your time} to {invest in} things you’ll {do} – which brings us to…
Step 2: Stop feeling guilty
It’s interesting how people {belong to} the paradox of guilt – and don’t even realize it’s happening.
How {frequently have} you talked to {a pal} about {training}, {saving cash}, or studying for school, and heard them say {something similar to}, “Yeah, {I understand} {I must say i} should be doing that but…” {accompanied by} some lame excuse {as to the reasons} they’re procrastinating on something important?
“{I understand} {I must say i} should be doing that” {is merely} code for “I’m not {likely to} {do this} at all.”
It’s {exactly the same} with people in credit card debt – many don’t {even understand} {just how much} debt {they will have}! They’d rather avoid their statements and bury their head in the sand than face {the truth} of {just how much} they owe.
Why does this happen? Guilt. {Basically}. It’s {the key reason why} we brush things off with meaningless excuses and {try to escape} from {the specific} issue.
If you {wish} {to avoid} procrastinating {and be} a productivity machine, {you have to|you should} hold yourself accountable.
ACTION STEP: Don’t {try to escape} {from your own} guilt.
When you do feel guilty, take these four steps {to handle} it.
Step 1: Acknowledge the guilt.
When {you understand} that {you are feeling} guilty about something you’re {postponing} – like not {exercising} or saving up for retirement – {I’d like} you to {simply take} {an instant} and acknowledge {the sensation}. Recognize your guilt {and have} yourself {what’s} {causing you to} feel guilty. {Leading} us to…
Step 2: {Utilize the} “five whys” technique.
This technique {originates from} a Japanese industrialist named Sakichi Toyoda. He developed {the technique} {to get} solutions at {the main} of recurring issues {linked to} his {manufacturing facility} and helped {inflate} his company {right into a} household name – {you may have} {heard about} it: Toyota Motors.
At {the center} of the technique {may be the} question “why?” {The theory} is {that a lot of} all problems {could be} solved by asking “why” five times – sometimes even less – and {addressing} {the main} issue.
Say {you are feeling} guilty because you’ve been meaning to open an investment account but haven’t. {You may use} the technique {such as this}:
Why do {Personally i think} guilty?
Because I haven’t opened an investment account.
Why haven’t I opened an investment account?
Because I don’t {even understand} {the place to start}.
Why is that?
Because {I purchased} an investment book {years back} and haven’t read it yet.
Why haven’t I read it?
Because it’s in a box {in my own} basement {within the} Christmas decorations.
See what happened? {In under} five whys, we {determined} {how to get started} solving this HUGE issue with {just one single} step: {making the effort} {to locate a} book. Now this person knows {the initial step} to {getting started off with} his investments.
Step 3: Write {everything} down.
Take {from} steps one and two and write {everything} down – your guilt, {each one of the} whys you asked, and {ways to} solve everything. {This can} {help you to get} {an obvious} {knowledge of} how {your brain} works {with regards to} guilt and problem-solving.
It {may also} {provide you with a|offer you a} good {spot to} {get back to} when you {opt to} finally solve {the issue} – which brings us to…
Step 4: Take action…tomorrow.
That’s right – {that is} Ramit-approved procrastination. {As soon as you} write everything down, {I’d like} {one to} step back {and present} it some space.
You {need to know|wish to know} {how exactly to} stop procrastinating? It’s not by {attempting to} do everything {simultaneously}.
Because we’re HUMANS – {so when} humans {we have been} naturally cognitive misers {and also have} limited willpower.
Just doing the five whys and investigating your guilt {requires a} lot – so just pick it up later when you’re fresh and {prepared to} take action. {I would recommend} setting aside {a while|time} {per day} or two {and that means you|which means you} don’t keep pushing it off.
The {the next time} {you’re} saying {something similar to} “I’ll {reach} it later,” stop and evaluate why.
Maybe it’s {not just a} priority {for you personally} right now. {Perhaps you} just don’t {wish to accomplish} it. {Both these} thoughts are perfectly fine. You’ll save everyone {lots of time|considerable time} and effort by recognizing and {functioning on} what’s really going on.
NOTE: {This technique} {originates from} our course Success Triggers. {To get} more proven systems {that will help|which will help} you build winning habits, follow this link.
Step 3: Change {the method that you|the way you} describe yourself
It’s amazing how often we shoot ourselves in the foot before {we are able to} even {begin}.
This happens {whenever we} say {things such as}, “I can’t {do this} because I’m an XYZ-type person.”
Here’s {an example}: {Some time} back, {a pal} of mine was {discussing} a book, and he {explained}, “I can’t buy that book because I’m {only a} cheap Asian.”
I actually got sharp with him. {My pal} didn’t {recognize that} {just how} he described himself became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
And I’m guilty of it too! {When} I {appeared as if} this…
…I used {to inform} people, “I can’t {increase} because I’m {only a} skinny Indian dude.”
And {do you know what}? That became my reality {for a long time}.
If, instead, I said, “I don’t eat right and {workout} enough” then this…
…could {have already been} my reality much sooner.
ACTION STEP: Reframe {how you} {discuss} yourself.
Quit hiding behind BS-descriptions of yourself as {known reasons for} why you don’t do things.
That includes {things such as}:
- “I can’t {socialize} because I’m an introvert.”
- “I’m always {likely to} be out of shape because I’m lazy.”
- “I’m a (insert BS Myers-Briggs-type or zodiac sign here). That’s why I can’t follow orders.”
Instead, {concentrate on} building systems {that will help|which will help} you accomplish {your targets} – which brings us to…
Step 4: Build systems {to perform} goals
I always get questions {such as} “{How do you} find motivation?”
Two examples:
A few insights from these questions:
- Motivation is undependable. {Looking forward to} motivation to fall from the sky {so that you can} accomplish {your targets} {is a great|is an excellent} {solution to} never get anything done. Why? Because THAT WON’T HAPPEN. You can’t {await} your “muse” or “inspiration” to strike.
- You {have to} build the right systems instead. {In the event that you} asked either of {the aforementioned} people, “{What exactly are} your steps {to perform} those goals?” {they might} {do not know} {how exactly to} answer you. That’s because it’s hard. It’s {much less} appealing as {looking forward to} motivation to strike. However, it’s {an improved} approach.
So {rather than} waiting to be “motivated,” take your goal {and have} yourself, “What does it {try} accomplish my goal?”
And I’m not {discussing} high-level {things such as} “determination” or “teamwork” or {other things that} {you discover} on motivational posters. I’m {discussing} concrete steps {to obtain} there. {That will assist you|That may help you|That will help} {create a} solid system for accomplishing {your targets}.
ACTION STEP: Break down your goal into smaller steps.
Let’s {check out|have a look at} {a negative} goal and compare it with {an excellent} one.
BAD GOAL: “{I wish to|I would like to} {get exercise}.”
This goal is TERRIBLE. {Just how many} million Americans have told themselves this and gotten nowhere? {It is because|The reason being} it’s vague. There’s no concrete action to it. There’s {not} {a method to} know when you’ve accomplished {the target}.
Now let’s {check out|have a look at} {an easier way} to {treat it}.
GOOD GOAL: “{I wish to|I would like to} eat three healthy meals {weekly} and {visit the} gym {2 times} {weekly} for {quarter-hour|a quarter-hour}.”
LOVE IT. Notice how I’m {centered on} {the procedure} first by {starting} small with three healthy meals a week. Also, it’s only {quarter-hour|a quarter-hour} at {the fitness center}. ANYONE {can perform} that.
Over time, {it is possible to} scale upwards. Maybe start eating {a wholesome} meal {each day}. Start {exercising} {a bit} longer {every time you} go. {Before very long}, your waistline is smaller {and you also} {involve some} muscles {showing} {for this}.
Do this {with your personal} goals. {Perhaps you} {need to get} {a fresh} job? {Begin by} {trying to get} one job {weekly}. {Perhaps you} want a scholarship for school? {Begin by} simply {looking into} a scholarship book at a library. These small steps will {result in} BIG results.
And when you’re making these systems, {I would recommend} putting {everything} on a Google Calendar.
I {do that} with {Most of} my goals.
Look {as of this} one item:
This {is really a} random to-do that {I’d} normally {devote} {the trunk} of my head… {also it} would never {have finished}. Instead, I added it to my calendar {so that it} always gets done.
If it’s not on my calendar, IT DOESN’T EXIST.
Step 5: Reward yourself {for the} work
Did {you understand} that {consuming more} chocolate {can in fact} {assist you to} exercise more?
Seriously.
According to habit expert Charles Duhigg, rewarding yourself {following a} job {done well} {might help} create powerful shifts in your mindset.
And {he’d} know. He literally wrote the book {about them} with The Power of Habit ({among} my favorite books on behavior). {Something similar to} eating chocolate {by the end} of {a good work out}, for example, {is really a} simple {solution to} ignite the reward centers in {the human brain} and cement {the nice} feelings {which are} {necessary for} a habit to take root.
A while back, I {could} {sit back} with Charles and {speak to} him {concerning the} importance rewards play {in assisting} habits stick.
Check out that conversation below.
ACTION STEP: Ask yourself, “What habit do {I wish to} start?” and “{Exactly what will} {I really do} to reward myself {when planning on taking} action?”
Here {certainly are a} few suggestions {to truly get you} started:
- Every 25 minutes of deep work you do, give yourself a five-minute break {to accomplish} {anything you} want (aka the Pomodoro Technique).
- After you hit a savings goal for the month, {buy for yourself} something {you need} like a {footwear} or a {gaming}.
- After you cook {a wholesome} meal, {ingest} {several} episodes {of this} Netflix show you’ve been meaning {to look at}.
The reward {could be} {whatever you} want – {so long as you} genuinely {appreciate it}.
The truth of procrastinating
If {you would like to|you need to|you wish to} truly stop procrastinating, {you need to} {comprehend} two truths of productivity:
- Truth #1: {Most of us} have {exactly the same} {period of time} in {your day} – so STOP BLAMING TIME (or your lack thereof). It doesn’t matter if you’re Bill Gates {or perhaps a} busy parent. {You merely} {should try to learn} {how exactly to} manage {your time and effort} better (more on that later).
- Truth #2: You don’t {need to be} an emotionless robot {to be able to} stop procrastinating. Focus and time management are about mindsets and simple – yet powerful – shifts in {the method that you|the way you} approach your to-dos.
By adopting {the proper} mindsets, {it is possible to} create habits that stick {rather than} struggling {to obtain the|to find the|to have the} simplest of tasks done.
That’s why I {come up with} {the most effective} material on setting goals, creating habits that stick, riding motivational waves, and getting back {on the right track} {should anyone ever} fall off.
If you’re {prepared to} stop making excuses, {use} {of this} rut, and {create a} major change {that you experienced}, this free guide is {for you personally}.
Take {a glance at} what’s inside:
- How to {awaken} productive {and obtain} more done by noon than {a lot of people} do {all day long} (covered {partly} 2)
- “{EASILY} wasn’t so lazy, I’d ____.” I’ll {educate you on} {how exactly to} keep accomplishing goals {even though} you “don’t {feel just like} it” (covered {partly} 3)
- Ever spent a busy day {filled up with} distractions – answering emails and putting out fires – and walked away feeling {as if you} finished nothing? I’ll {demonstrate} {how exactly to} stay laser-focused on tasks and eliminate distractions (covered {partly} 6)
This guide includes HD videos, downloadable worksheets, lessons from the world’s leading experts on behavioral change, {and far}, {a lot more}.
So {take a look}. {Try} the techniques. {And revel in} the results {you obtain} for {the others} {you will ever have}.