We’ve all been there. We have every intention of completing something, but we convince ourselves that it’s OK to do it later. Updating that resume? It can wait. Starting that business plan? Maybe in a few days. What we may not realize is that in putting off our goals time and time again, we are actually wearing ourselves out. Philosopher William James was not understating procrastination when he said, “Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an unfulfilled goal.” Heavy. So why do we do it, and how can we stop?
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The list of things we can procrastinate on is endless, but the list of reasons for why we procrastinate is not. We avoid every task for the same reason: fear of pain. Sure, you might say you’re too busy or too tired to get started, but at the root of it all, you're not starting the work because doing so would cause you a certain amount of pain.
I was working with a career coaching client, we’ll call her Jane, who couldn’t bring herself to update her resume and apply for that job. She hired me not only for career direction and resume tips, but also to have an accountability partner. Through the work we did together, I discovered it wasn’t a time constraint that was keeping her from updating her resume; it was her fear of rejection of not getting the job. Once we uncovered this fear, we were able to work not only on her resume, but on her mindset as well.
Whether you chronically put off a bunch of small to-dos on your never-ending list at work, or have trouble starting on that one big project, read on for tips on how to stop the vicious cycle of procrastination.
Visualize how you will feel once it’s done. Visualization is insanely powerful. Athletes use it all the time to enhance performance. Sit back, close your eyes, and imagine yourself at the completion of a project in as much detail as possible. What emotions are you feeling? Where are you? Who is with you?
Prioritize and start on the least appealing task first. This probably isn’t what you want to hear, but we only have so much bandwidth in which we can focus each day. Make a list of the things you need to get done, and then start by tackling the item that takes the most energy. Get it out of the way first, and then you can move onto other things which you might enjoy a bit more.
Don’t put off what can be done in two minutes or less. If you can send that email or schedule that appointment quickly, do it and be done with it. This even works for larger goals, like starting a business. Send an email to that lawyer to schedule registering your LLC. Done! The principle behind this tactic is that every goal can be started in two minutes or less. If you have more time on your hands...
Set a timer for 10 minutes and just get started. If you’re putting something off each day because it feels too big or daunting, working on it for 10 minutes without interruption is a great place to start. Remove all distractions, including digital, and focus exclusively on whatever it is until the alarm goes off. You may find that you’re on a roll and don’t want to stop. If not, at least you will have made some headway on that particular project. Do this every day.
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Restart your day at 2pm. There’s no worse feeling than when your morning blows by and you feel like you’ve gotten nothing accomplished. Break the cycle and mentally start your day over at 2pm. Make a list of what still needs to be accomplished, grab a beverage and go to town. Remember, the day is whatever you want to make of it, so why not make it a good one?
Ultimately, Jane, updated her resume. She recognized that the pain of getting a “no” from a prospective employer was far less painful than the discomfort of staying in her current job indefinitely. Once she visualized the end goal and organized her priorities, we had her applying for jobs and interviewing in no time.
So whether it’s starting that new business or preparing a tedious report, stop reading and get started on it right now. Just imagine how good it will feel when you’re done.
