Does your day ever go like this?
You need to take care of a task you’ve been procrastinating for ages, so you do the right thing. You block time on your calendar to get it done.
You’ve scheduled it for 2pm.
2pm comes around, you completely ignore your reminder and you move it to the next day.
Tomorrow, 2pm comes around and no surprise, you go through the same exercise and move it to the next day.
And it goes on and on and on.
Why do we keep blowing off our scheduled tasks and then wonder why we never get to them?!
And more importantly — how do you stop ignoring them?
Here are a few thoughts to consider.
- Often these tasks don’t have a real deadline like, exercising or creating a system
- Or, they’re tasks you hate doing or are more painful than watching paint dry so you continue to put them off like, scanning documents or doing expense reports
- Or you’ve procrastinated it so long that you’ve built up the “dread factor” to unrealistic heights like, organizing your desk or updating a spreadsheet
I do this all the time with “Update Financials.” This task gives me the willies and I love pretending I don’t see it on my calendar. (Who do I think I’m fooling??)
And no doubt what is scheduled on Monday will be pushed back to Friday…week after week after week.
Here are three strategies to change this frustrating habit:
#1: Break Down Your Task
It finally occurred to me that “Update Financials” was simply too big, overwhelming and felt hairy scary for me. But “review monthly expenses” was much more digestable. It was one small piece of the whole financial update that needed to get done.
By simply seeing a smaller task I felt more in control and less intimidated by the amount of energy and focus I’d have to put in.
When a task feels too big it’s an immediate signal to “put it off”, “deal with it later” or have an “I can’t even think about this right now!” reaction.
Even if you need to break it down into a task that takes five minutes, do it.
Every five minutes you put in is a small step towards your bigger goal and is always, better than no movement at all.
#2: Take Care Of It First Thing
Our energy and willpower has limits. Usually strongest in the morning, when we’re fresh, well rested and before the insanity, distractions and demands of the day hits. Thus, trying to accomplish a long procrastinated task at 3pm, 5pm or 8pm, is really challenging!
Instead, get it out of the way first thing. Commit to undistracted time to complete it or least make headway on it.
Beyond the great relief of finally taking action on that item, here’s another gem of a benefit.
You’ll start your day with a super dose of motivation and accomplishment. Like, “if I can get the thing I’ve been putting off forever done, I can do anything!”
#3: Shorten Your Time
Nothing is more debilitating than seeing 4 hours blocked for “work on xyz proposal” or to “organize office.” It’s just too long.
Even seeing an hour or two can provoke dread and procrastination for tasks you are already not looking forward to.
The truth is, long blocks of time can be un-motivating and demoralizing – which can make you shut down (or ignore them) completely. If that’s the case, shorten your expectations.
Block 30 minutes, perhaps even 20 minutes, to get the ball rolling and start making progress.
You will make more headway in 30 minutes of undistracted, fully engaged time than in two hours of unfocused, half hearted, looking for excuses blocks.
Ok, so there is something on your calendar (or your mental checklist) that you keep shifting to tomorrow and the day after and the day after.
Use ONE of the strategies above and apply it to your task. Like, NOW please.
I’m waiting.
Seriously, are you going to procrastinate after reading a blog about not procrastinating?!
Cool. Now hold yourself accountable and let me know which strategy you’ve chosen, in that sweet comment box below.
I can’t wait to hear your successes in making that dreadfully boring, built up in your head, it’s been on my to-do list for eons task, GO AWAY.
Here’s to getting more of the right things done!
Xo,
Mridu
P.S. True story, just yesterday a client I coach told me, and I quote: “I feel like I’ve gotten more done in the last two weeks than in the last two years!”
That. Is. Amazing! If you don’t have a real plan for your time, a process for prioritizing or a partner holding you accountable, I would love to help you through coaching. Join me on a complimentary, no obligation phone call right here. No one should have to figure this all out on their own. Let’s chat!
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