Procrastination is the root of unachieved dreams and success. As an unknown author rightly remarked- “Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried”.
It’s the most crucial factor between you and the goal you’ve set your eyes on.
But somehow, it’s difficult to eliminate it if you keep contemplating that “you can put off the things for tomorrow”, what you can do today.
For some reason, you may be influenced by delaying the tasks at hand. The sense that there’s enough time to get things done can be deceptive. It can be the difference between celebrated success and shattered dreams.
You might have been waiting for that magical moment where you would like to kick-start your new habit, business or work-out regime.
All of us must remember that “Everyday spent procrastinating is another day spent worrying about that thing.”
So, it’s better to do it now and move on with life. What if the day that you are eagerly waiting for, wouldn’t turn out? Would you like to ever wait for the day or would you like to kick start the task at hand? As they say, “Time and tide wait for none”, you must hit the ground running as and when the opportunity knocks the door.
End procrastination once and for all by practising below in your day to day life:
1. Prioritize Tasks: Focus on the things that give you the most inner joy and happiness. Never mind what others think about you and their opinion on your endeavours. If something gives you butterflies every time you think about it, that’s what you want to work towards. If something isn’t important to you, you’ll probably spend very little time trying to achieve it. The achievements that really matter most belong at the top. Everything else can fall wherever as per your wish and will.
Related: 8 Task Management Tips to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done
2. Learn to Say “NO”: Be assertive and learn to say “NO” to the things that you really feel not doing it. Procrastination is not only delaying the tasks but doing things that are not in your priority list and not using the time productively by spending the energy and efforts on tasks that wouldn’t help you to be either successful or happy. So, strictly say “No” to the distractions and time killers.
3. Break down tasks into achievable bits: It’s easy to put things off because they seem too big, overwhelming and complex. Your instinct may be to move away from things that are not easy to accomplish. This often reminds me a popular Saying – “When there is a hill to climb, don’t think that waiting will make it Smaller.”
So, instead of delaying it you can conquer the biggie by dividing into smaller ones. You may even want to make them daily tasks so that you can slowly get the hang of those tasks which seemed impossible at the beginning.
Give yourself some time each day to work towards something that you have never attempted before. This makes the goal seem more easy and attainable, moreover, you can enjoy the journey. Once you’ve checked something off your list, you’ll be one step closer to your goals. The feeling of progress is incomparable!
4. Renew your commitment each day: To stay on track, it’s important to maintain the commitment to the goal. That can be easily achieved by renewing your commitment each day. When you wake up, remind yourself of your purpose. Look at what you’re motivated to achieve and be committed to accomplishing it what may come on your way. Because the feeling of excitement about achieving the desired goal is constantly alive. You just need to re-engage on it regularly and keep yourself motivated all the time.
Related: 9 Effective Habits to Keep Your Motivation Up All the Time
5. Reward yourself for each achievement: It’s important to keep yourself engaged and focused on the goal. A fantastic way to do this is to reward yourself. As you achieve each small task, celebrate the progress you’ve made. Make a significant effort to celebrate your achievement. A half-hearted effort isn’t enough. To maintain the commitment, you must reward yourself at every step of the journey. Being kind to yourself is the best way to motivate a continued focus on goals. When you know there’s a reward at the end, you’ll likely commit every ounce of effort necessary.
There are enough reasons for you to go after meaningful goals without procrastination. If you’re honest with yourself, you can easily spot the reasons which are impeding the progress and not helping you to achieve your goals on time. As Napoleon rightly remarked – “Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” To lead an amazing life, begin doing what you want to do now which ultimately takes you where you want to be. On a final note, leave tomorrow for the celebration of today’s success by saying NO to procrastination.
