7 Step Anti-Procrastination Plan

Step 1
Make it Meaningful.
What is important about  the task you have been putting off?  List all the benefits of completing the task. Be specific about the rewards for getting it done including your feeling when it is completed.

Step 2
Take it apart.
Break big jobs into a series of small ones you can do in 15 minutes or less.  Make a list of the smaller items and cross them off once completed so you can see your progress.

Step 3
Write an Intention Statement.
If you find it hard to get started on an item, write your intention in a more appealing or easier way. Carry this intention statement with you and post it somewhere that you will see it often.

Step 4
Tell everyone.
Publicly announce your intentions.  Tell your friends, spouse, parents, children, and anyone else you feel lead to tell.  Include anyone who will ask whether you have completed the task or ones that will make suggestions as to how to get it done.  Make the world your accountability partner or support group.

Step 5
Find a reward.
Reward yourself carefully.  Be willing to withhold rewards if you don't complete the task.  When you legitimately reap your reward notice how you feel.

Step 6
Settle it now.
Do it now.  The minute you notice yourself procrastinating, plunge into the task.  Be sure to savor the feeling of having the task behind you.

Step 7
Say no.
When you keep pushing a task into the low priority category, reexamine your purpose for doing that task at all.  If you realize that you really don't intend to do something, quit telling yourself that you will.  That is procrastination.  Just say no.

(Tip:  Pick a keyword and tie each one to a day of the week.)

Link Make it Meaningful to MONDAY
Link Take it apart to Tuesday
Link Write an intention statement to Wednesday
Link Tell everyone to Thursday
Link Find a reward to Friday
Link Settle it now to Saturday
Link Say no to Sunday

This trick reminds you that each day of the week is an opportunity to stop the cycle of procrastination.

Are You A Multi Tasker?

When we are busy we get tempted to do other things at the same time.  It seems like a natural solution to do two things at once.  There is a problem with this strategy.  Multi- tasking is way harder than it looks.  Despite the complexity of our brains, research shows we are basically wired to do one thing at a time.  Whenever possible, take life one task at  a time.

Develop the key quality, focused attention, by following these suggestions:

Unplug from technology.
To reduce the temptation to multi-task turn off distracting devices.  You can take a break later to do all these.  But when you do go online, have a clear intent and set a time to get off.

Capture fast breaking ideas with minimal interruption.
Your brain is an expert nagger.  After you choose to focus on one task, it may send reminders of 10 more things you need to get done.  Write these down on something.  This will allow your mind to calm down once it knows the task is captured in writing.

Handle interruptions with care.
Somethings are so urgent they demand your immediate attention.  Make a note of exactly what you were doing before being interrupted that way you can go right back to where you left of when you have attended to the urgent issue.

Commit to single tasking.
Planning helps.  Set a goal to keep your daily to do list short, 3 items max.  Focus on completing these one at a time.  When they are done you can work on other tasks.

Multi-task with skill.
If you have no alternative, multi-task as effectively as possible.  By pairing on activity that requires concentration with another activity that is almost effortless.

Align your activities with you passions.
Handling routine tasks is a vital part of everyday life.  However, if your attention wanders frequently you should ask yourself, "Am I really doing what I want to do?"  If the answer is no, you may need to make some changes.

What Time is It

Procrastination and lack of planning can easily undermine your success in life.  It affects everything you do.  Instead of procrastinating, focus on being in the "here and now". To be in the "here and now" means to do what you are doing when you are doing it.  It means being where you are when you are there. It is very common for our thoughts to distract us from where we want to be.  Sometimes technology is one of our main distractions.

Planning supports being in the here and now.  Goals are tools we create to guide our action in the present.  Time management techniques have only one purpose.  They reveal what is most important for you to focus on right now.

When you say you do not have enough time, you may really be trying to say that you are not spending the time you have in the way you want.

Time is an unusual commodity.  It cannot be saved.  It is a non renewable resource.  Time is perfectly content on remaining hidden until you are almost out of it.  And when you are out of time, you are out.  If you are out of money there are ways you can earn a little extra money.  If you are out of love, there is still hope.  But when you are out of time, that is it.  Time seems to pass at variable speeds.  Sometimes it crawls and other times it flies by like a speeding bullet.

Everything written about time management can be reduced to 3 main ideas.

These main ideas are:

1) Know exactly what you want.  State your wants as clear, specific goals.  Put them into writing.

2) Know how to get what you want.  Take actions to meet your goals.  Determine what you will do today to get what you want in the future.  Put these actions in writing, too.

3) Go for balance.  When our lives lack this quality, we  spend most of our time responding to the interruptions, last minute projects, and emergencies.

 Life feels like a scramble to survive.  We are so busy achieving someone else's goals that we forget about what we want.  Sometimes you may feel like everyone else controls your time.  Maybe this is not true.  So approach time like you are in control.

The ABC Daily To Do List

One of the most effective ways to stay on track and actually get things done is a  daily to do list.  An advantage of keeping a daily to do list is you do not have to remember what to do next.  It is on the list.  On busy days it is easy to forget tasks or become distracted.  Keep your tasks written down so you do not have to rely on your memory.

Use the following method when creating your daily to do list.  Rank items according to the level of importance A, B, or C.

Brainstorm tasks.
List all tasks you want to complete for the day.  Do not worry about the order or anything else.  Just list all the tasks.

Estimate time.
For each task listed, estimate how long it will take to complete.  Be sure to over estimate if you are unsure.  This leaves room for the unexpected.  Add up the time needed to complete all your tasks.  Also add up all the unscheduled hours.  Compare these two totals.  If you have 8 hours worth of to do list items and only 2 unscheduled hours to do it in, this is a potential problem.

Rate each task by priority.
To prevent over scheduling, decide which tasks are top priorities, given your time frame.
Simply label each task A,B, or C

A's are most critical.
B's are important but not critical and can be postponed for one day.
C's are the tasks that do not require immediate attention.
They are often small easy jobs with no set time line.  These can also be postponed.

Now schedule a time for all your A's.
B's and C's can be done randomly during the day when you are in between tasks.

Cross off activities.
Keep your list with you at all times.  Mark off items when they are done or add new tasks when you think of them.

Evaluate.
At the end of the day evaluate your performance.  Look for A's you did not complete.   Look for items that are B's and C's and never get done.  Adjust your priorities before they become a problem.  When you are done evaluating start your list for the next day.  That way when you wake up you can start getting things done right away.

When it comes to to do list, one size does not fit all.  Another method I prefer is the 80/20 Method.  This method states that 80% of the value of your list comes from only 20% of the tasks listed.  So if you have a list with 10 items, choose 2 that will contribute most to your life today.  Complete these 2 tasks without fail.