Like many people, I am guilty of procrastination. While I can be uncommonly disciplined in some areas of my life, I wait until the last possible moment to address others. This weekend it hit me that I have kept one of my most important business projects on the back burner for well over a year. I got up close and personal with myself trying to understand what was holding me back and what I needed to do to get beyond it. I want to share my process in a way that I hope you can benefit from.
How to Stop Procrastinating on Something Important:
- Identify an important project or situation that you no longer want to keep putting off.
- Get clear on the excuses and obstacles that hold you back. Write them down.
- Look at each obstacle and ask yourself what you need to do to get beyond it. Write down what additional work, learning or change of mindset will overcome the obstacle. Consider these ideas as your action plan.
- Review your action plan and recognize that it can be incorporated into your current life if you make the commitment.
- Take responsibility for your action plan by breaking it down into small steps you can take. Assign these small steps to your calendar for this week.
- Repeat step 5 until you have totally executed your action plan.
Honesty check: Are you allowing yourself to believe that you can stop procrastinating on this important thing? How willing are you to hold yourself responsible for taking the necessary steps?
