How to Stop Procrastination

Alright, now let's be honest here... if you just searched the internet for "How to stop procrastinating" or something like that, then you obviously know that you want/need to stop procrastinating and have probably learned a few tips from other sites already...

If this is you, then your problem is not insufficient knowledge, it's insufficient motivation! Use what you already know and put it into action! Just make up your mind to do it! There is one tip that I can give you though:

You need to be able to trust yourself. What I mean is, if you say you are going to do something, do it. Just like if you tell your boss that you are going to give him the paper at 5:00 tomorrow, tell yourself the same thing, and if it's not done, punish yourself the same way. If you get in the habit of sticking to your word, you will be able to do something just because you said you would do it. That's motivation!

For the rest of you who may not know how detrimental or worthless procrastination actually is, consider this: To continually grow, you should focus on tasks or experiences from three categories: Work, Fun, and Rest. Work includes striving for your goals. Fun is everything that you enjoy (if you are really lucky, you can combine work and fun sometimes =] ). Rest is just relaxing, enjoying nature, sleeping, etc...

So, those are the categories that you should focus on for a balanced and great life, agreed? Well, procrastination is neither work, fun, nor rest!

Some people might argue that they are doing work, and if they are then it is not procrastinating. However, some people confuse "being busy" with working. Watch out for that. Others say that they are having fun, and if they are then it, again, is not procrastination. If they are not having a lot of fun, though, and know that they and easily have more fun doing something else at that moment, then it is procrastination, and they should stop doing whatever it is they are doing.

Now, this all assumes balance. If someone is having way more fun and rest than work (and it is not benefiting them), then they need to set their priorities straight, but that is for another post... (the same applies is someone is working way more than fun and rest and it is not benefiting them (more $ does not always mean better... use common sense))

So, start making yourself trust yourself, stop procrastinating and have a great life!

Sean Golden