If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Over the weekend I started participating on several forums that I used to lurk on, and one of the topics led to a discussion on procrastination. I came across a definition of the term ‘procrastinator’, and wanted to share it with you:

To voluntarily delay an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse-off for the delay

There are many definitions of procrastination, but the bottom line is that you keep putting something off for another day. In my forum discussion, I said “Another thing that I’ve both personally experienced and witnessed is that many women (and a few men too) get stuck in the ‘learning’ phase and never make the transition into doing. At some point, if you don’t take action then you’ve wasted all those hours of learning”.

For the most part, I tend to learn by doing. When I wanted to learn about HTML, I did some research to find out what I’d need and then downloaded free HTML editing software and a free HTML template and started playing around with it. I did the same thing to learn about graphic design with Photoshop - I started looking for tutorials and as I read through them, I followed along in Photoshop to learn the techniques.

When it comes to business though, how long is too long in the learning & researching phrase before you miss the ‘proverbial boat’? There comes a time when you need to start taking action instead of reading about it.

When I think of all the time I spend procrastinating by constantly checking my email instead of dealing with it in several scheduled sessions during the day, or surfing the web under the guise of research instead of knuckling down and getting my work done - you know, that stuff that I should be doing, I’m inadvertently costing myself and my business time and money.

The time is here, right now to get down to business. Perhaps it’s writing your first article, or press release, introducing yourself on forums or in a group. It could be anything… but now my friends, is the time to get ‘er done!

Need some help to get cracking? I found this super tip sheet that should help all of us get down to work and stop procrastinating:

ACT AFTER YOU PLAN

• start with a written plan of action to avoid getting distracted
• keep your plan simple and straightforward
• start with the one thing you must get done today to feel productive
• should be a manageable item you can complete in 10-15 minutes
• break the day up into a number of “action sessions” for other tasks
• balance the time spent planning with time spent creating or doing
• avoid over-planning — another method of procrastination
• before ending your day, spend 10 minutes reviewing your progress
• take time to plan your actions for the next day

BE VISION-DIRECTED

• your tasks should match your values or purpose
• if not, you will find it hard to summon the energy to tackle them
• bring each task into congruence with your basic mission
• if you can’t, take it off of your list

BITE-SIZED PIECES

• don’t put any “to-do” on your list that takes more than 30 minutes
• if it takes longer, it’s actually a series of smaller “to-do’s”
• break each step out and list it separately
• you don’t have to tackle all the steps of a project in one sitting
• spread a large task out over several work sessions
• you will see greater progress as you check more items off your list
• you will avoid getting bogged down in one large task or project

DECIDE TO SCHEDULE IT

• determine how much you can do or tolerate at a time
• don’t push yourself too far or you’ll get bored or frustrated
• plan these project “pieces” into your daily activities
• set a “completion point” for accomplishing each small task
• completion points give you an end in sight to look forward to

GOOD ENOUGH IS GOOD ENOUGH

• don’t try to do everything perfectly
• perfectionism often causes procrastination
• perfectionists would rather put it off than do an incomplete job
• rather than perfection, aim for progress
• any small step toward completion is an accomplishment

JUST DO IT

• do the worst job (or part of the job) first and get it out of the way
• once you tackle the part you are dreading, the rest is a breeze
• stop spending time planning and just jump into doing it
• set a time limit — “I’ll file papers for 5 minutes”
• alternate unpleasant jobs with tasks you enjoy
• delegate out items you can’t make yourself do

PLAN AROUND INTERRUPTIONS

• interruptions tend to occur in identifiable patterns
• notice when interruptions occur, by whom, and why
• take steps to prevent those interruptions before they occur
• if they can’t be prevented, learn how to delegate to someone else
• if they can’t be delegated, learn how to delay until you are finished

REMEMBER TO MAKE IT FUN

• make the project and environment as pleasant as possible
• play music, open a window, have a cold drink, etc.
• give yourself the best tools and work space for the project
• take a few minutes to organize your work space
• a clean desk allows you to focus without visual distraction
• it’s only a chore if you think of it as a chore

STAYING MOTIVATED

• find an “accountability partner” to track your progress
• schedule a regular time to check in with a friend or colleague
• rewarding your accomplishments encourages productivity
• give yourself a break, a treat, a nap — whatever is a reward for you
• reward every step along the way, not just the end result
• the bigger the accomplishment, the bigger the reward

Content provided by OnlineOrganizing.com — offering “a world of organizing solutions!” Visit www.onlineorganizing.com for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau, get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you, or get some help starting and running your own organizing business.

Ok there - I finally stopped procrastinating about this post and look at what came out of it One more to-do off of my to do list, so I guess that means that I’d better roll with it and go tackle my kitchen sink!!