4 questions you can ask to stop procrastinating

This year I truly want to make progress on my goals.

Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash

Usually I set some goals at the beginning of January, come up with an action plan and then fall off the wagon about 2 weeks into the new year.

Why? I get bored. I don't see results quickly enough. It's too much, too hard and not sustainable. My mind says it's what you need to do for this result, and the devil on my shoulder whispers "You can always start tomorrow."

Procrastination is hard to overcome when it is one of your ingrained habits. Yes, there is always tomorrow. No, you should not postpone if you want to make progress.

In a recent meditation my future self told me about a trick she is using to get into action.

It's all about setting an intention. Before you start your task, tell yourself:

What are you going to do?

Example: I am going to do the dishes.

Getting clear on what you want to accomplish will help you to stay focused. These days it's so easy to get distracted by messages and random ideas that pop into your head.

You can even go as far as to the Japanese process of shisa kanko, point-and-call. In this process you will point in the direction of your task and state out loud what you are about to do. This eliminates errors by up to 85% as consciousness about the task is enhanced.

Where are you doing it and for how long?

I will do it in the kitchen, and I will spend no more than 10 minutes.

For how long you are aiming to do the task is benefitial when you don't know how long it will take to get to the end. Especially with dreaded tasks you easily would love to postpone setting a time limit to work on it makes it easier to go through with it.

The specificity of where to do it is especially usefull when you need to schedule tasks upfront. Instead of thinking "I will run on Friday" it is more likely you do it when you say "On Friday at this time I will run for 40 minutes outside in the park". If someone else is joining you for the task, add their name in your statement.

Remember to set your timer and off you go.

Why are you doing it?

I'm doing it so the kitchen is tidy so it's easier to prepare the next meal.

Sticking to boring habits often falls flat as you forget why you are doing it in the first place. Steamed brokkoli for lunch 3 days in a row makes only sense when you remind yourself of those skinny jeans you want to wear so that you look smashing at that upcoming concert because that one guy is gonna be there and you absolutely want to grab his attention in a good way.

State your reason in your sentence as "so that" rather than "because". Because opens up for reason and justification, whereas the so that points to your end result.

How are you feeling?

I enjoy the warm soapy water and the smell of the dish soap. I listen to upbeat music while doing this task so I feel good and uplifted.

Stating how you will feel doing the task will immediately put you into that place.

Before stating your intention you might have thought "Ugh, I need to do the dishes. I hate doing the dishes." With thoughts like this it's easy to postpone what you know you should be doing.

Stating your intention will change your mindset around the task. You know it will be quickly done, you know what the end result is, and you know that you will feel great.

Focus on how you want to feel doing the task, not only how you will feel afterwards. We all know that hitting the shower after a run feels awesome, but reminding yourself of the pain during the run will have you not want to do it. Find ways to feel good about running before you put on your shoes - like the music you will listen to, the fresh air, the blood pumping, the oxygen flooding your system.

Here is a recap of the steps to state your intentions for any task you want to accomplish:

  • What are you doing?

  • When? For how long? Where? With whom?

  • Why are you doing it?

  • How are you feeling during, and after?

You can use this method for every task you need to do. Or you can just use it for the ones you really try to avoid doing.

The more you do it, the more you will want to do it when you see how much easier it makes your life.

Getting the resistance out of the way is the best gift you can give yourself as you work your way towards your dream life.

xo,

Yvonne