We all know that familiar uneasy feeling of putting something off that needs our attention. Let’s dive in and unpack this little monster and see if we can shed light on the issue.
First let’s assume that you’re procrastinating on something that you actually want to do, otherwise it’s a form of rebellious intelligence at work.
Ask yourself these 3 powerful questions right now.
What will getting this done give me?
Why might I be avoiding that?
What are the main habits that throw me off track?
These answers may reveal a startling fact and that is, there is more than one of you in your head. No, you’re not schizophrenic, this is very normal and you will need to find a way back to the authentic you. This stable more mature you, set the original goal based on knowing it would be something good for you to do.
So, the real challenge is, how do I make space for this part to get a look in.
Here are my top 3 tips for just that, gleaned from my own life experience and a ton of research.
Create an early morning ritual. Rise 15 or more minutes earlier than you normally do. Prior to screens and phones, have some time to reflect, connect and centre yourself before the day, with its seemingly endless tasks and meetings, come racing in. Buy a journal for reflections and insights and write for a few minutes at the end of this time, what emerges.
Learn to breathe in a connected deep belly way. This ideally can be incorporated into the other two suggestions and teaches you to calm your mind and energise your body. An activity like this naturally puts you into a reflective state where the real you can show up.
Create a bedtime ritual. Bring the light levels down an hour before sleep and switch off devices. This is where you can unwind and gently reflect on your day and make notes in your journal. Look again at your tasks and goals and, if you did go off track , make a plan to get back on course tomorrow.
That’s it, 3 small but mighty tips that unlock your genius and inspired self and help you overcome the deadly procrastinating monster.
Have fun along the way and let me know in the comments below what you learn from applying them.