Dennis Harting asked:

Everyone knows what procrastination is. All of us have experienced this at certain points in our lives. We all put off some activities until we were “forced” into acting. Usually, this happened only after the impending pain of doing nothing outweighed the pain of taking action. We suddenly feared the consequences more than the activity. At this point overcoming procrastination is rather easy. The question is how can we get ourselves to move forward before reaching the point of impending doom?

Before we can answer this, we must first uncover where all of this resides. Fear is an emotion that many will swear is real. Nevertheless, fear does not exist. It is something that our mind conjures up to control a situation. Of course, there are instances where fear is an ally: those circumstances where we are physically in danger. The mind uses fear to create the “fight or flight” response. This sets off a physical reaction that gives the body the added resources to preserve itself. Ultimately, preservation is the goal of the mind. It will do whatever it can to avoid those situations it deems harmful. This is true even if the danger is based solely on perception.

Fear is a tool of the mind. It is not present in the physical world. There are certain physical responses that occur as a result of the mind using fear. However, it is not real. There is no way to touch fear. It is not present or residing anywhere in the body. Fear exists only in the mind. That is the first important realization. Eliminating fear is a mental exercise since that is where it is found. There is not a physical way to remove fear.

The second realization is that it is impossible for fear to exist in the present moment. When one is focusing exclusively on that which is present right now, there is no fear. Fear can only arise if one is focusing upon a time either in the past or in the future. If fear is forcing one to procrastinate, typically that person is looking into the future. The mind sees a situation as potentially causing some pain, so it instills fear in an effort to stop you from moving in that direction. This is a way of preserving itself. Avoidance of pain is what the mind is after.

When one procrastinates, basically the mind looks at the activity that needs attention and foresees an unenviable outcome. Of course, to achieve this end, it focuses attention on a time in the future. This outlook is not based in reality since it is impossible to know what will occur. Nevertheless, the mind takes it as fact. A result that is positive is never considered by the mind. Only the negative is given any weight. Thus, seeing a negative outcome to taking action causes one to procrastinate. The main objective becomes avoidance of the situation. This occurs until the pain of not acting outweighs the pain of taking action.

How do we overcome procrastination? It begins by being honest with ourselves. Anyone who allows fear to cause procrastination is falling prey to something that is not real. Would you hold back because of the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus? Fear is as real as those two figments of the imagination. When you “feel” fear arising within you, tell yourself that what you are experiencing is not real. Also, focus your attention on what is directly in front of you. Fear ceases to be if you concentrate your mind on the present moment. If you want to test this, try to experience fear while remaining present focused. It cannot happen. When you are sensing fear, it is only because your mind moved to a different time.

The Nike slogan “Just Do It” is accurate. Procrastination breeds an atmosphere of inactivity. Taking action instantly smashes this revolting habit. Realizing that we fear the outcome of our actions is what frees us from that grip. The fear we experience is something that our minds made up. Moving forward without regard to how things will turn out is often the solution. The key to success is action. Therefore, remove fear as your jailer. Make a list of things you need to do and get busy. The universe likes to rewards those who take action.

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Dennis Harting asked:


Procrastination is something that everyone is affected by periodically. For some this is simply a characteristic that causes a minor irritation. However, for others, it is an enemy that became so powerful that it assumed total control of one’s life. These people got to the point where procrastination completely paralyzes them from taking any action. Even though the desire and incentive are there, any forward progress is immediately destroyed.

Why do we procrastinate? Basically there are two factors that prohibit people from taking action. All activities that are put off will typically fall into one of these two categories. The main reason why people procrastination are laziness and fear. They are behind anything that is delayed without valid reason.

Before going any further, it is important to note that just because laziness is a factor for procrastinating, it does not mean that the person is lazy. Many people are extremely active yet are affected by procrastination. There are instances when one is just plain lazy. The desire to lounge around is greater than the motivation to get things accomplished. This is nothing to fret about if it is the occasional occurrence. It is when this feeling is an overriding tendency that issues arise.

The difference in motivators seem to be in the scope of the activity being put off. If the activity is relatively simple to complete, there is a great chance that laziness is the cause for the delay. Activities such as doing the dishes, mowing the lawn, doing laundry, and getting the oil changed in the car are all tasks that are easy to complete. They are things that most people know how to do. Thus, if the time and money are available yet the action is still being put off, then laziness is the reason.

For instances like this, a case of the Nike Slogan is needed. “Just do it” will enable you to handle these tasks. Unfortunately there is no great secret to getting yourself to take the action and move forward. You are more than capable of completing the activities. The way to combat laziness is to get moving. Action overcomes the inertia that exists in that moment. Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to work out once you actually are at the gym? The hardest part is motivating yourself to get going.

Actions that are put off for the reason of fear are a completely different matter. These items usually are a little larger in scale. They are actions that we believe have a dramatic impact on our lives. Just the act of thinking about them sends us into a rapid state of fear. No matter what we try, we cannot got ourselves to take action. Our mind convinced us that to act will have negative consequences upon us. This leads us to stall until we are out of options.

Unfortunately, there is not a magic formula to overcome our fears. However, there are a multitude of techniques that can be applied which will work in most situations. It all starts with realizing that fear does not exist. Read that again: fear does nor exist. It is a figment of our minds. The mind utilizes this technique to protect itself from uncertainty. Fear is some thing that you cannot hold, nor can you touch it. Yet it has the power to stop a person from taking any action.

In The Ultimate Procrastination Handbook, I set out a number of ways surmount procrastination due to fear. The most effective technique I found is to get yourself a procrastination partner. This is someone who will help you handle those activities which you put off. The simple act of having someone that we are accountable to works wonders. It is much easier to talk ourselves out of something as compared to someone else. People who used this found their productivity increase astronomically. With another, our power to succeed is magnified greatly. There are some who believe that the combined talents are not doubles, but, rather, have an eleven-fold increase.

Monitor which factor is causing you to delay doing something. Once the motivating force is determined, applying the proper action will allow you to overcome 90% of what you put off.



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Gregory Burrus asked:


Avoidance, procrastination, overwhelmed, perfectionism are all the daggers in the heart of efficiency. Use the following tips to overcome procrastination in your life.

1. Write it down, Write it down. There are many details that you have to remember in any given day, why should you try to keep it all in your memory? At the very moment that you remember something needs to be done, the very best thing to do is get it to your memory device. Then, just when you need to recall it, it will be available for you in an instant.

2. There Can only Be One! Keep it all in one place. Once you have developed the knack of writing everything down, your next step will be to keep your writing/recording it all in one place. Otherwise, you are going to spend valuable time procrastinating. Notice as you tend to search for your notes, you conveniently procrastinate more as you engage in a number of elaborate preparatory activities, all along you are avoiding success.

3. Stay fit, stay healthy. A keen memory is a well-nourished mind. Eat healthy; get plenty of sleep and lots of good exercise. These will all see you through to having the energy to do more and to having a good memory that stays focused and alert.

4. Get it out of your head. Record your every thought. You might find yourself driving when a good idea comes to mind or you might recall something that you really need to write down. No need to pull over and start writing, record the idea instead on that wonderful MP3 player or IPOD that you received for the holidays. If yours does not record, well get one! This way you will be better organized and it is safer then digging around your bag for one more electronic device. Use your handy recorder to be your second eyes and ears.

5. Deliver advance warning. Step into the future and call ahead to yourself. When you are at the office and you want to do something when you arrive at your next destination, call ahead to your answering device and leave yourself a message. Better yet, if you have the new VOIP (voice over internet or cable services,your messages are with you all day. They follow you; hence you have another organizing tool to help stop the procrastination. As soon as you get to your destination, you can listen to your message and execute on what needs to be done ASAP.

6. Have confidence in yourself. Avoid the perfectionist mode. Not everything has to be perfect. You will notice the world is very imperfect and it has survived. If you keep thinking I am forgetting something and saying you have a bad memory, you will probably continue to have a bad memory and you will do nothing. It is important to have a motivated, I CAN remember and I CAN DO success attitude. Remember, some procrastination is purely a lack of self confidence that is being covered over with the perfection syndrome. You end up feeling you can’t get the job done, so stop the excuses and have faith in yourself and stay motivated.

7. Build email reminders. You can type in what you want to remember, such as a buy milk reminder versus the reminder to buy Christmas gadget for your nephew, or special event. You will receive an e-mail reminder when the date is approaching. This is a terrific way to jog your memory by using internet technology.

8. Love those sticky notes. Want to remember something prior to leaving your home? Just mark it down on a Post-It Note and stick it to the inside of your door. Get the ones with the bright, neon colors; post them where you have to see them. Need to make an urgent call first thing in the morning? Leave a Post-It Note on your telephone. Need an oil change, need to pay a ticket; leave a Post-It Note on the windshield.

9. Create Visual memory joggers. Visual reminders will help you remember and stay focused. Use visual reminders for remembering your goals. If your goal is to take a trip to a Barcelona or Tahiti in a few years, keep a magazine photograph of Barcelona right on your desk or on your refrigerator. If your goal is to lose 25 lbs. in five months, maybe a current picture of the successful new you or for some of us the old de-motivated you is motivation enough to stop the procrastination and move towards your goals.

10. Use timers and alarms. Take advantage of all the electronics that you carry with you. Who doesn’t have an alarm on their cell phone? Do what I do, set alarm clocks and timers throughout your day. Have a 30 minute activity; make sure it doesn’t run over its allocated time for the day. Want to leave for the ladies luncheon by 6 p.m.? Set your cell phone to beep a few minutes before it is time to go and jog your new no procrastination mindset. Make sure you get to the next activity on your schedule.

11. Multitask better. Not enough time in the day, but you need to get more done. The key to successful multitasking is to plan two activities in advance and avoid giving precedence to more interesting, easier, and less urgent tasks. Look at your to do list and combine activities. When going up stairs, take something, there is always something waiting. Do your laundry and exercise. As mentioned in step above, set your alarm and create your wash and exercise period of the day. The key is planning not random multitasking.

12. Do not forget time is money. Time is a precious commodity so remember that the reason we work is to use time to make money and feel a sense of accomplishment. Stop waiting until the very last minute to start working. Why not make the most efficient use of time and improve your chances of making more money in less time. Why self sabotage you? Procrastination means you are being inefficient and therefore stopping yourself from reaching your goals. Build success through the use time and money will follow.

Learn to use your mind, your friends and your colleagues to help you stop procrastinating. We need to force ourselves to use the tools and technologies of the day to help support us in reaching our goals.



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Dennis Harting asked:

Procrastination is something that we all are affected by periodically. To some degree, it is quite normal to put activities off. However, the key is to do it periodically. Everyone has days where he or she simply does not feel like do anything. I am sure that you have experienced the lazy Saturday or Sunday spent watching old movies on television. After viewing 3 movies, you suddenly realize that you ‘wasted’ the entire day. There is nothing wrong with this behavior if it is well deserved. When people work extremely hard, they merit having time off. In fact, success coaches all proclaim the benefits of taking time for you. Again, the important factor is to earn it.

Most people are also afflicted with the occasional desire to put off an unenviable task. In life there are things that most want to avoid. For example, the majority of managers do not want to rush out and fire someone. There are a few who really like it. However, many dislike this task. Naturally, this is a part of the business process. Yet, it is a common desire to want to avoid it for as long as possible. However, most people will handle the situation in a timely manner. For them, the procrastination is a temporary affliction.

Procrastination becomes an issue when it done with regularity. This seemingly minor habit has horrific consequences when left unchecked. As time passes, the tendency to put things off gets to the point where it starts to paralyze one emotionally and psychologically. It is often an indicator of an underlying psychological disorder.

What makes procrastination so dangerous is the subtlety that it maneuvers through our lives. As mentioned, it is a habit. Procrastination is ingrained deeply into us by decades of inactivity. What began as a mild condition can evolve into an uncontrollable animal. For some, it assumes total control of one’s life. The ability to take meaningful action is taken away. In spite of the overwhelming desire to complete the assigned task, the person finds that he or she is incapable of it. This is similar to other destructive habits that have progressed to far. An alcoholic finds that one day he or she cannot stop drinking. The smoker tries to quit only start up again after a short period of time. Our habits unassumingly dictate the actions we take.

Procrastination becomes a mindset for many people. There are some who instinctively get busy whenever something arises. These are the ‘doers’ in the world. They jump right on a project as soon as it is assigned. At the same time, there is an entirely different group of people who have the exact opposite mindset. Their default thought process is ‘later’ or ‘tomorrow’. Whenever they are confronted with something that needs attention, the mind says “I will get to that later’. In the early stages they might actually do it. Yet, for some, they advance to the point that they never take the action. Hence the electric is cut off even though they had the money to pay it. Putting things off becomes the natural pattern. Getting something done requires conscious thought.

Why do people put activities off? What causes us to lack the desire to get something done? Simply, there are two motivating factors that drive people. The first is laziness. This usually deals with the incidental tasks that need little effort. The person is completely capable of handling what is avoided. A prime example is changing a burnt out light bulb. The total time to finish this activity is probably less than two minutes. Being lazy causes us to put handling this situation off to a later time. Of course, 3 months later we are still awaiting the time to arrive. Usually we overcome the laziness when something outside ourselves exerts a little pressure; i.e. the spouse. Suddenly the pain of not getting it done becomes magnified.

The second reason people procrastinate is due to fear. When we are confronted with a situation that needs our attention, we project negatively into the future. Our mind tricks us into thinking of all the bad things that are going to go wrong. It pushes us into a state of insanity since there is no possible way to know how things will transpire. We look at the circumstances and imagine the very worst thing happening. Given enough practice, we will acquire the capability to ‘know’ this will be the outcome. Ironically, situations rarely, if ever, work out as badly as we view them. The fear that we experience is a figment of our imaginations. It is not real. This is what makes this habit so insane. We are stopped by something that has as much substance as the Easter Bunny. Fear is a picture in our mind that we believe to be reality. It is this picture that causes us to procrastinate.

Procrastination is destructive since it stops us from acting. Depending on the severity of the habit, it can ruin any dreams that a person has. It is also the one characteristic that is guaranteed to keep you from success. To achieve success in any area of life, action is required. Procrastination, by its very definition, promotes inactivity. Webster defines it as ‘to put off doing something until later; delay’. It is working in the direction opposite of success. Overcoming this perilous habit is one of the first steps in moving towards success.

Part 2 of this article covers a series of ways to overcome this awful habit. It can be viewed in the ‘free download’ section at http://www.yourrichlifeinc.com.

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June Carr asked:

Without warning, the TV blinked, swallowed its flickering image, and I was alone in the dark, power off in the neighborhood. There had been warnings of an approaching storm, but none tore me from the latest “new release” from Blockbuster. Smiling news teams spoke with fervor… “thunderstorms” they said, “would soon march like soldiers across the viewing area. They preached ‘caution’ and foretold hail stones Tiger Woods could have used. Had I listened, I’d have had ample time to gather candles, batteries and food, but not me, I wasn’t worried, plus the flickering lightning and growling rumbles added ambiance to the movie.

So I sat pondering, alone for a moment with my thoughts, then reached out for my trusty flashlight… “Now where is that thing?” Eyes straining, I groped in the dark, waiting for the next lightning flash to guide me. “Ahhh, there it is…, WHAT!… dead batteries… *&^%$. There must be some candles somewhere… matches?… *&^%$”

I wasn’t prepared for ‘the perfect storm’, hammering my windows. Instead I was prepared to veg out in front of the TV. That in itself is no sin, but finding myself at the mercy of Mother Nature and the local power company, was. Why wasn’t I ready? Sometimes, even when I know better, I can give anyone a solid run for 1st prize in procrastination. I’d heard the quote; you probably have too, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” But the venerable Thomas Jefferson doesn’t live in the hectic world of today. Never mind he ran the country, organized the Louisiana Purchase, slashed spending and became an icon of history, what has he accomplished lately? I’m not alone, there are many who have thoughts rattling through their brain, saying “it’s okay, watch the TV now…, do the dishes later, or any of hundreds other things. Mow the lawn? Let me take a nap first. Do some exercise? Better have a cup of java (read two or three) first. Write an article (that’s me)… let me run to the store first. Run to the store…? Gotta catch some zzzzzzs first.

It’s a cycle of procrastination that some fend off and others yield to its lure. But when I’m victorious and actually accomplish a project… ahh what a feeling. I don’t know for certain, however I believe endorphins are released when we accomplish a goal; it just flat out feels good. Its spring as I write this; birds are singing, bees buzzing, flowers blooming, its time to get in gear. Spring is the time of new beginnings and with that thought, here are ten steps that have helped me to get off my… (well you know) and get the job done. And remember, I’m writing this for myself, as well as you. “Hi, I’m June and I’m a procrastinator”. “Hi June”!

1. Don’t be negative. Be positive. Instead of criticizing yourself and affixing mental labels; lazy for instance. Reward yourself for taking baby steps in the RIGHT direction.

2. Prioritize. This is the 21st century, we’re all busy and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Put first things first and you’ll find you’re accomplishing more than you’d have believed.

3. Turn off the TV. Better stated, remove yourself from situations and/or people that encourage you to procrastinate. I’m not saying give up on your procrastinating brother, sister, or friend; just put YOUR life and priorities first.

4. You’re part of an elite group. College degree or high school dropout, money to burn or struggling to pay the bills, almost everyone procrastinates at one time or another; it’s part of the human psyche. Accept the fact you’re part of the species, a species of procrastination and also of GREATNESS. Focus on the latter.

5. Ever trained a dog? If they’re doing something wrong, and you plan on discipline, you MUST catch them in the act. Use the same philosophy with yourself; when you feel you’re procrastinating, acknowledge the fact. Once you’re aware of how your mind is working… take a deep breath and decide to finish a task, be it small or large. Remember to congratulate yourself.

6. Your subconscious is a TREMENDOUS tool. Properly trained it WILL work constantly to lead you toward success. It’s a simple process to learn methods to accomplish this and well worth the effort.

7. Are you rich or poor? And I don’t mean just money. Think for a moment, what is procrastination costing you? Have you alienated friends, hurt your credit rating, missed apportionments, left assignments un-finished. If so, don’t beat yourself up; but do use this as motivation for improvement.

8. I don’t want to side step into religion, but there was a reason Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs. Procrastination? Maybe not, but it always helps to partner with someone. Having a responsibility to someone, helps get the job done.

9. Baby Steps. If you’re a veteran procrastinator, you won’t make a stellar transformation overnight, take small steps. Remember “the longest journey starts with the first step”.

10. You’re a bright, intelligent and happy person. And if you don’t feel that way now, you will as you BEGIN. That IS the key… begin. Once you begin ‘walking the walk’, you’ll find that journey’s end will get closer, and self-esteem will grow greater with each passing day.

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