Pat Brill asked:


Copyright (c) 2008 Pat Brill

Over time we have developed habits to deal with many areas of our lives. What thoughts we think, what we do, how we do it or if we do it are all indicators of our habits. All repetitive activities seem to generate a habit.

What about the “procrastination” habit? Basically, procrastination is defined as avoiding doing a task that needs to be done…putting the activity off until tomorrow.

When you create a “procrastination” habit, you reduce your ability to function effectively. This habit is controlling you and can be a hard habit to break. If you believe that procrastination is an issue in your life, what would it look like to no longer choose to resist doing something?

Use the 4-step process below to help you stop resisting what is important for you to do…one small step at a time.

Step 1: Evaluation

Generally, most of us don’t procrastinate with everything we do, rather we have select areas that we are more apprehensive about and resist handling them effectively. The resistance could be in the form of just not doing it or doing the activity at the very last moment when the pressure is on.

Take the time to do some honest self-assessment around the areas of procrastination in your life. Remember, you probably don’t procrastinate around everything you do, so create a list of those areas that you resist…and how you go about it. For example, you resist completing a report at work (your issue) and you wait until the last moment (how you procrastinate). Look to see if there are any themes in your procrastination as it will help you better understand what is motivating you to procrastinate.

As you create this list, eliminate the need to judge yourself. This is an assessment and judgments will block your ability to make any changes.

Most of the time people procrastinate because they are fearful of their performance, have not judged correctly how much time an activity will take, have too many activities on their To Do lists, or get overwhelmed by the project and don’t know how to break it down.

Step 2: Selection

Overcoming the procrastination habit takes time. It’s best to start slow. Choose an area that can be managed. Keep it simple so you are successful in your quest to decreasing your need to procrastinate.

For example, what if you procrastinate around paying the bills? What could you put in place that would help you handle this issue more effectively?

Here is a simple system to handle the bill paying process:

-When bills come in, where do they go? Choose one place to put the bills immediately.

-How often do you pay the bills? Choose a weekly, every two weeks, or monthly system…whatever system that allows you to be on time with paying the bills.

-Select a day/time that you regularly sit down to pay your bills. Put this time in your calendar. Choose a time that you can actually perform the work. If you have children, choosing Saturday afternoon may not be realistic, whereas, Monday night at 8:00 pm could be perfect.

What if you are trying to do too much?

-Select 3 “must do’s” each day and tackle them first.

-If you have more time, add 2 more tasks and complete them.

-Over time you will see a list of activities that keep being pushed forward to another day. Now is the time to evaluate whether they are important to you or you need to let them go. If they are important, can you delegate some of your tasks to someone who would be willing to assist you?

Step 3: Share It

Tell others what you are trying to do…and ask for their support. Think about how they can best support you. I find that when I reach out to others I receive some great ideas that help me be more effective with my commitment. Maybe you can find another “procrastinator” and buddy up to support each other in change.

Step 4: Celebrate

Reward yourself for accomplishing what you set out to do. Know before you start what you will reward yourself with. As soon as you accomplish your small goal, celebrate by rewarding yourself.

Make sure the reward is something you like to do. Time is always an issue for most people, so your reward needs to be realistic…something you can do in an hour. Take a bubble bath, buy a new book, or make time to read your favorite magazine.

Final Thought

There really isn’t a tomorrow, only a today. Choose what is important to you today.

Remember, small steps are wonderful and bring more energy into your life. This is your personal journey in creating more joy in your life.



BUSINESS LOANS BANKS ARE SAYING NO, We CAN SAY YES! Get up to $100K

Peter Vermeeren asked:


Everyone of us will find ourselves procrastinating from time to time. We put off doing things that perhaps we do not want to do, or we just do not get around to completing a project until it becomes a rush job and then the job gets done, but often not as well as it would have been, had we taken the time to do it properly. For most people this happens from time to time and is not a major issue for us.

If you are one of those people who procrastinate regularly, you may be interested in this article to hear about ways regarding how to stop procrastinating. This article reviews some of the challenges as well as methods that people use to try to avoid procrastination.

In order to understand procrastination, we first must understand what procrastination actually means before we examine how to stop procrastinating. As defined in the dictionary, procrastination is defined as the deferment or avoidance of an action or a task, which requires completion by focusing on some other task or activity. Procrastination can contribute to increased stress as well as guilt for many individuals. Chronic procrastination can be not only increase the stress in your life, but may also be an indicator of some other physiological or psychological issue in your life.

So, how to stop procrastinating, begins with figuring out what is the underlying reason for your procrastination. There are a multitude of reasons and we will list some of these here, however fundamentally you need to figure out what is contributing to your need to avoid or delay things. Procrastination can be caused by avoiding difficult tasks in favor of easier tasks, intense fear of failure, social self consciousness, anxiety, low moods, working too much, perfectionists who are unwilling to start something because they fear not completing the task to their satisfaction, underlying mental health issues, compulsive behavior such as spending too much time playing games, and a host of other reasons that contribute to putting things off until another day. Readers should examine their reasons for delaying something and if it is related to mental health issues seek professional help.

There are a number of steps also that readers can consider helping them avoid procrastination. Fundamentally the process is to identify the reasons for the negative behavior, set goals that are realistic and then make progress to achieving these goals. Even if you have to set small goals and make progress you will be heading in the right direction. One helpful trick is to use the five-minute method. Basically, start a task that you have an aversion for with the idea that you will spend 5 productive minutes working at this task. Just starting the task will reduce some of the anxiety you have and make it easier to continue. Continue in 5 minute chunks, gradually increasing the time you spend until the task is completed.

There are various types of procrastination including perfectionism, academic procrastination, relaxed procrastination and the tense afraid type. Each takes a different approach to procrastination and requires various solutions to getting on with the task. The five-minute rule works well for many of these types of procrastination.



BUSINESS LOANS BANKS ARE SAYING NO, We CAN SAY YES! Get up to $100K

Dennis Harting asked:


In my studies of human development, I found that procrastination destroys more things than any other single element. If this habit gets out of control, it ruins marriages, careers, relationships, and self worth. Over time, it has the capability to grow until it completely paralyzes an individual. The effect equally devastates the people doing the procrastinating and all others around them.

Everyone procrastinates to a certain degree. It is a natural human tendency to put some things off, especially those activities we deem negative. Where this habit becomes a problem is when it becomes the default mindset. As children, we are inclined to do things the moment that we think of them. The “do it now” mentality is prevalent. The concept of time is not well formed, thus the child lives completely in the moment. Of course, as we age, this all changes.

As we mature, we learn certain lessons. These lessons are taught in a variety of ways. However, the overall message is that responsible people do a lot of things they do not enjoy. To show us how this work, most of us are given chores to do while growing up. Tasks such as mowing the lawn, taking out the garbage, setting the table, and doing the dishes suddenly are assigned to us. Naturally, the desire to go out and play is stronger than the will to do these things. The reason is playing is fun while chores are not. It is in this way that many of us encounter our first opportunity to procrastinate,

Obviously there is a vast difference between putting off the mowing of the lawn and not paying the electric bill. Yet, when we follow the progression of this deadly habit, we clearly see how one arrives at this destination. We simply do not start out as procrastinators. However, as the unenviable tasks that require our attention mount in our lives, we begin to put more and more off. It starts with the lawn. From there we develop the practice of leaving our school assignments until the night before they are due. This action is duplicated when given a project in the workplace. Some of us even revel in the reputation that we gain as being able to complete things at the last moment. Unfortunately, many of us realize that procrastination creates a great deal of stress in our lives.

Procrastination is a habit. Like all other habits, it becomes ingrained in us over time. The more we engage in it, the deeper it spreads it roots. It is not uncommon for procrastination to completely dominate someones thought process. Instead of having a do it now mentality, the default mindset is to put the activity off. “Later” and “tomorrow” are commonly uttered responses when questioned about the task being avoided.

There are two factors that drive us to procrastinate. When simple activities are put off, laziness is the motivator. Basically, we do not want to do it. We can complete the tasks with ease yet just cannot seem to motivate ourselves to do it. Fortunately, this is usually a short lived situation. Once the motivation to act returns, the activity is quickly completed.

The other motivator is fear. Most situations where procrastination is present is based out of this emotion. When confronted with a task, we project into the future negatively. Our mind focuses upon how everything will not work out for us. This creates a degree of fear. When it is great enough, we start to put the action off. This will occur until the pain of putting it off is greater than the pain associated with taking the action.

Repeating this scenario is what causes us to be paralyzed by procrastination. At first, only the most difficult of tasks are avoided. However, as the habit develops, we default to the idea of putting things off. When this point is reached, the individual is most likely unaware of the severity of the procrastination. It is operating at a subconscious level. The result is the inability to take the action necessary to move forward. While this persists, the quality of life decreases as all areas become infected with this tendency.

Awareness is the beginning of the overcoming of this tragic habit. Monitor those areas where you have a tendency to procrastinate to bring a level of consciousness to your shortcomings, Then take action to complete the task in spite of what your mind is telling you. It is the key to success.



BUSINESS LOANS BANKS ARE SAYING NO, We CAN SAY YES! Get up to $100K

J Seymour asked:


A Hypnosis MP3 or CD can help you stop procrastination. You may procrastinate out of sheer habit or you might have inner beliefs and fears that block you ability to follow through. You can quit putting things off and get on with your successful endeavors though and anti-procrastinating crusade that begins with your mind.

Procrastination Thinking Patterns

The first thing you need to address is your thought patterns in order to stop procrastination. This is the source of your procrastinating tendencies. If you take a behavioral approach to this problem, you focus on getting results. The best way to change your behaviors is to change the underlying thought processes that lead to the behaviors.

This requires going into the subconscious mind in order to achieve maximum results. This realm of thought is typically beyond your control. You can take years using cognitive therapy and psychoanalysis in order to achieve the results in your subconscious mind. These approaches seem much like procrastination in how long it takes to complete them.

Psychoanalysis and Cognitive Therapy

There may be underlying reasons for your tendency to procrastinate. Procrastinating is a learned behavior that may be rooted in habit and it also may be rooted in deep fears. You may fear completing tasks because you are uncomfortable with endings. When something ends, you feel a deep emptiness.

You may also have the procrastinating tendencies because you are afraid of failure. You can’t fail at something you never complete. You may have fear of success as well. Fearing success is a complex issue that can take a long time to overcome. Psychoanalysis and cognitive therapy are useful approaches to tackling these issues.

Stop Procrastination

Self-hypnosis is the ideal approach whether used alone or with other therapeutic approaches like cognitive therapy and psychoanalysis. Hypnosis is superior, though, because it is results-orientated. The focus isn’t on working through the deeply rooted reasons for the behavior.

The focus is on replacing negative thought processes with positive, more productive ones. You can work through your fears and deep-rooted reasons at your own pace. Hypnosis provides a viable tool that gets fast results. You automatically change your patterns of thought and your habits without taking time analyzing the situation.

Using a Hypnosis MP3

A hypnotic recording is a fantastic approach that helps you create new behaviors automatically and without effort. All you need to do is to relax and listen, allowing the suggestions to enter your subconscious mind. The changes take place automatically. Following are some ideas to get you started to stop procrastination.

Joseph Clough’s masterful recording found here – Stop Procrastination – offers the guidance and support you need to overcome procrastination and complete tasks. Other excellent selections that offer a wide range of solutions are available here – Hypnosis MP3. Just follow the links for more information.



BUSINESS LOANS BANKS ARE SAYING NO, We CAN SAY YES! Get up to $100K

Deon Du Plessis asked:


The universal law of cause and effect is visible everywhere. The effects, or the evidence, is mostly what we can see and what we experience, while the cause is often more far reaching and indirect. Nevertheless, we can always trace the effect back to a cause. Most people end up blaming circumstances on ‘coincidence’ or ‘luck’ or ‘chance’, but in reality all these effects are nothing but a natural law asserting itself.

On a very practical level we are all very familiar with the concept of action and reaction. For every action there is an equal, but opposite re-action. This is one of the laws that Isaac Newton uncovered and is still one of the most fundamental laws by which this universe we live in is governed. On a much more metaphysical level the law of action and reaction, or cause and effect, also holds true. In the ancient eastern philosophy it was referred to as the law of Karma, where every single action will come back to you in like kind. Like a boomerang, what you put out will come right back at you, although it’s often disguised as something else.

A lot of the ‘effects’ in your life are caused by this strange human phenomenon called procrastination. Although it’s quite obvious that every action has a reaction, it’s a little less obvious that every in-action also has a re-action. It is not just what you do that makes the difference in your life, but also what you fail to do. Procrastination is that strange (lack of) behaviour where you want to do something, but still you don’t. The question that arises is ‘what are the causes and effects of procrastination?’ Well, there are many. Let’s look at three of the most common causes and effects of procrastination, keeping in mind that for every cause there is an effect.

Cause and Effect #1: The Fear Of Failure

The fear of failure is a major cause for procrastination. In fact, all forms of procrastination has some kind of fear at it’s roots. The fear of failure is a common fear that we all share. As human beings, we are not designed to fail. We are designed to consistently progress and improve. This fear then keeps you locked up in procrastination as a way of keeping your from failing. The effect of this form of procrastination then is quite obvious: failure to utilize opportunities. If you don’t act on opportunities they aren’t really opportunities are they? It is never a case of whether opportunity is knocking, but rather a case of whether you are acting on this opportunity and utilizing it.

Cause And Effect #2: Feeling Overwhelmed

We all have a limited mental and emotional capacity. Just like your physical capacity, you have a limit to what you can take on at any given time, and only you know what that limit is. When you overload yourself physically, your body usually breaks down in some form or another. When you overload yourself mentally and emotionally, your mind will intervene, usually in the form of procrastination, to keep you from a ‘mental overload’. The effects of this form of procrastination is that you start to avoid tasks, especially the important ones that you know you ‘must’ do.

Cause And Effect #3: Postponing Important Tasks

Procrastinators are actively seeking out diversions, no because they are lazy, but because at some level they fear the task that they are avoiding. By postponing a task you actually ‘lie’ to yourself. Instead of giving up or quitting – all you are doing is to make yourself feel a little better by saying ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’. By postponing important tasks, you postpone important results. Remember that for every cause there is an effect and when you postpone the actions you also postpone the results.

The are no definitive answers to what are the causes and effects of procrastination, as the effects are often far reaching. The simple fact is that without positive and constructive action on a consistent basis, you will rarely produce any significant results. Procrastination is what keeps you immobilized and locked up in where you are. To get to where you want to be, you have to break free and break out of this mould. You can overcome procrastination and you can learn to develop both your mental and emotional capacity to take your life to a whole new level you never thought possible before.



BUSINESS LOANS BANKS ARE SAYING NO, We CAN SAY YES! Get up to $100K