STOP Procrastinating and Get Things Done Now!

By Ted Behr, M. Ed., CPCC

Expressway to Success

http://ExpresswaytoSuccess.com

CoachTed@TedBehr.com

Do you remember the last time you accomplished one of your goals? Maybe it was an item checked off your list this morning, or maybe it was a big one, like buying a house, finishing school or launching a business. Once it was done, do you remember how you felt? Did you feel alive, lighter and full of pizzazz, like you could take on the whole world? You probably felt lit up to do other things, to shape up other areas of your life, and turn more of your dreams into realities. It felt GREAT, didn’t it? And, if you’re like anyone else, accomplishing that goal took focus, dedication, planning, persistence and patience. In short, it required you to be proactive. Dictionary.com defines proactivity as:

“Serving to prepare for, intervene in, or control an expected occurrence or situation.”

In layman’s terms, it means, “you’ve got to get ready and take charge to make things happen.” Of course, the opposite of getting ready and taking charge is procrastination. Procrastination is a little devil that shows up for everyone at some point or another, and always more often than you’d like for it to. It robs you of confidence, kills off your opportunities, and keeps your dreams just out of your reach. This special report is designed to help you understand what procrastination is, see the ways that it shows up in your life, and give you some powerful tools to help you move from procrastination to proactivity anytime, in any situation. Let’s start first with the definition of procrastination.

What is Procrastination? Procrastination is…never mind - I’ll tell you what it is later. We all know what procrastination is! Every time you delay doing something important, you’re procrastinating. When you re-organize your sock drawer instead of finishing an assignment, that’s procrastination. When you play video games on your phone instead

of calling about a job, that’s procrastination. Procrastination, simply put, is time wasted. Procrastination is so common and prevailing that when BBC News issued a story on it, they got more reader response than almost ever before.

“I started decorating the bathroom in 2000 when I moved in to this house. The tins of paint are still on display 12 years later and the work awaits completion. I still haven't decided what color towels I'm having.” ~ Caroline, Wirral “A friend of mine, who I'll call "Dave" (because that was his name) said he would do anything to avoid A-level revision. At one point he infamously found himself weighing the cat, convinced that he would only be able to settle down to work if he had that data to hand. To this day, my family still refers to procrastination as ‘weighing the cat.’” ~ Ian Whitten, Sittingbourne, Kent “When we first got married, my wife brought home a whiteboard on which we could list the jobs that needed to be done. About a year later it disappeared. Just before our silver wedding anniversary, I found the whiteboard in our garage. There were about 20 jobs on it. None of them had been done - and most of them still needed to be done.” ~ Steve Swift, Alton, Hampshire

While procrastination stories can be pretty funny, the act of procrastination itself can also be painful, life-draining, and in many cases, heartbreaking. Chronic procrastinators have been known to lose jobs, ruin marriages, and throw away dreams, all because they couldn’t pull the trigger and make “it” happen. In order to overcome procrastination and start getting things done NOW, it’s essential to get your procrastination habits and patterns right out in front of you, where you can recognize them as soon as they arise, and make new choices that support your goals, dreams and visions. Statistically speaking, you are most proactive when you’re aligned with your dreams. Proactivity comes from knowing the big picture, acknowledging the importance of taking bold strides toward it, and recognizing the small steps you can take right now to get started. Procrastination comes from your natural desire to run away from responsibility, avoid your greatness, play small, and live hidden in the shadows. It’s a pattern of action rooted in fear, plain and simple, and it will defeat you every time…until you shine the lights on it and deal with it.

Procrastination is also insidious. You put off some simple little task in favor of doing something more mindless and enjoyable. Then you think of something else you need to do, and put that off too. That’s about the time that you get that little feeling… You know, deep down, that you’re not doing what you’re supposed to do, and it starts eating at you, wearing down your confidence, self-esteem and personal fortitude. Eventually, you’re stuck on the couch unsure where to even start, and it seems impossible to get anything done. You feel like a failure. And the more you procrastinate, the worse you feel. From the time that you were young and put off washing the dishes or mowing the lawn until your parents made you do it, through those teenage years when you slacked on writing papers and doing homework to the detriment of your grades, and right up until now, as you put off finishing those assignments for work, or calling those leads, or starting that health regimen…procrastination has been robbing you of life force, making your days far more difficult than necessary.

Why do we put off the good stuff? It’s easy to understand why we might not want to clean the gutters, ask our boss for a raise, or have that challenging conversation with our spouse. Those things are all scary. But why do we put off activities that are more rewarding like earning money, planning a vacation, writing that book that’s burning inside of you, or getting healthy with exercise and delicious, good nutrition? These things all feel good, and benefit our lives, so why would we procrastinate on them? Simple. It boils down to two things.

Timing & Resistance The first one’s easy to understand: The timing is just off. Your plate is full, your schedule is packed, and you simply don’t have time to make it to the gym, prepare home-cooked food or write the next great American novel. You’ll get started on that art project just as soon as this deal is closed. You’ll finish that lucrative assignment just as soon as you’re done helping your friend figure out her love life. There is only so much time in a day, after all, and right now you’re BUSY. Or, you start moving on a goal, then something inevitably gets in the way - an emergency pops up, you get sick, or you get a new assignment at work - and before you know it, you’ve missed your window of opportunity. The truth is this: there’s always something else to do. The timing is never 100% right. Simply put, we have time for the things we make time for. Making time for noble pursuits can be a challenge, so here are a few tips to help you ease the process along:

1. Whatever you need to do, put it on your calendar.

Set aside a time and date to get started, then once you’ve begun, set another appointment for the next productivity session. Uber-successful comedian, Jerry Seinfeld famously attributed his success to “not breaking the chain.” He made time to write jokes every day, then he would mark a big red X on a paper calendar once the day’s jokes were written. Every day lengthened that chain of red Xs, and his job was to simply not break the chain. P.S. Here’s a little no-brainer that seems to slip through the cracks for most people: make sure that you schedule in a cushion of time to allow for transition (driving, eating, incidentals, etc). This will save you from unnecessary stress.

2. Give yourself a Power Hour. Studies have shown that we are most productive during the first hour of any work session. With that in mind, set a timer for 60 minutes and knock out as much as you can. Once the hour is up, take a break and reward yourself. You can play a video game, do some pushups, eat a snack, or whatever else you do as a reward for a job well done. In order to maximize your power hour, set yourself up for sustainable success by placing a glass of water, cup of coffee and/or good music close at hand. And unless your task is phone-related, be sure to turn the blasted thing off. Which brings up our next point…

3. Establish clear boundaries If you’re around other people, be sure to communicate that you’ll be focusing on your work for X amount of time. Shut your door, silence your phone, and turn off your email. Let the world know that you’re not available right now.

4. Recommit If you’ve missed your window or skipped your scheduled productivity appointment, make a new commitment. It really helps to tell someone, whether that’s a boss, co-worker, or simply an accountability partner. That way you’re not just held accountable by a “should” in your head, you have someone who will check up on you. It’s harder to skip out on your commitments when you know you’re going to have to talk about them later.

The second reason that you put off what you know is good for you is Resistance, with a capital R. The bigger your dreams, the bigger your resistance will be. Some call it your saboteur, shadow, or gremlin, but what it boils down to is that inside you this is a force of energy that desires to keep things from changing.

This fear of change most often manifests as procrastination. If you never get started, things never have to change. But logically that sounds absurd, doesn’t it? After all, everything is constantly changing, so you either choose which direction you’d like to go, or the direction will be chosen at random for you by circumstance. This is where procrastination shows its insidious nature yet again. Procrastination subtly says, “OF COURSE you’re going to take action and shape your life the way you want it. You’ll just start doing it tomorrow.” And resistance wins. As an agent of Resistance, procrastination shows up in a wide variety of ways. As you read the following list, take note of any traits that feel familiar.

• Overwhelm o You’ve taken on too much, and now you’re confused, tired and shutting

down.

• Above the task o You’re way too good for this menial work, and now you’re bored by it. o Or maybe you’re disconnected…this project isn’t even speaking your

language. o Perhaps you’re distracted by more pressing concerns; like drama at the

office, trouble at home, or whether or not you should quit this job.

• Perfectionism o You don’t have the tools and resources you need to do this thing the

right way, so you burn a lot of time envisioning what those resources might be and seeking them out in the farthest nooks and crannies of the world.

o Or, you have to make sure that every single aspect of this task is perfect before you can call it complete…and it’s just never good enough.

• Ill-Preparedness o You’re sick, disorganized or too distracted right now, and you can’t

move forward with your work until you are more ready. o This desk/house/floor must be SPOTLESS before you can begin. o You haven’t done enough research/taken enough classes/met the right

people to really get started on this project…and you never will.

If any of those sounded familiar, give yourself a high-5! Your procrastination is now out in the open, where you can clearly see it and begin to address it.

So how do you beat your procrastination habit? The best way to overcome procrastination is to simply sit down and get to work…but let’s be honest, if it were that easy you wouldn’t be reading this report. Below is a list of tactics and techniques that have literally helped millions of people overcome procrastination. Be careful, though…one of the most dangerous ways to procrastinate is to burn all of your time “overcoming” procrastination.

Pick one or two of these tips, use them, and as soon as you get that little spark of motivation, run with it. It doesn’t take much to start a fire of productivity.

Tip 1: See the big picture. No matter what seemingly menial task you’re working on, it supports a grander vision. Focus on the bigger picture to find meaning in your tasks. Cleaning out the gutters saves you from the headache of roof repairs down the road. Finishing your resume is the first step to getting a job that creates the financial freedom that you need to travel and save for retirement. Exercising and eating right gives you the strength to serve others, play with your children, and feel your best. If necessary, stop and meditate on the bigger picture for 2-5 minutes. When done, dial back in to the task at hand and get to work.

Tip 2: Prepare for your work. Here’s an experiment…the next time you find yourself avoiding a task, try the following.

• Set the stage for maximum productivity. As mentioned before: clear your workstation, put on some music (music without lyrics or binaural beats work great for focus and creativity), get a glass of water, and turn the rest of the world off.

Then…

• Write out what you will accomplish in this session. The literal opposite of procrastination is anticipation. Plan ahead and get excited, and you’ll get a lot more done.

Put procrastination to work for you, and it transforms into preparation.

Tip 3: Eat the elephant. There’s an old proverb that states that there’s only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time. Break your big tasks or projects down into bite-sized pieces, put those little steps in your calendar or on your list, then cross them off one by one when you complete them. The feeling of accomplishment that you get from each completed task will fuel the next, and the next, and soon enough, the elephant is gone.

Tip 4: Outsmart yourself. Procrastination is tricky, so sometimes you have to be trickier than it. Pick another, more enjoyable task as your “procrastination project.” When you don’t feel like tackling task A, start doing task B. Once you’re on a roll and in the middle of task B, switch back to task A, with all the fire and enthusiasm of your procrastination project. The momentum you gain from doing something fun will make it far easier to get into whatever you’ve been putting off.

Tip 5: Buddy up.

Whatever the task, it is almost always more fun and productive when it’s done with someone else. While it’s a good idea to hire a personal trainer or a professional coach to help you accomplish your big goals, day-to-day accountability and support can easily be found in your friends, family and co-workers. Sometimes it helps to simply have someone else in the room working at the same time as you. The energy of productivity is contagious. It also helps to state your goals and intentions out loud, then have someone check in with you periodically. No matter how you approach it, the old adage stands true: Friends make everything better.

Remember: At the end of the day, any trick in anyone’s book exists solely to help you find your way back to the simplest and most effective trick of all - to knuckle down and get it done.

Conclusion This special report was designed to help you understand your habits of procrastination, and more importantly, how it shows up in your life and how to have the power to overcome it. Keep in mind that you’re not alone. From every great artist, leader, entrepreneur, college student, moms and worker-bee, you’ve never met, EVERYBODY has faced the beast of procrastination. It’s only by taking small but continuous actions that anything ever gets done. If you continue to move forward, and harness your focus, dedication, persistence and patience, I promise, you can and will move out of the grey, dull pits of procrastination to the glorious, golden mountaintops of productive proactivity…and in so doing, reap all of the rewards and accolades that accomplishment naturally brings. You don’t have to wait until you feel heightened, alive, and motivated to take on your dreams. You don’t have to wait until you feel you can conquer the world. You simply have to take the next step, and keep building your chain of accomplishment. You are made of the same clay, stardust and miraculous molecular material as any other great visionary, notable adventurer or accomplished achiever, and you can do this. You can repair damaged relationships, prepare yourself for the next opportunity, and transform yourself into a known go-getter by simply practicing the tips and techniques shared in this special report. No matter what, no matter when, you can beat procrastination and accomplish your goals and dreams. And when you do, you’ll be back on top of the world, full of pop and pizzazz, all lit up and ready to take on the world.

You’ve got this. Now go get it.

When I started working with Coach Ted, I was quite disorganized. I am a high school teacher and because of my ADD, I was always rushing to get papers back to my students in a timely fashion and lost whole weekends in a frenzy to get my grades in on time. My mail was in a big a pile leading me to pay bills late and incur late charges. I can assure anyone that Ted’s system works. Now I get my papers back and grades in on time (or early). I pay my bills on time, I have been spending many hours on my art, and my mother is a happy camper because the DR table is clear. I’m simply not the same person I was a year ago. Then I was at the mercy of my ADHD symptoms and now I’m empowered. “Coach Ted is amazing, funny and brilliant! In fact, magical! He is exceptionally smart, focused and has an uncanny ability to establish the trust needed to make it possible for me to be honest – the honesty required to improve.” – Martha M., Educator, Somerville, MA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I work with adults who struggle with ADHD. I help them get focused, organized and productive so that they can enjoy a successful, secure and fulfilling life. I struggled with ADHD until I learned how it worked and how to deal with it, and I now am passionate about helping others with ADHD live happier and more fulfilled lives. As a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach with additional training in ADD/ADHD coaching, I apply what I've learned in 20 years of coaching and my experience of living with ADHD to help my clients overcome the challenges of their ADHD. I help them to build on their strengths in order to become effective and productive in their lives. For more information and answers to your questions,

you can contact me at CoachTed@TedBehr.com. Also check out my Website www.expresswaytosuccess.com.

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“STOP Procrastinating and Get Things Done Now!”

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I signed on with Coach Ted because I was struggling with overwhelm and difficulty maintaining focus. I was looking for more structure and tools. In the time I spent in coaching with Ted, I have put some concrete plans into place and I have a weekly system that allows me to break things into smaller steps. I found Ted to be patient, kind, funny, and compassionate. He really knows his stuff. I really appreciate his vulnerability and the fact that he is both kind and held me accountable. I want others to know that it really is possible to get a handle on the things that feel so big and overwhelming. – Aki R., Parent Coach, San Francisco, CA

I’m particularly grateful for Ted’s broad knowledge of how to organize one’s life. He has helped reduce my feelings of overwhelm by having me stay focused on smaller chunks rather than trying to take on everything at once. Ted has been invaluable, patient and resourceful. I’ve made a lot of progress with Ted and look forward to more success in the future. I highly recommend Ted as a personal as well as organizational coach. – Dr. John B., Clinical Psychologist, Hampton Falls, NH