Procrasti - cleaning...

Procrastination If you're like most women you've experienced procrastination in your week, day, hour...

My own procrastination shows up as cleaning, ironing, tidying and all round 'oh my home is more important than anything else' procrastination... What about you?

If you're like any other woman (if not person) and you procrastinate, what do you keep avoiding or what do you put off? What do you say to yourself?

" I can't do that until this is done"

"I need to learn this so that I can do that"

"I'll get to it later/tomorrow/after I finish this"

Sound familiar?

Procrastination is when we choose to do something else instead of the task that we know we should be doing.

Now, I know that must sound familiar?

Without a doubt, procrastination IS NOT laziness. You're doing stuff hence NOT lazy!

Procrastination usually involves avoiding a task so instead you do something that you deem as more important! Which will be easier, more fun and more enjoyable!

Listen I get that we all avoid pain and gravitate towards pleasure but I also know, like you do, that stuff needs to get done!

Avoiding doing 'stuff' is something that happens in life. But what about when it stops us moving forward? Stops us achieving our goals and desires.

When we make a habit of putting stuff off, of choosing the easy over the tough we can become demotivated and disillusioned with what we want to do, with what our goals actually are.

Are you a procrastinator? Maybe you -

- Avoid big tasks and only do small tasks;

- Leave an item on your To

-Do list for like, ever, even though you deem it as important;

- Read emails and messages a few times without making a decision on what to reply. Sometimes never replying!;

- Start something important then never finish;

- Find stuff to do that you could easily delegate;

- Wait to be in the "right mood," or wait for the "right time" to tackle something.

Ok, I've set the scene... Now it's time to admit it, you procrastinate!

It's not quite party time but it's a great time to know you are not alone!

We procrastinate for so so many reasons. The main one being fear. Fear of success and failure... Sometimes at the same time!

What others may think, confrontation, judgement and the feeling of dread (when it's done it's done) all contribute to us avoiding the stuff that can help us succeed and make a difference.

I know you might think that it doesn't matter with the small stuff BUT it's does, you create a habit. When you start procrastinating it's hard to stop.

My partner is a doer, he works out what needs done then he does it... He is a doer.

He doesn't put off. He puts on.

When we put on instead of put off, we achieve things.

A little procrastination isn't a bad thing... Infact it may help us find opportunities and possibilities but we have to be open to them.

If we allow avoidance to become a habit we will forever go in circles, spirals that never end.

So, let's make some moves to minimise the procrastination we do...

1. How organised are you? Schedule and time block your tasks. Add tough tasks onto easy, fun tasks..

2. Reward yourself. We all love a bit of a pat on the back, what's your gift you would give yourself if you achieved something?

3. Ask yourself “if I were to take action right now, what’s the smallest possible step I could take?”.

Procrastination happens to us all, in some way or form. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Awareness, like most things, is key. Once you realise you are putting something off do this -

- Sit with it;

- Ask 'what is the worst thing that could happen if I don't do this?'

- Ask 'what is the best thing that could happen if I do do this?'

- Decide what to do.

- Own it!

So, there we go. Procrastination can have its uses BUT getting stuff done works every time.

Join me in my FB group The Female Identity Project or better still in my Just Do !t Masterclass on 28th September to shift your thinking and get stuff done!