Conquering Procrastination

Wake up to productivity instead

Hello there!!

Procrastination is such a slippery slope.
It runs so much deeper then just wasting time doing ‘other’ things instead of getting down to work. Feelings like stress are a huge contributor, so is the environment you are working in and even hitting the snooze button in the morning.

So we dedicated an entire episode to help you gain some insight and offer tools for you to avoid the “I will do it tomorrow” syndrome and instead experience the winning energy that comes with getting your work done.

Here are 5 Key Learnings from the Episode:

1. Start with just five minutes
   Procrastination is a son of a bitch, but it's all about taking that first step. Here is a very effective hack, the “5 Minute Rule”. It’s easy; set a timer for five minutes and start the task you've been avoiding. Research shows that completing these five minutes increases the likelihood of continuing for an hour or more by 80%.

2. Identifying Stress Factors:
   Stress is a major contributor to procrastination. Take a moment to identify what's stressing you out and why. ‘Name it to tame it’, by becoming aware and objectify these feelings you can see its BS and will be more inclined to get on with what needs to get done.

3. Prioritize your tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix:
   Make it visual. What task are you avoiding right now?
   Take a look at the chart, use it by filling in what it asks. It will help you to breakdown all the moving parts and clarify what you can do and when as well as what you need to delegate or delete entirely.

   

4. Immediate Gratification vs. Long-Term Rewards:
   Avoid falling into this immediate gratification trap. Instead of doom scrolling or engaging in short term-feel-good distractions, focus on the long-term rewards of completing important tasks. Yes it’s hard to work with long time goals because the rewards can be so few and far between. Nothing good comes easy. What will help in the area is having a strong ‘Why” that will pull you forward when times are tough and your feel like seeking immediate gratification again.

5. Start with the Most Difficult Task:
   ”Eat the frog” first! Tackle the most challenging task first thing in the day to set the tone for a productive rest of the day. By completing the hardest task first, you'll experience the inspiration of winning energy that will help you to keep stacking more wins the rest of the day.

These are just some of the highlights of this episode. For a deeper dive into Conquering Procrastination listen to the full episode on Men Talking Mindfulness.

MEDITATION TIME??
Maybe you need some grounding right now to detach from your procrastination gremlins. Here’s a simple 13min meditation that will help you get back on track: