Daily Inspiration, By Tellman Knudson And the OE Team.

By Tommy Knox

So, just the other day I’m busy with the task at hand, focused like a laser beam, when my concentration is suddenly broken by the words “Hey you lazy bum, get your butt off the couch and finish this project – the clock is ticking!” 

But c’mon, I do my best work on the couch! And as soon as all this creativity stops flowing, - boom! - I’m back at my desk and putting it all on virtual paper. I just have to tweak it a little more…

Have you ever heard that procrastination is a symptom of being a perfectionist?  ‘Tis true, I’m a living example. It is not laziness, but it is because I want everything to be perfect. Laziness is lack of action, for lack of caring about it. Procrastination is delay of taking action for fear of not doing it right.

I am often accused of procrastination, maybe you have too. Understanding why we procrastinate can help us avoid that time-robbing bandit once and for all.

What is Procrastination?

Procrastination is putting off something until the last possible minute. Usually it is something that is very important, but not always. There are procrastinators all around us. A student may procrastinate, waiting until the day before a report is due before even beginning it.  A copywriter may wait until the last possible minute to complete an ad project. At home, someone lets the dishes pile up to eye-level in the sink before deciding they need washing. No matter the situation, the result is the same. By putting off these tasks, one’s stress level builds up and interferes with their happiness and sometimes their success.

Why do we procrastinate?

Usually it is from uncertainty or lack of confidence. Again, procrastinators are perfectionists. Say for example a student’s big term paper is assigned with a due date a month away; the procrastinator will worry about the paper endlessly for weeks. They will do the research, and decide on an awesome title and theme. Weeks go by, and a few days prior to the due date the paper is still unwritten.

Why? Because they want it to be perfect.

Procrastinators want everything to go smoothly. They want their work to stand apart from the rest. Eventually they must actually do the work and finish the project. Yes, the planning may have helped them, but when it is all said and done, they would have felt much less stress if they had just done it sooner.

We must remind ourselves that we are human and therefore, not perfect.  We must learn to accept our flaws and forgive ourselves. We must also learn how to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and get rid of this problem. In extreme examples, leaving your perfectionism unchecked can destroy your life. Not only do many perfectionists wait until the very last minute to do projects, but they also have trouble with money and relationships.

For example, have you ever had to pay late charges on a bill when you had the money in the bank to pay it? Procrastinator!

Have you ever run out of gas after passing ten gas stations with a pocket full of cash? Procrastinator!

Have you ever damaged or lost a relationship with someone you love because you continuously put off things important to them?

You get the point. If you have this problem, and most all of us do to some extent, it’s time to do something about it, now! 

How to STOP Procrastinating
It’s easy to say you are going to stop procrastinating than to actually do it. Here are a few techniques that can help:

 Create a list of goals and put a time limit on them. Prioritize the list in order of importance. For example, tell yourself that by Wednesday you will clean up your desk and file all of that paperwork if that is something that you have been putting off. Sticky-notes also help with this. Post them on your bathroom mirror, on the fridge, on your computer monitor, or anywhere they’ll be in your face everyday. Make them hard to ignore. Make yourself a list for the week and another for the month.

By writing it down, we almost force ourselves to do the things that we have been putting off doing. Another good tip to beat procrastination is realizing that no one is perfect. Tell yourself that, but don’t use it for an excuse to procrastinate even more!

An area that nearly everyone procrastinates has to do with planning and improving one’s financial future. Because of the power of compounding interest, every day you let go by without taking action on this is ten days of potential profits lost. There are ways you can improve your fanancial situation now which  in turn, prepares for your future, with just a few minutes a day on your computer.

Check out this online business opportunity that is quick, easy and inexpensive. Put this on your to-do list now – no more procrastinating! The clock is ticking - get off the couch and take advantage of this push-button profit machine today!

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