A major reason for procrastination and lack of motivation is confusion,
about what you are trying to achieve. That's why clarity is perhaps the most
important concept in personal productivity. You need to know what you want to
do first, before you can do it. Some people want to improve themselves in all
areas of their lives, but that's too vague. You need to be specific on what you
want to achieve. So just "better
health" should not be on your goal list. Too vague. But preparing 3
healthy home cooked meals, going to the gym 3 times a week and sleeping 8 hours
every day should be on the list.
Be as specific on your goals
as you can be. Which brings me to my other
point? Write down your goals. A goal that is not in writing is merely a wish or
fantasy. Take a sheet of paper right now and make a list of ten goals you want
to accomplish in the next year. Review your list of goals and select the one
goal that would have the greatest impact on your life if achieved. Whatever
that goal is, write it on a separate sheet of paper, set a deadline, make a
plan, take action on your plan and then do something that moves you toward that
goal, every single day. This exercise alone will change your life.
Yes think about your goals and review them daily. Every
morning when you begin, take action on the most important goal you are working
towards. Have you heard the old question? How do you eat an elephant? The answer: One bite at a time. How do
you achieve your goals? The same way. You break them down into specific step by
step activities and then you start on the first one.
So make a plan. The better the plan you have, the easier it
is for you to overcome procrastination. Let's say you want to run a marathon.
Just thinking about it makes me tired. But let's break it down.
First: Buy running shoes, second: Get an exercise plan and
third: Jog three times a week, 15 minutes each, while slowly building up run
time over coming weeks. Running a marathon seems daunting, but "buying running shoes" or going for
a 15 minute run, not so much. Begin today to plan your week in advance. Make a
list of all your projects. Seeing yourself working progressively through your
list motivates and energizes you. Steady,
visible progress towards a goal propels you forward and helps you overcome
procrastination. The hardest part of any important task is getting started on
it in the first place. Once you begin working on a valuable task, you will be
naturally motivated to continue.
One of the best ways to
overcome procrastination is to have everything you need at hand before you
begin. This is like getting everything ready to prepare a complete meal. You
set all the ingredients out on the counter and then begin putting the meal
together. So begin by clearing off your desk or work space so that you have
only one task in front of you. Have everything at hand so you don't need to
move or get up much. Take time to create a work area where you enjoy spending
time, it makes it easier for you to get started and keep going. Emails, texts,
phone calls... all distract your work so eliminate all distractions when you
have important work to do.
Don't forget to maximize your personal powers. Your body is
like a machine that uses food water and rest to generate energy, which you then
use to accomplish important goals. When you are fully rested you can get two,
three times as much done as when you are tired or burned out. So to be
productive you have to nurture your energy levels. The more tired you are the
worse the quality of your work will be. Most people are at their best in the
morning, after good night’s sleep. Another major reason for procrastination is fatigue or attempting to start a task
when you are tired. You have no energy
or enthusiasm. You're like a cold
engine in the morning that can't get started. Whenever you feel tired and
overwhelmed, stop and just take a break and reset yourself. Get more work done
the next day when you are recharged. It's better than working fatigued. So get
enough quality sleep and make sure you take care of your physical health with
plenty exercise.
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