Do You Procrastinate? 4 Things to Keep in Mind to Get You Going

Perhaps you remember the days of your youth, and your mom or dad getting on you because you waited till the last minute to do something.

Or maybe your boss has brought it to your attention that you have a habit of procrastinating.

One thing is for sure: Procrastinating will not get you the results you’re after in any area of your life.

If you are looking for tips on procrastination cures, then this article can certainly help you out.  Being a procrastinator can land you in some rough spots, but it is a habit that you can change for the better.

With some effort and commitment, you can become a person that gets things done on time, all the time.

If You Procrastinate, it Affects More Than Just You

The first tip is to realize that continually procrastinating can cause problems for you and heartache to those around you.

For example, if you keep putting off getting a part-time job to help you earn money for the family, chances are you will become frustrated because you do not have money. Then, you may take it out on your partner, parents, friends, or your dog. The lack of funds can also put strain on your partner or spouse.

Another example is if you put off paying a bill month after month, you may end up having it sent to collections. This, in turn will harm your credit score and just won’t make you feel very good.

Severe procrastination has been known to cause relationship problems, problems at work, health problems and school issues. Regardless of the reason behind the tendency to procrastinate, realizing that it is a negative characteristic that you can change is an important first step to overcome procrastination.

Purchase a Big Calendar and Keep Track of Everything You Need to Do

This is not a difficult task, but I guarantee you that some of you who are reading this just rolled your eyes. 

Do you really need to list your project dates, appointments, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.? If you are a procrastinator, then yes, you do.

This has done wonders for me. I used to procrastinate and forget things much of the time, so I bought a calendar and begin writing everything down. 

After a while, I started using an online calendar to keep track of all my tasks. You can also use mobile apps on your phone to keep track of your day-to-day duties.  List your tasks and create a plan toward achieving them. 

Increase Your Confidence With Positive Affirmations

Many procrastinators tend to be insecure or fearful and that is why they put things off.

They may fear that they cannot perform the task adequately or fear failing completely.  Rest assured that many successful people have failed repeatedly in certain tasks in their lives. 

Some failed tests, college courses, lost businesses, went bankrupt, and some didn’t get their dream job the first or second or third time they tried. The point is that you may get not perform a task adequately or you may not get that certain job if you apply, but that should not stop you from trying. 

Learn to be more confident by reciting positive affirmations, such as:

• I'm confident, secure, and believe in myself.
• I can accomplish any goal that I have by taking action and being persistent.
• I can get my work done on time.
• I'm successful and motivated to continue my journey of success.

You can come up with your own affirmations as well. Do not be afraid of failure or rejection, as it happens sometimes in life. You can simply learn from the experience and keep right on going.

Here are 25 affirmations to help you start off everyday on the right foot!

Don't Procrastinate: Just Do It!

Nike has the right idea with the slogan, “Just do it!”  Put a stop to all your excuses and just do it!  Whatever your task is, come up with a plan and do it. Don’t wait until the last minute or make numerous excuses as to why you can’t do it yet.

You’d be surprised at how fast you can change a bad habit into a good one! In the long run, you will feel much better about yourself and possibly watch your life get better right before your eyes. 

Just do it!

Photo by Quốc Bảo