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HOW TO STOP PROCRASTINATING
(Resource: The 60-Second Shrink)

Aren’t we all guilty of this particular weakness? More often than not, we know those things we NEED to do, but have the natural tendency/inclination to only do those things we WANT to do and FEEL like doing. The challenge is to remind ourselves WHY those things we need to do are so important to us (perhaps by making a list of reasons “why” for each task/item and reading it periodically) … and thus “convert” them to our WANT to do items! Here are a couple ideas quoted from the book –

The first and probably most important anti-procrastination method is simply to understand the relationship between motivation and action. Most people mistakenly believe that motivation must precede action—that before you can actually do something you must first feel motivated to do it. Right? Wrong! The fact is that in most cases action precedes motivation—that is, once action has been initiated motivation tends to gather momentum and it becomes increasingly easy to continue what has been started. As the old saying goes: “Getting started is the hardest part.” [One key to getting started is breaking down a task into bite-size pieces. Once started, as another saying goes, you’re "on a roll!"* (Truly, success breeds success)] So … Don’t wait for motivation before taking action – make motivation BY taking action! (read Ready, Fire, Aim!)

[Another useful method the authors suggest is “TIT for TAT” … or trading Task Interfering Thoughts for Task Activating Thoughts!] “I can cut the lawn tomorrow.” “The report is not due until Friday.” “I’ll take out the recycling after I watch the news” are all examples of Task Interfering Thoughts or TITs. “If I cut the lawn now, I can relax the rest of the weekend,” and “Better get started on that report in case something comes up between now and Friday,” and “Let me take out the recycling right now so I can enjoy the rest of the evening without unfinished chores hanging over my heat” are all examples of Task Activating Thoughts or TATs.

We highly recommend this book, as the authors cover a multitude of topics in helping an individual meet and overcome a wide range of problems/challenges!

If you have an "overwhelming" number of items on your "Do List", try the following! -

D-mystify your list by deciding whether to:
DO the task and schedule it into your calendar.
DELAY** it because it really can wait
DELEGATE# it because it's not one of your core competencies
DELETE it because you choose not to do it

* A person who is "on a roll" has had many successes happen in a short period of time
** Delaying is a creative, positive use of procrastination that enables one to do "first things first" ... seeing to it that the most important is not sacrificed to the least important!
# Delegating not only relieves your burden, but is also another way of involving others in a task/project and enables them to feel part "ownership!" In many cases, expertise is not so crucial an element as participation ... an opportunity for another person to learn/grow).

(Also read: Possibilities & Risks, Take Time, Rocks First, Why?...Now!, This Day, Making the Most of Today, One Quality, Love is a Verb, Focus, Start Now, Start Small, The Day That Turns Your Life Around, Don't Procrastinate)