The Procrastinator's Guide to Taking Action Now!
"Tell[ing] the chronic procrastinator to just do it would be like saying to a clinically depressed person, cheer up." -- Joseph Ferrari
If I were a superhero, I'm pretty sure my character would be called The Procrastinator.
Working a full-time job as a manager, and the equivalent of a second part-time job as a corporate trainer, one of the things I often struggle with when it comes to building my own business is finding the time.
What's interesting, however, is that time management often has nothing to do with time.
Now, as you might know, the systems we have in place inside Wealthy Affiliate most certainly help, but even then, I often struggle with the dreaded "P" word... procrastination.
If this sounds like you, too, I'd like to suggest a wonderful little technique I've learned from one of my mentors called the "unblock" method. But, first, a little context...
Let's say you have a particular goal in mind. For this example, let's say you need to write your next article for your site. There are several ways you can approach the challenge.
First, is the easiest. It's the Do Nothing Method. The challenge, however, is obvious: doing nothing, well, does nothing to get you closer to your goal of getting a blog post done.
Next, we have the Motivation Method. In other words, trying to convince yourself that it's worth it and then trying to make yourself do it. Just think of the dream life you'll have with a successful blog. Easier said than done, right?
The third might be referred to as the Discipline Method. You remind yourself that goals take discipline and, by golly, you've just gotta put your head down and force your way through this.
This is the,"Writing is easy. All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead." method made famous by journalist, Gene Fowler. In my experience, this isn't very effective, at least not in the long term.
Finally, we get to the Unblock Method. This is my favorite. For me, the Unblock Method is extremely effective, because I don't have to convince myself or force anything. It's just one simple question...
What is blocking me from doing it right now?
Sometimes, it's simply uncertainty. I'm afraid to start because I don't know where I'm going or what I'm supposed to be doing. I just need more planning.
But most of the time, even if I eliminate the uncertainty of where I'm going, I can still be stopped dead in my tracks out of fear. In fact, you may have seen it here in my previous blog post. I basically had to ask everyone's "permission" before I felt comfortable starting a blog here in WA.
Crazy, right?
But here's what I have come to find out: I like all of you. And I hope all of you like me. So, this isn't meant as a dig towards any one of us. But here's the reality...
No one really cares!
Okay, not exactly. It's not that we don't care about one another, but more that we're all just too focused on our own lives to pay attention to others. And, at least in terms of procrastination and fear, that's actually a good thing.
If you know that, in the beginning stages of your new blog or YouTube channel, no one is really seeing it anyway, that makes it a heck of a lot easier to create content. And by the time you actually do start getting traffic, chances are you will have developed the courage to keep going.
So, as alluded to by Ferrari earlier, we can't always follow the Nike way and just do it, because that's forcing things. We need to take a step before that...
Instead, the key to overcoming procrastination really comes down to asking, "What is blocking me?" and then doing something about it. It really is that simple.
Give it a shot and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well this works.
Have a great week!
Recent Comments
17
Hello James Anthony,
This is a great article for me to read. It hit me where I am right now! I have been at WA for a while now. Unfortunately, I had several traumatic experiences happen shortly after I joined.
Fast forward to the present, I have been working to get into blogging again. As you wrote in your blog post, uncertainty and fear are the blocks of action.
Without a plan to overcome both, you will be stuck in place, stagnant, and lacking production. Planning and scheduling unrelated tasks help me to find time to write. Designing blocks of time during the day fortified with short breaks keeps me making progress.
This will probably fit in the Discipline Method. Evaluating your situation is a consistent tool to keep moving and improving actions.
Thanks for the encouraging article.
Hi Anthony, I can relate to all the scenarios you've presented. If nothing else, I found the way you presented them kind of entertaining. Thanks for that.
For me, I fall back on the old adage, "What's the best way to devour an elephant?"
The answer: One bite at a time.
For someone who struggles with appetite/portion control, in other words, someone who has trouble pushing away from the table, who usually wants seconds and even thirds, this is the perfect metaphor.
If I take a bite, I almost always want another and another ad infinitum. It's why cartons of ice cream often never make it into the freezer because as soon as I open it and take a bite, I end up eating the whole thing.
So, as all that applies to managing my time here, when I decide to do one small task, it invariably leads to another and another ad infinitum. Before I know it, I've spent several hours or even a full day writing and doing other things.
So, in the name of balance, I find it best to find "stolen moments" to work. When I'm crunched for time, I somehow get more done.
It doesn't always work but it works for me more often than not.
I've never been accused of being normal.
Bob
100% Bob. In fact, one thing I've been doing this week is using those "stolen" moments to try and get a bit of writing done.
Sure, five minutes here and 10 minutes there likely won't get me an entire article, but that's why they invented the save button, right?
As a result of these bite-sized pieces when I do get a few minutes, however, I've actually been able to complete five whole articles and get them scheduled to publish later in the week.
So, from the outside, it looks like I'm this awesome amazing, prolific writer who is able to knock out a post per day. But now the cat's out of the bag... you know the real story. LOL
Thanks.
Hi James!
Nice post!
A method I use is to think about how good I will feel once I set a goal and achieve it.
It can be writing a blog post or a bigger project like waxing a 45 foot RV. LOL
Either way I feel good when the blog post is awesome and the RV looks amazing. The feeling is the same.
So I use my previous feelings of completion to motivate me to not procrastinate when it comes to new tasks.
Press on, Sir!
Thank you for your idea. Reinforcement theory offers an additional strategy. When you do began taking steps toward your goal, reinforce yourself. This will strengthen the behaviors that are incompatible to procrastination. If you are procrastinating, clearly your action behaviors are weak and need strengthening. I agree with you, asking what's blocking my action is the best first step. That's where I always start.
Excellent point, Don.
Although, I have to tread lightly with that one. I tend to "reinforce" myself with my favorite ice cream... not so good when you're diabetic. LOL
Thanks.
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Very true, especially about the part where at the start no one is really seeing your blog/channel as that's where I'm at now. I'm constantly worrying if people think my site looks nice or if my articles are any good or not. But I've been telling myself that I can make these mistakes and learn from them while no one is really visiting right now. So that when traffic does build up I and my site should be in a better more confident place by then. Until that day I keep plugging away and learning everything I need to learn.
Thanks for the post.