HabitChangeCoach.co.uk

Sometimes you become completely stuck and simply cannot set a start date to do something or just cannot get going.

Professional help can be productive in many ways.

*  as a support

* for discovering the real reasons

*  uncovering core limiting beliefs

*  changing the beliefs

*  preparing for change

*  encouraging and motivating

*  sustaining the change when you have let go of procrastination

Whether a coach or a therapist or a specialist in a particular area is the right person for you, only you can know.  It is important to find someone with whom you have a good rapport and who you can see or feel is helping you to overcome your procrastination long term.

A coach is excellent at asking curious questions to help you to discover what is going on under the surface.  Once you have found the answers, a coach can work with you to prepare for change.  A coach will support you throughout the process of change.

Sometimes a therapist will be necessary.  In cases of smoking, there are specific clinics and groups that deal with just the issue of smoking.  I have known one or two people who have tried these methods and failed and then opted to have a coach and this has brought about a successful result.  It is an individual matter as to what suits you best.

There are so many different types of help, so explore until you find a method that you like and are inspired to follow.

Let me know what is your favourite method for receiving professional help to overcome procrastination.

You are aware of your procrastination and desperately need to overcome it speedily, but haven’t a clue how to set about the task, hence the procrastination.

Asking for the right kind of help can produce wonderful results.

Let’s take selling as an example.  Some people find it easy, while others find it more than challenging.

You are self employed and have to do everything yourself.  The service you offer is easy to provide, the problem is finding the clients.

You read the books, go on the courses, but something stops you actually taking action.

Could it be fear of failure or could it be fear of success?  These two fears are very common, however, at the moment, you need clients and haven’t got time to go delving down to find the root cause, so what do you do?

Think about and make a note of the clients you would like to have – what their ideal profile would look like, along with the best target market.

Usually the next step would be to go and get the clients, but for you, this is just not possible.  Now is the time to ask for help.

Do you have a friend or relative or know anyone with a large network?  If you don’t, just be open to someone coming into your life speedily that will have access to your prospective clients.

Let me give you an example.  You need clients, but everything you have tried, failed.  You cannot think of a soul to ask for help and then the phone rings.  It is a neighbour and during the conversation, she tells you about various groups she attends.

You have a brainwave – instead of you trying to go out and find clients, how about your neighbour asking her various groups if they would like you to come and give a free talk.  She thinks this is an excellent idea as they are always looking for speakers, so now you have some ready made groups of prospective clients.

All you have to do is ask the neighbour when she can talk to someone to arrange a talk for you to give.  You ask her when it would be convenient to call back to know the date and hey presto – mission accomplished, worry stopped and procrastination overcome.

Suddenly you have plenty of energy and are full of the joys of spring!

By knowing that the solution would happen and by being open in all conversations, the appropriate help arrived.

Do you have so many things to do, you have no idea where to start?

Help is at hand!

Ingredients for dealing with too many tasks

Comfy place to sit, Water or beverage to your taste, Paper and Pen

Method for dealing with too many tasks

Make a list of everything you can think of that needs doing.  Yes, you will be able to add to the list at another time as and when you remember other tasks that need adding to the list.

Now that you have your list, choose the five most important tasks that need to be done.

Which one of these tasks appeals to you most?  If none of the items that are most important look interesting, then just choose something else on the list that you know you can do.

While enjoying your cup or whatever beverage, give yourself five minutes to prepare to start the task.  Set a timer to let you know when you will begin.

When the timer goes, reset it for five minutes and then leap into action to begin the task.

When the timer goes again, acknowledge that you have started the project and set the timer again for a time that you know you can keep going with the task in hand.

Result

When you have finished working on the task, appreciate what you have accomplished.  If it is finished, choose another item to work on.  If it is not finished, set a time as to when you will continue . . . sooner rather than later!

Tips

When you get stuck, just choose something on the list that needs doing.  When you have completed the task, cross it out.  The list will need redoing regularly as you complete tasks and new projects require your attention.

If you are stuck, appreciate how much you have done and acknowledge your progress.

Look at the positive outcome for completing the task.  How will you feel when it is finished?

Rewards

Decide how many tasks you will accomplish in order to give yourself a time reward – choose something that you would really like to do – game of golf, spend time with a friend or whatever it is that is going to enhance your happiness and motivate you to tackle the next task.

You cannot take the mess and untidyness any more, but are completely stuck as to know how to start and where to begin.

Mentally – Are your thoughts confused?  Do you have difficulty deciding how to begin to make some order?

Physically – Does just looking at all the clutter drain your energy and leave you too tired to start?

Emotionally – Do you feel anxious?  Is there an underlying worry that is stopping you from starting?  Are you feeling that perhaps you ought to be doing something more important?

First Steps to Overcoming Procrastination

Take a piece of paper and a pen

Look at the clutter and make a list of different categories that make up the mess in the room.  Remember to include a “needs thinking about” pile, a recycle and also a throw away section!

Is there a place in the room to sort things into categories?  Great if there is and if not, then find another room where you can make piles.

Having made the list, give yourself a pat on the back – you have taken the first step to tidying the room.  Yes, it may look the same, but now you have a plan of action.

Next, set a timer for five minutes.

Now, what is the most interesting thing that you see in the room?  Pick it up and start a pile for things of that nature.

Keep picking up things and putting them in piles.  When the timer tells you that five minutes have gone by, see how you feel.  Do you need to drink some water or something else or are you ready to reset the timer and keep going for another 5 minutes?

By setting yourself small targets of time, it is easier to review what you have accomplished and become motivated to continue.

When you have had enough, give yourself a pat on the back and set another time as to when you will continue the decluttering.  Make it sooner rather than later!  You have set off on the right path to overcoming procrastination, so keep it up!

Mentally – How are your thoughts when you look at less clutter in the room – are they clearer, brighter or something else positive?

Physically – How is your energy?  Do you perhaps have more energy than when you started?

Emotionally – How are you feeling?  Is there a good feeling that at last you have started the project and now know that it can be accomplished.  Maybe there are other feelings – remember to appreciate what you have done and acknowledge the positive results.

Knowing the real reason why you procrastinate is essential to overcoming the problem long term.

Think about taking tests. You are far more anxious waiting and not knowing the results.

Once you have the results of the tests, be they good or bad, you then have choices and can be inspired to make plans followed by taking appropriate actions.

Discovering the real truth about what causes your procrastination can be an exciting, or perhaps difficult to believe, journey of discovery where an open mind is essential!

Just one example

You may have been brought up watching those around you getting a lot of attention when they were ill.  Unconsciously, you will have developed a belief that being ill draws attention to you.

As an adult, you may completely refute this and say that it has nothing to do with you.  Let’s see if this is the case.

How often do you get ill?  What happens when you are feeling unwell?  Do people rush to your aid?  Is everyone very nice and helpful to you?

Being ill could benefit you because others give you attention and come to your aid.

Let’s relate this to procrastination.  When you put off doing something, is it because you feel ill just thinking about the task?  Do you get genuine headaches, sore throats, colds or something else?

Is the real reason that you procrastinate because you would like some attention?

Next time you are procrastinating about something and become ill, just take time to reflect on the benefits of being ill and see if that is what is keeping you stuck.

Now look at the benefits of completing tasks as and when they come up.  You will have more time to do what you like, more opportunities to enjoy yourself, or make more money or achieve your goals more speedily.

Perhaps most precious of all, you will discover that your health improves!

How wonderful to make the most of life by firstly recognising the real truth of your procrastination and secondly, taking action to change your limiting beliefs to allow positive action to replace procrastination.

Procrastination means putting off until tomorrow.  Why would you want to put off doing something?  What is the real reason that stops you from doing a task?

Sometimes it can be a fear of not being able to do what is required, however, at other times, the task is easy, perhaps boring and so we are uninspired to start.

For example, filing bits of paper into known categories is easy and if done on a regular basis take a short time.  Why do we let it build up?

What would happen if the filing was completed?  Would it mean that the next task would be too frightening?  Would we become bored with nothing to do?  Perhaps there is another reason?

If we dig deeper it will help to lead to the real root of the problem.  When this has been discovered, we can then prepare to let go of whatever the cause and become free of the underlying problem.

Let’s take an example and use an inability to start the filing.

Why don’t you like filing? It’s boring

If you let the filing get out of control how will that be for you? I’ll waste a lot of time looking for bits of paper when I need them and can’t find them.

If you had more time, what would you do with it? I would play more sport.

How would you feel if you played more sport? I would feel guilty as I ought to be working.

Why ought you to be working? I need the money.

How would it be if you could earn money in the time you would have been looking for lost papers? That would be great – how do I do that.

We started off with the inability to file and we ended up with the lack of knowledge to make some money.

The next step would be to discover the core beliefs about money and then set about changing the belief system to allow for more money to be earned.

The core beliefs are many and this is just one example.