It’s Never As Bad As It Seems:
Overcoming Procrastination

There always seems to be something on a to-do list that’s been there way too long. You know the one. It’s that task or project that’s face is darkened and seems to be hiding around the corner. You know it’s there, but you’re scared to death what will happen when you step around the bend and look it in the face.

Ironically, the face of that task always seems more vicious when you haven’t seen it in the light of day. What holds you back from peering around the corner is called procrastination.

For me, that’s recently included…

• Completing a complex business proposal – I felt like it was going to take forever and that I wouldn’t be able to price it appropriately…not true…it only took me 2 hours.
• Fixing the shower – The shower in our master bath has been unusable for years, and I just finally hired a contractor to re-model it.
• Writing a book – I ended up writing two books last year, and I’m finishing up my third one next month.
• Re-designing the 8TRACKstudios website – I was weighed down by the idea of starting over.
• Prepping our taxes – um…this one is still around the corner…gotta knock it out this week!

Over the past year, I’ve come to the realization that it’s just never as bad as I tell myself. I think it’s going to be unbelievably painful, take an enormous amount of time, and potentially derail my entire day. Rarely is this actually true. 9 times out of 10, I finish the project way faster than I ever imagined.

How to Overcome Procrastination

1. Don’t think about it – just get started!
   The worst thing I can do is start “thinking” about a project without actually getting started. It’s like standing outside the room of the project with the door closed as I envision how horrible it’s going to be. If I think long enough about how painful the task is, the longer that door will remain shut. Just jump in…whatever that means for the project!
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2. Break the project down into smaller tasks.
   Open up a document and start making a list of the different components of the project. Even though all these tasks may be in your head, getting them down on paper will free you up to see that you’ll actually be able to accomplish them. A list of tasks is much more “doable” than a giant project living in your head.
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3. Prioritize which tasks should be done first.
   Start numbering those tasks now. Which ones need to be done first? How about the ones that can wait until the end?
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4. Ask for help!
   If there is something that someone else can do, ask for help! Ask for a volunteer. Call in a favor. Hire someone! Do whatever it takes to get people on your team to knock out the project. At the very least, just call someone to talk over the project to get some support.
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5. Set a timer.
   Determine a set amount of time that you’ll work on the project for that particular day. If all you can handle is 15 minutes, set a timer, and get started! Or, maybe it’s 2 hours like me…and you might actually finish it early.

Procrastination sucks the creativity and life out of anyone. If we want to prevent getting stuck in life and business, we need to learn how to overcome the short-term discomfort. It’s rarely that bad.