Stop Procrastinating and Start Getting Things Done

Procrastinating may feel good in the short term because you get to do what you want to do right now, but in the long term it can keep you from getting things done. Learning some simple time management skills can help you create the life you want with a minimum of time and effort, but first you must take action now.

There are many things you can do to stop procrastinating and take action. Here are five simple ideas to help you get started:

Make A Must Do List

Create what I call a Must Do list before you go to bed each night. This is different from a To Do list. On a Must Do list you only write down the top 3 to 5 activities that will have the greatest payoff and then do them before anything else on the following day.

To see exactly how I do this, watch this video.

Visualize Your Success

Getting things done requires taking action. Sometimes people don’t take the first step because they haven’t clearly visualized the outcome. Before you begin your next important project, take a moment and imagine what rewards will come once it’s completed. What changes will it create in your life? What’s the ideal outcome you desire?

Clearly visualize what you want and infuse that image with positive emotion. You will find that taking action to achieve that goal becomes much easier once you know where it is you’re going.

Chunk It Down

Break large projects into smaller more manageable tasks. And write them down! Work becomes much more manageable when you get it out of your head and onto a piece of paper. Don’t skip this tip. It’s easy and important (my favorite kind).

Communicate Your Commitment

In my book The Weight Loss Hypnosis Solution I include a commitment form that I encourage the reader to sign and post on the refrigerator. That signed form serves as a daily reminder and a public declaration of intent.

Making your goals public creates accountability and accountability inspires action. Whenever you commit to achieving a big goal, communicate it to as many people as possible, especially people who you respect and admire.

Communicate your commitment to achieving your goals and create the accountability that will help you to achieve them.

Automate Routine Tasks

You don’t have to do everything yourself. Many routine tasks can be automated through the internet. Think about where you can create efficiencies in your life that leverage technology to save you time.

A couple of simple examples are:

• Online bill payment (why write checks and lick stamps every month?)
• USPS.com (you can hold mail, forward your address, and mail your packages without every standing in line at the post office)

Take Action Now

The key to stop procrastination is to take action. It doesn’t always have to be the right either. Sometimes just creating motion with a stated goal is enough to generate the momentum needed to get things done.

Like most things in life, the way you think will determine the actions you take (or don’t take). For more valuable time management tips check out my full program Take Action Now

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