Overcoming Procrastination
- May 17, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: May 18, 2021
Written by: Kamladevi Sharma, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
One of the most common subtle issues leaders and entrepreneurs face globally is procrastination.
When someone, including a leader or entrepreneur, finds it difficult to take action to help them achieve what they set out to achieve, it indicates that they do not have the motivation or inner drive to move forward. They are not aligned with the outcomes of that action.
Now when procrastination becomes a habit, it is important to reset your mindset. What do you believe and feel about yourself and your ability to perform the task at hand? Do you think that the task is relevant to your purpose? What do you think about or prefer to do before engaging in what you need to do? From a coaching perspective, the major cost of procrastination is limiting yourself from living a fulfilling life. The reason being, the inaction, and little interest to act, eventually lead to feeling pressured internally, subsequently frustrated that you're not getting what you need to get done fast enough. It becomes a weight or energy drainer, which unconsciously leads to further inaction. Additionally, not being aligned in one area of your life can result in a ripple effect of procrastinating in other important areas of your life. You miss deadlines, communicate poorly, forget what matters and become inefficient. Unfortunately, the momentum of 'living out of purpose' is created. Thus, I recommend the following to anyone who struggles with procrastination:
1. Discover and connect to your "why." Why do you need to do what you set out to do? Is it relevant to your overall goals and objectives? Do you think and feel that it is beneficial to you just as it is beneficial to everyone else involved?
Knowing your "why" creates that connection with your tasks. It signals acceptance of them as a part of the process to achieve your goals to your brain, resulting in the motivation to get them done without resistance.
2. Realign your focus by visualizing your outcomes every day. Life's distractions can cause you to put off some tasks ever so often. However, if you’re consistently putting them off, it's important to realign your focus by visualizing the outcomes of these tasks and their purpose in your life. Do this every day to be effective. It will help to guide your energy during the day to feel the momentum of success and accomplishment.
3. Get physical. Physical movement helps you to shift energy on the inside. In particular, exercise increases the production of endorphins in the brain, making you feel good and reducing stress's negative effects. Creating a routine around exercise helps to maintain a momentum of productivity. Practicing mindfulness when exercising is also an incredible boost to your mental, emotional, and physical well-being, inspiring you to keep reaching for better outcomes.
4. Value your time and energy. If the task is not aligned with who you are or what you need to get done, be authentic, delegate it, or refuse politely. When you value your time and energy, you feel better about yourself, and you allow others to do what they are good at doing, which may not necessarily be something that you love doing. In other words, it's pointless having a task repeat on your to-do list when you will never be motivated to get it done, but someone else may be passionate about it.
5. Organize your tasks in order of priority using a to-do list. Having a to-do list helps your brain feel organized and accomplished as you track what you need to get done every day. The more productive you feel, the more you will be motivated to stay in that momentum of flow and strike things off your list. Additionally, reflecting on your day and recognizing what you have accomplished helps you keep going with enthusiasm.
6. Set smaller goals and time block your schedule. Some tasks involve many processes that can subconsciously feel magnanimous and create inner resistance to get done. If you feel this way about a task, dissect it and choose to do specific aspects of it during blocks of time on your schedule. This makes it easier for you to track your progress and use your time and energy during the day.
Overall, procrastination is a decision of change. If you know that you are often procrastinating, you have to be the one to train yourself to change it. You have to get to the root cause of it- whether it is a subconscious block in terms of your beliefs or misalignment with your overall purpose.
Kamladevi Sharma, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kamladevi Sharma is an international speaker on work-life balance, a certified professional life coach, and a qualified business consultant. She helps entrepreneurs and people in management globally, including you, to eliminate burnout and achieve balance in their personal and professional lives. Her dedication to achieving clarity, alignment, and results for her clients ensures that they can thrive and feel more fulfilled and successful in their lives, careers, and/or businesses. Additionally, her expertise in mindset and personal development strategy has benefitted over 4000 professionals globally in personal growth. Over 250 businesses have jumped start a momentum for success in her signature momentum training at Revive, and she has been featured on several podcasts on Spotify, Apple and Google. A known feature in magazines locally and internationally, Kamladevi holds a MBA in Business Administration from the University of Bradford, Bachelors in Social Psychology, Social Research, and Business and certificates in Professional Life Coaching and Counselling. Prior to co-founding Revive, she was in upper management positions in Guyana and lectured at several tertiary institutions.
