Overcoming Procrastination – Closing The Knowing Doing Gap
- Brainz Magazine
- Nov 26, 2021
- 4 min read
Written by: Rachael Downie, 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.
I bet you know that there are things that you need to be doing that you are not doing.
This is your knowing doing gap. You can become more productive, more effective and have more time in your life when you recognise how to overcome the things in your life that you are avoiding. We all procrastinate in some form. The key is understanding why and the mindset behind it. These are our limiting beliefs, our habits and the behaviours that we have been conditioned with.
I want you to think about it for a moment. There are plenty of things that you avoid doing, right? If you spent less time thinking about the things that you know you needed to do and actually just did them, how much more space would you have in your mind and also in your life?
It is a really simple thing and something that I recommend you spend some time thinking about. I know for myself when I worked on this, I was amazed at how much time I spent thinking about all the things that I didn’t really want to be doing in my business. When I sat down and did these particular tasks, it didn’t take that much time at all. I spent way more time thinking about what I was trying to avoid doing!!
If you have staff as well, they have their own knowing doing gaps and this contributes to the whole, this increases that gap between what people know and what people are doing.
If you want things to be more effective, it is about naming this up and understand how it impacts you personally and, in your business,
I want you to imagine a hot air balloon. It has lots of sandbags on the sides. Those sandbags can be representing things like a lack of confidence, avoiding doing certain tasks, not being able to speak up at meetings, putting off that list that you know you need to be doing. Collectively if we start to remove those sandbags, those limiting beliefs, limiting behaviours, people will start to close their knowing doing gap. What happens to that hot air balloon? It begins to rise. And as it rises that is indicative of the improved productivity and efficiency in their life, your life and across your business
What are the things that you have been avoiding? How can you close your own knowing doing gaps? What have you not made time for? What have you told yourself that you will do later but never do? What have you told yourself that you can go without?
The first step is to make a decision to override your excuses. You know that little voice in your head who is talking to you all the time. Talking you out of the things you know you need to be doing. The best way of doing this is to set a goal that makes you excited or energised. Something that you really want. Your desire has to become more powerful than your excuses and justification.
You have to change what is on the inside to change the results on the outside. To do this you have to be disciplined and choose the thoughts that you need to be having in order to get the results that you really want.
But why do you continue to procrastinate and do things that you know aren’t serving you?
It comes down to a lack of discipline and not having a desire to override the excuses
It is creating the self-discipline to control the mental conversations that you carry on with yourself.
Improving your inner talk to be encouraging, accountable for your actions, and be positive towards yourself
What are some ways you can close your knowing doing gaps and put some productive actions around this?
Ie scheduling certain things within your calendar that you have a focused time once a week once a month,
Set your alarm on your phone to go off 5 times throughout the day. Check in and see what thoughts you are having, how you are feeling and what action you are taking.
Have a phrase on hand that you can use and say in your mind as well to reprogram your thinking.
“This I will do”
“I am focused and productive,” or
“I am getting better each day” or
“I choose positive inner thoughts”
“When I wake up I get up”.
Closing your knowing doing gap is the best way to improve productivity and effectiveness for yourself and others around you. It also makes you feel amazing when you have accomplished it and created new habits for yourself.
Rachael Downie, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Is your mindset holding you back in your business? Rachael Downie is a successful mentor and someone who is truly focused on converting your thinking into results. Rachael works with a variety of individuals, businesses, and CEOs both locally and internationally - simply because we all have the same blockages, doubts, limited thinking, money, and staffing issues. (and if you don't, you are probably one of the 3% who is an unconscious competent, who may find it difficult to transfer your success skills to your staff or family). Rachael loves helping you create success not only in your business but also in other areas of your life.
