Guest post from Jeri Lynn Repp
“Not now, I’ll do it later.” Do those words sound familiar? When later comes, the words change to “I’ll do it tomorrow.” And we all know about tomorrow….it just never comes.
Procrastination!
Oh, I am sure all of us have been guilty of putting tasks off at one time or another. Maybe with starting a new exercise program? A healthier eating regimen? Organizing a closet? Completing a project? Writing a post? Some things tend to cultivate procrastination.
I recently came to the realization that because of procrastination, a few of my personal tasks and projects remain undone. I decided it’s past time to do something about it. Not later. Not tomorrow. TODAY is the day, I am Attacking Procrastination with 5 Simple Steps.
Today is the day to ATTACK PROCRASTINATION. . . with 5 simple steps!
Click Here for a Printable Form to help you conquer!
Making a list may sound simple. And, it is. This simple step is the beginning of organizing thoughts into a plan of action. And, action it will produce!
Take the time to write a list of every task that needs to be completed. For large projects you may even want to break the project into steps and list the steps separately. This will help when scheduling.
Step one on my printable form.
Use your completed list to give each task a priority level. My priority system is first A, B, C, D or E. Then 1, 2, 3. . . Let me show you what I mean.
A=Important, Time is of the Essence
B=Somewhat Important, Not Pressing
C=Not Very Important, Time is not an Issue
D=TO BE DELEGATED
E=Eliminate for Now
Every item on the list should first be labeled A, B, C, D, or E. I have 5 tasks with priority of A. I will then number each A task in the order of importance to be completed. A1 being the first task. A2 being the next, and so on. The same goes for B tasks and C tasks. Now it’s easy to see which task should be completed first and next.
The order looks like this: A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 Next B1, B2. . . Next C1, C2. . . and so on.
Items marked D will be delegated to someone else to complete. Maybe some D tasks can be assigned as chores for the children or a project for hubby. Maybe some D tasks can be delegated to a coworker, a friend, or a family member.
Step 2 on my printable form.
Step 3 – Schedule a specific date and time to complete each task. Stick to the schedule as much as possible.
Get out your planner or whatever you use to manage your time. Pencil in all of your tasks. These tasks will be added to my daily TTD List {Things To Do}. I have purposed to accomplish my “A” tasks by the end of this week. Upon completing those, I will move to “B” tasks and last “C” tasks.
Step 3 on my printable form.
Step 4 – Check off items completed. Reward yourself for a job well done.
When you have made progress with completing tasks on your list, you deserve a treat. Small tasks deserve a small reward. Bigger tasks deserve a bigger reward. You know best what you consider a reward. Think of it now. Yes, that is what you get when you have completed the designated number of tasks.
One of my favorite small rewards is a simple cup of tea on my backyard swing. It is always an added bonus for my hubby or my boys to join me. I will get this simple reward after each completed task. When all “A” tasks are completed, I will treat myself to an evening at the bookstore with dear friends. Many of my “B” and “C” tasks are projects which when completed will be a reward in themselves.
Step 5 – Have grace even for yourself.
Unexpected opportunities do arise. Every day does not happen exactly as we planned. When all can not be done in a day, give yourself grace instead of guilt. Quickly reschedule your task for another day.
Attacking procrastination with these 5 simple steps will empower action. Task completion and progress are only a few simple steps away.
Today is the day to become. . . More efficient. More productive. More purposeful with the precious commodity of time. Today is the day to attack procrastination. . . and CONQUER!
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I’d love to have the printable form. Where can I find it? I checked the jerilynnrepp.com site I saw at the bottom, but there’s no search to look for it & I’m not sure where to start looking. I appreciate the help!
Hi Anne,
The form helped me lots. There is just something about writing a list and checking it off that gets me busy. You can find the form in this post. Scroll through and look just before STEP 1. You will see: “CLICK HERE for PRINTABLE FORM.” When you click, you will need to open or save the form. Hope that helps!