Mark Twain once said that if the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, you
can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst
thing that is going to happen to you all day long.
Your "frog" is your biggest, most important task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on.
So what can you do to not procrastinate?
A major reason for procrastination and lack of motivation is confusion, about what you
are trying to achieve.
That's why clarity is perhaps the most important concept in personal productivity.
You need to know what you want to do first, before you can do it.
Some people want to improve themselves in all areas of their lives, but that's too vague.
You need to be specific on what you want to achieve.
So just "better health" should not be on your goal list.
Too vague.
But preparing 3 healthy home cooked meals, going to the gym 3 times a week and sleeping
8 hours every day should be on the list.
Be as specific on your goals as you can be.
Which brings me to my other point.
Write down your goals.
A goal that is not in writing is merely a wish or fantasy.
Take a sheet of paper right now and make a list of ten goals you want to accomplish in
the next year.
Review your list of goals and select the one goal that would have the greatest impact on
your life if achieved.
Whatever that goal is, write it on a separate sheet of paper, set a deadline, make a plan,
take action on your plan and then do something that moves your toward that goal, every single day.
This exercise alone will change your life.
S think about your goals and review them daily.
Every morning when you begin, take action on the most important goal you are working towards.
Have you heard the old question?
How do you eat an elephant?
The answer: One bite at a time.
How do you achieve your goals?
The same way.
You break them down into specific step by step activities and then you start on the
first one.
So make a plan.
The better the plan you have, the easier it is for you to overcome procrastination.
Let's say you want to run a marathon.
Just thinking about it makes me tired.
But let's break it down.
First: Buy running shoes, second: Get an exercise plan and third: Jog three times a week, 15
minutes each, while slowly building up run time over coming weeks.
Running a marathon seems daunting, but "buying running shoes" or going for a 15 minute run,
not so much.
Begin today to plan your week in advance.
Make a list of all your projects.
Seeing yourself working progressively through your list motivates and energizes you.
Steady, visible progress towards a goal propels you forward and helps you overcome procrastination.
The hardest part of any important task is getting started on it in the first place.
Once you begin working on a valuable task , you will be naturally motivated to continue.
One of the best ways to overcome procrastination is to have everything you need at hand before
you begin.
This is like getting everything ready to prepare a complete meal.
You set all the ingredients out on the counter and then begin putting the meal together.
So begin by clearing off your desk or work space so that you have only one task in front of you.
Have everything at hand so you don't need to move or get up much.
Take time to create a work area where you enjoy spending time, it makes it easier for
you to get started and keep going.
Emails, texts, phone calls... all distract your work so eliminate all distractions when
you have important work to do.
Don't forget to maximize your personal powers.
Your body is like a machine that uses food water and rest to generate energy, which you
then use to accomplish important goals.
When you are fully rested you can get two, three times as much done as when you are tired
or burned out.
So to be productive you have to nurture your energy levels.
The more tired you are the worse the quality of your work will be.
Most people are at their best in the morning, after a good nights sleep.
Another major reason for procrastination is fatigue or attempting to start a task when
you are tired.
You have no energy or enthusiasm.
You're like a cold engine in the morning that can't get started.
Whenever you feel tired and overwhelmed, stop and just take a break and reset yourself.
Get more work done the next day when you are recharged.
It's better than working fatigued.
So get enough quality sleep and make sure you take care of your physical health with
plenty exercise.
Thank you for listening, like and subscribe and don't forget to be better than yesterday!