Beyond Procrastination ? 8 Questions To Ask Yourself
Why am I constantly putting things off? Why don't I do the things I'm "supposed" to do, but don't really want to? Why do I always seem to be forcing myself to do things? Whether it's chores at home, work for school, or projects at work, how do I get beyond procrastination? Most often, something is operating "underneath" the procrastination. Asking yourself these nine questions and spending some conscious time reflecting on your responses can help you uncover why you are resisting doing what needs to be done and support you to move beyond procrastination.
1. What are the benefits of completing a task and what are the consequences of procrastinating? Another way to ask this question is by exploring these four additional questions: (1) what will happen if I do this? (2) what won't happen if I do this? (3) what will happen if I don't do this? and (4) what won't happen if I don't do this? Reflect on your responses and align with the energy and positivity of right action, doing the right thing, while visualizing successful completion.
2. What is my self-talk like? What are the thoughts that support my resistance? Are my thoughts positive and supporting, or limiting and self-sabotaging? Moving to thoughts of joy, appreciation and gratitude can support you to experience an energy shift allowing you to take action.
3. What is my diet like? Do you experience lows, lethargy, laziness and staleness after eating certain foods or drinking certain liquids? Begin to explore your relationship to food and drink and your energy and moods.
4. What is my Life Force (Chi) energy like? Blocked, lacking, low? When one's life force energy is blocked, there is usually some disequilibrium among mind, body and spirit. Movement which supports the flow of Chi energy (such as Yoga and Tai Chi) can restore balance and energy among mind, body and spirit, allowing your Chi energy to flow which supports action and activity.
5. Am I depressed? You might want to have a physical exam and ask for a professional opinion to explore the possibility of a deeper malaise that may be affecting you.
6. What might be a competing committing that keeps me from acting? In other words, there is something I value more than the task I am resisting. This competing commitment is usually fear-based. As an example, a self-employed entrepreneur is resisting organizing her physical space, her office and work environment. When she inquired into her resistance, by journaling deeply into it, she discovered that when she completed the organization of her space then her next goal would be to focus on her business and she was fearful about taking next steps to grow her business. So her competing commitment was to maintain the status quo and do nothing, to resist and procrastinate. So, what might be something you are valuing more, than the task at hand?
7. Am I "acting out" some childhood resistance, as an adult? For example, if you were brought up to believe that "neatness counts" or "you must be organized", you might be rebelling against this belief by not keeping an organized living or work space. It's important to look "underneath" the resistance to inquire about existing beliefs that are driving you to procrastinate.
8. Am I attempting to maintain some self-image? Many folks procrastinate in order to maintain a positive self-image and be "good." In other words, by procrastinating they exonerate themselves from potential blame if something goes wrong or does not work out as they hope, or plan. In such circumstances, these folks delay taking action in the face of deadlines.
These folks are poor self-managers and have difficulty self-regulating. The may spend an inordinate amount of time rationalizing dysfunctional behaviors as they are resisting "failure" in some way, shape or form. So, the resistance shows up as the following behaviors and attitudes: (1) Ignorance -- I didn't know I was supposed to do that; (2) Skill deficiency -- "I don't know how"; (3) Apathy -- "I really don't want to do" or, "It really doesn't make any difference if I put this off." and "No one really cares of I do this or not." or "I'm not in the mood."; (5) Fixed habits and patterns -- "I've always done it this way and it's hard to change."; and "I know I can do it at the last minute." or, "I work better under pressure."; (6) Inertia -- "I just can't seem to get started."; (7) Frail memory ? "I just forgot."; (8) Physical problems ? "I was sick.; and (9) Perfectionism ? "I can't get started as it won't be perfect."
Asking yourself these eight questions can support you to get underneath procrastination and uncover what's really, really at the root of your inaction. By staying with your responses, and inquiring deeply into them, you can begin to raise your level of awareness about the nature of your resistance and then create and take action steps to move forward to both reduce and eliminate the root causes of your resistance and become a "doer" on a consistent basis.
Peter G. Vajda, Ph.D, is co-founder of SpiritHeart, an Atlanta, GA firm specializing in coaching, counseling and facilitating. Peter focuses on personal, business and relationship coaching. He can be reached at 770-804-9125 and pvajda@spiritheart.net
 Google News Updated : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:07:34 GMT Gates outacts Seinfeld in Back To The Future - CNET News
CNET News - Which is why Crispin Porter Bogusky, the agency responsible for the otherworldly new Microsoft TV spot featuring the clowning Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld, is already happy. Microsoft's Renewed Vista Strategy You Thought Vista Was Bad? Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:01:52 GMT Movies opening this week - San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News - By Mercury News "Burn After Reading" (R): The Coen brothers follow "No Country for Old Men" with a dark comedy about two inept gym employees who get hold of a CD-ROM containing a CIA operative's memoirs. Toronto Review: The Coen Brother's Burn After Reading Pitt Rocks to Madonna Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:56:32 GMT European space probe completes asteroid fly by - Reuters
Reuters - BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Space Agency obtained on Saturday the first images of an asteroid 360 million km (224 million miles) from earth, part of a space mission which scientists hope will help them understand the origins of the planets. Rosetta spacecraft takes asteroid photos Spacecraft flies by remote asteroid, camera stops Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:13:31 GMT Report: Samsung working to acquire SanDisk - San Jose Mercury News San Jose Mercury News - AP Samsung was reported Friday to be considering buying Milpitas-based SanDisk, whose revenue has diminished and stock has plummeted in recent months due to the saturated flash-memory market. SanDisk Shares Soar on Samsung Interest SanDisk Shares Surge as Samsung Considers Acquisition (Update3) Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:19:13 GMT Dodgers overtake first place - MLB.com
MLB.com - By Michael Schwartz / MLB.com LOS ANGELES -- Manny Ramirez's five RBIs propelled the Dodgers into first place in the National League West for only the second day all season Saturday after a 7-2 win over the D-backs at Dodger Stadium. Ramirez, Billingsley lead streaking Dodgers into first place Dodgers move into first place Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 23:14:26 GMT Palin and McCain’s Shotgun Marriage - New York Times
New York Times - By FRANK RICH SARAH PALIN makes John McCain look even older than he is. And he seemed more than willing to play that part on Thursday night. An Apostle of Alaska 'Sarah Palin Is Wasilla': Town Stands Behind VP Pick Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:18:29 GMT Jenkins: Murray willing to play the spoiler - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle - (09-06) 18:24 PDT New York -- Andy Murray must feel very alone just now. He's a long way from his native Scotland. He's carrying the hopes of British tennis, but the London press would really prefer him to be English. Federer beats Djokovic to reach US Open final Split stadiums for US Open semis ruffles crowd Publ.Date : Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:44:27 GMT Make Money Online |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Copyright © 2003 Priya Shah Is it... Read More Fear is the minds great mortal sin.And isn't it just... Read More Yesterday at the dinner table, my eleven-year-old daughter asked me,... Read More This article exemplifies the inner working of emotional intelligence. Effectively... Read More After eating a turkey and dressing sandwich for breakfast, I... Read More When Paul first arrived in Corinth in the middle of... Read More Expanding your comfort zone isn't quite the same as building... Read More Whether you suffer from anxiety and panic attacks or not,... Read More Starting and managing a business takes motivation and talent. It... Read More I received an email today that said I could: "Make... Read More Do you ever postpone things, or just forget about them... Read More It is something that everyone ? and I do mean... Read More Most people have no idea where their money goes. They... Read More Do you sometimes have the feeling that you're running into... Read More In a world where dynamism alters egos and principles in... Read More Why do you do what you do? What is your... Read More I think there is a misconception about what a mentor... Read More If you run a business like I do, you probably... Read More What a perfect fall Saturday morning, clear sunny blue sky,... Read More Allow me to start this with a quote:To think too... Read More I think each one of us has had the experience... Read More The first week of May is a big birthday time... Read More I hope you're having an AWESOME week!Let me first say... Read More If you really want to be at your absolute peak... Read More It was Albert Einstein who stated that 'imagination is more... Read More
Adsense
websites
If It Feels Good, It Must Be Right
No, Fear! The Success is Yours (1)
Being Genuinely Curious
If You Are Rejected!
Need Help? Look Within First
Christian Gladiators? Athletics as a Metaphor for the Christian Lifestyle
Five Ways to Expand Your Comfort Zone
Anxiety & Panic ? Make Your Information Work for You
Keep Motivated To Succeed Online!
Todays Trivia
Creative Procrastination
What is your Altitude?
Get Off Your Butt and Create Your Financial Future?Now!
Its a Habit
The New Morality
Keep the Channel Open
The Untold Truth About Mentors, and Why You DONT Need One
Just Do It!
I Should Be Doing... But...?
Procrastination
Motivation: The Power of Opportunity
Mindfulness and Birthdays: Surprising Moments
Success Secrets - Achieving Ultimate Success
To Boost Your Brain, Move That Body!
ACTION is More Important than Knowledge!
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Are You A Procrastinator?
What is the dictionary definition of a procrastinator? It is... Read More
Ending Procrastination
Perseverance is about as important to achievement as gasoline is... Read More
Optimistic Vs Pessimistic
Studies have shown that on average an optimist will have... Read More
What Motivates You - Desire or Fear?
The energy of desire is a powerful motivator and creative... Read More
When Do You Enjoy Things the Most?
It's a very strange concept. When you are in a... Read More
Make Up Excuses Why You Can
We all have excuses as to why we can't do... Read More
Dont Let Failure Go To Your Head
I watched as an 8-year-old All-Star slid dramatically into second... Read More
Self-Esteem: You Matter
You'd be surprised. Maybe amazed. If you could see the... Read More
Our Future
I'm back from Hawaii; it was ten days of physical... Read More
Unleash Your Unlimited Power
Your Non-Conscious Mind is 98% of your full power. Your... Read More
Commitment vs.Trying - Is Trying Lying?
Today I heard the saying "Trying is lying!"It made me... Read More
How to Change Your Negative Reality
It is often taken for granted that the reality tomorrow... Read More
How to Get Motivated and Have Industrial Strength Self-Motivation
It is not your fault if popular self-help courses have... Read More
Self-Motivation for Trainers
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SELF-MOTIVATION FOR TRAINERS: Lack of self-motivation is... Read More
5 Great Ways To Overcome Procrastination At Home
If you procrastinate at home you may suffer some consequences... Read More
These Are The Good Ole Days
I am sitting here at a public access wireless location... Read More
Words that Inspire: PASSION
What is your PASSION?Dictionary says: strong liking for or... Read More
Get Things Done: Take 21!
Ever begin doing something that you do for a few... Read More
ACTION is More Important than Knowledge!
It was Albert Einstein who stated that 'imagination is more... Read More
Taking The Leap
Every four years, February gives us a whole 24 hours... Read More
What Motivates You?
As a life-long student of personal development, I've attended dozens... Read More
Going with the Flow
This whole idea of change is founded on a single... Read More
How Great is the Strength of Your Belief?
Be careful what you believe because that is what you... Read More
Come Alive!
As many of you know I have a passion for... Read More
Who Is The Inner Critic?
The inner critic is that voice inside your head that... Read More
Motivation |