Top Excuses People Make For Procrastinating... Don't Fall Victim!

Do you know the top excuses people make for procrastination?

• That they have so much work to do that it’s inevitable that some tasks and cativites would fall through the cracks.
• That they work best under pressure and the stress and adrenaline rush helps them produce at high levels when there is a looming deadline.
• That they even trick themselves into believing they are super busy with non-important tasks instead of focusing on the most important one and they end up waiting until the last minute and they may not even be sure how it happened.

Do you find yourself guilty of using these top excuses?

Do you usually meet your deadline, but it’s usually met with stress and relief?

Don’t worry… many people are guilty of waiting until the last minute to complete important tasks.

So do you know what you can do to combat this bad habit, once and for all?

1. Have you discovered why you procrastinate?

Avoidance issue? Task boring? Task difficult? Not sure where to start? Subconsciously being defiant? Could it be a combination of several things? Does the reasoning vary depending on the task? When does your procrastination cause you the most trouble?

Asking yourself these questions will allow you to come up with better solutions tailored specifically to your reasons for procrastinating?

2. Are you trying to do too many things at once and are unfocused as a result?

This means to look at your plate and start categorizing it… wants, needs, should and by whom… Is this personal or a job requirement? Am I submitting something to my boss or teacher or am I stressing myself out due to personal deadlines that are getting in the way of my job i.e. paycheck.

3. Are you clear about your consequences and desires? Do they drive you appropriately?

With consequences… they need to be clear and specific or they lose value. You also need to be clear and specific about the outcome you desire. Once you have that defined, next step is to weigh the two. Which one wins?

4. Have you tried incentives? Do you know how to properly use incentives?

Recent research has shown that incentives can be a good thing. So why not bribe yourself?

Brainstorm ones that are meaningful to you- while you’re brainstorming… think of creative ways to punish yourself too. Some examples could be: scrubbing floors, missing out on drinks with friends at happy hour this week, or limiting your spending on lunch out.

5. Where is your support system?

Be sure to read books and productivity courses that may be helpful (but you must also implement their suggestions to get the full benefit). Lots of resources exist on procrastination- so find some that speak to you. If you need more than a book, look for support groups especially if your procrastination problem is stickier than you can handle by yourself.

For more information on the impacts of procrastination and how bad habits really affects your ability to Live The Good Life… be sure to visit http://www.4-the-good-life.com and get my FREE eGuide on Creating The Life You Want!