How to Stop Procrastinating Once and For All

Would you like to stop procrastinating once and for all?

I apologize for the clickbait title. You can't eliminate procrastination because you are a human being.?

But I have some ideas to help you reduce the amount of procrastination you're doing.?

First things first.

Let's start with a definition of procrastination from the Merriam-Webster dictionary: "it means to put off intentionally or habitually."?

I like how Grant Cardone talks about procrastination. He says, "waiting only makes things harder." Would you agree with that? The longer you wait to do something that you need to do, it only makes doing it more difficult? Just rip the bandage off.?

I believe?the number one reason why people procrastinate?is fear.?

Procrastination is a part of life because we are human, and everybody struggles with it. And yes, I did say everybody. Successful people may not struggle with procrastinating very much, but they still struggle.?

Here are some strategies for busting this enemy of your productivity, which we call procrastination.?

Live intentionally.?

Many people are living Reactively. You want to live proactively or intentionally. I've been saying for years, "tell your time where to go instead of wondering where it went." This is living intentionally.?

This is when you sit down and determine what you're going to do tomorrow or next week.?

Do what you love and stop doing what you don't.?

I have encountered very few people who procrastinate when doing something they love to do. Most times, they procrastinate when they're doing things they don't love to do. So if you find yourself procrastinating, ask yourself if what you're doing is something you love to do. Or is it something that you don't what to do??

Surround yourself with the right people.?

Who are you following on social media? What books are you reading? What videos are you watching? It matters. It would be best to follow people who are where you want to be—Grant Cardone, Mark Cuban, Tony Robbins, Oprah Winfrey, etc.

Stop committing to things you don't want to or can't do.?

If someone asks you, "Hey, can you help on this committee? Can you help with this project? If you are not good at doing whatever they're asking you to help with or if you don't want to do it, then politely say "no." Note: I'm not talking about at your job here, although a case could be made saying no to those things is valid too.?

Build-in time to rest, exercise, and have fun.?

Life should not be all about work. And I don't care for the whole work-life balance concept. Rest, exercise, and having fun are essential. I aim for a minimum of 7 hours of sleep every night. I'm a daily runner; I've been running at least one mile every day since August 29, 2017. You don't need to run. You could swim, walk on a treadmill, lift weights, or something else. And don't forget to have fun. This could be watching a video on social media, hanging out with your friends, or watching a funny movie.?

Know your limits.

People who are working all the time experience a lot of overwhelm, and they tend to be stressed and frustrated. It's essential to listen to your body. When you start to feel like you don't want to, stop and think about what you should do.

ODAE the stuff you hate.?

ODAE is an acronym for outsource, delegate, automate, and eliminate. What do you do that you don't want to do that you can outsource, delegate, automate, or eliminate??

Create goals that excite you.?

I hope you have goals. If you don't, create some goals that excite you. And I mean right now. Goals are essential for your success in life.?

I follow what Grant Cardone suggests. I write my goals every morning when I wake up and again right before bed. That means I write my goals 730 times a year!

Do you write your goals out at all? Or do you just think about them? Or maybe you think about them once a year, at the end of December.?

You also need to have a big mission. My big, hairy, audacious goal is: I am obsessed with helping 100 million solopreneurs bust through overwhelm by 2032. Do you have a big, hairy, audacious goal?

Do things that scare or stretch you.?

Remember, this article is all about equipping you to bust through the enemy of procrastination. Procrastination is less likely to happen when you're doing things that stretch or scare you.?

You may procrastinate before you start these things, but once you start, you won't have time to procrastinate because now you're in the thing.?

I hope that these tips served you in your battle with procrastination. You will be dealing with it as long as you're alive; it's part of life. But it is possible to punch it in the face. You have greatness inside of you, and if you're procrastinating, that greatness is staying bottled up, and we don't want that to happen.?

I’m Mister Productivity , founder of The Productive Life Membership and host of The Mister Productivity Podcast . As a #productivity coach, I work with busy #solopreneurs to support and teach them time-saving strategies. Because we both know you have better things to do than trudge through a never-ending list, sign up for the 21-Day Productivity Challenge.