Procrastinating Much? Forgive Yourself!

Do you have the bad habit of delaying tasks until the last minute? No matter how much we scold ourselves for waiting to pack for a trip, book a flight, or file taxes, it seems like it keeps happening. If you want to change your ways and stay on top of things, stay tuned, more to come.

For the next week, I'm going to hand out some of my top advice on how to fight procrastination. And we'll begin with one key element:

Forgiveness. It may sound unexpected, but it's essential that you start by forgiving yourself for procrastinating.

Let me explain why. The fact is, you can't go back in time and change what has already happened. Punishing yourself for not reaching a goal as planned won't help. It will only make matters worse.

Allowing yourself to become burdened by guilt or disappointment will create an atmosphere of anxiety that could lead you to procrastinate when faced with another task.

The next time you catch yourself putting something off, remind yourself that it's normal. Nothing tragic is happening here. Say it out loud, and then make a promise to try harder. It's crucial to keep attempting. You’re working on mastering new abilities and altering a behavior. That requires practice, patience, and yes, plenty of failure along the way. Failing is part of getting better.

When you experience moments of discouragement due to your lack of advancement, it's understandable. Make use of this emotion to urge yourself onward. Pledge to give another go and strive for success. Question why you delayed on this occasion. Once you pinpoint the cause, you can start to make improvements. Perhaps you had a mammoth task ahead, but you began with gusto, chipping away at it incrementally. However, you missed a day here and another there. It's not ideal, but it's not the end of the world either. You did well for a time at least. This is an excellent opportunity to learn from experience. For example, perhaps this particular event has taught you that it is crucial not to skip more than one day on any ongoing project.

Anytime we botch up or relapse into our wrongdoings, there's something to be gained from it. At the least, we discover that a certain approach isn't working for us. It may be that you thrive with only three duties per day on your agenda, or perhaps you need twenty-five so there's always something to mark off when completed. You won't know until you experiment.

Let go of your guilt for not taking action sooner and prioritize continuing to practice.

Forgive yourself! If you have any questions along the way, want to share your own tips, or just connect with others following along in the Take on Procrastination and Ignite your Goals Challenge, head on over and grab a seat Under the Calamity Tree.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more. PS: Don't forget your gift Procrastinate Much? Ignited Tips!