Stop Procrastinating and Start Working: 3 Steps to Stop the Procrastination Cycle

by, Raychel Perman 

Procrastinating is strange, isn’t it? We actively avoid the things that will bring us more clarity, happiness, and success in our lives and businesses. And instead focus on the tasks that make us feel busy but are not as important to complete.  

Why do we do that? It only creates more confusion and overwhelm! Thankfully, there are some things you can do to stop procrastinating immediately. Yes, immediately! But, first let’s talk about why people procrastinate.

It turns out understanding your WHY is key to stopping the procrastination cycle. Procrastination is complex and different people procrastinate for different reasons. According to an article called, Why People Procrastinate: The Psychology and Causes of Procrastination, we need self-control and motivation to help us get a project done. However, we also have all kinds of factors that demotivate and hinder us. When what hinders and demotivates us outweighs our self-control and motivation we will procrastinate. 

Here are a few of the most common reasons people procrastinate:

• Abstract goals
• Rewards are too far into the future
• Feeling overwhelmed, and
• Lack of motivation

Sound familiar? Yep. Me too. And those are just a few of the common reasons people procrastinate! There is a much more exhaustive list included in the article I linked above, if you are interested in learning more. 

While getting down to the nitty gritty of why you procrastinate can take time and soul-searching, there are some quick steps you can take right now that will immediately motivate you and stop the procrastination cycle.

3 Steps to Stop the Procrastination Cycle

#1- Clean up your workspace

I know it sounds crazy, but your environment can make or break your motivation. Clean up your desk, de-clutter the piles, and remove distractions (that includes children, pets, and spouses if you are working from home *wink*) and you will be able concentrate and not be hindered.

#2- Pick a reward

If you need to get a task done that you have been avoiding, try giving yourself a reward when you complete it. The trick is to make sure the reward is in the immediate future. Pick something small if you like, but make sure it’s something that will motivate you to complete the task you were previously avoiding. I personally like to reward myself with my favorite coffee drink from my favorite coffee shop.

#3- Choose the next right step

Sometimes a task is daunting because it is large and time-consuming with lots of steps to completion. If that’s what’s making your motivation tank, pick ONE small next right step and complete it. To figure out what that step should be ask yourself, “If I were to take action right now, what is the smallest possible step I could take?” (I got this question from this amazing article here) Then write down the answer. Set a timer 10-20 minutes and get it done. Then reward yourself immediately. Rinse and repeat.

Procrastination may have caused confusion and overwhelm in the past. Especially when you were trying to work on your business or improve your life in some way. But procrastination does not have to slow you down anymore! With these 3 quick steps you can stop the procrastination cycle immediately and focus on what builds your business and not just on what keeps you busy.

With grace & grit,

~Raychel Perman

Hey, before you go!

I have a lot more to share about skills to grow your influence and a boost of hope to stay the course,  and would love to email you with more tips and strategies on a regular basis. Just CLICK HERE and enter your name and best email and we’ll get started right away. As a thank you, I’ll send you my Build Your Influence Guide. You'll find out how to get people to like, know, and trust you, your top life values, and questions that will help you identify the message you want to be an expert on! No strings attached.