Do you procrastinate? How do you focus?

[FutureM]

I just posted in another post about setting goals and it made me think about this.

I find myself procrastinating less and less but i still do it sometimes.

Surely, being a forum, there must be some procrastinators here?

Interested in how other people might avoid this?

 

[Paul_Rosser]

Have a rewards system in place.

If I get X, Y, Z done then I can do something fun like spending an hour on the PS4.

 

[MikeJ]

Let me get back to you on this....

 

[Nochexman]

Presumably people who do procrastinate are the wrong people to ask how to avoid procrastinating?

For what its worth concentrate on listening to what people say to you, not for the sake of taking a contrary point of view, but to understand what they really have to say. Hopefully through this process you will appreciate the good stuff better and avoid the empties.

I am contrary, but I try really hard to put my own opinions to one side when in listening mode.

 

[vvaannmmaann]

"After all is said and done, more is said than done."

~Anonymous

 

[lynxus]

I can actually be a real pain with this.
Some days I am VERY unproductive. However, Other days I can hammer out work like I have never been employed before.

I think my problem is that I work too hard sometimes. This working too hard then breaks down after a few days into a day or so of really bad procrastination.

If I worked at a normal pace, allowing things to just take a little longer and do what most people actually do. Then I probably wouldnt procrastinate.

But I cant just leave something alone. It has to be done NOW/Today! and after a few of those tasks, it takes time to build up mental energy to go at it again.

 

[warren cass]

I find it is worse when I work from home and therefore need to go into the office if I really want to be productive. I call my Operations Director my 'work wife' as he nags the hell out of me until I get certain jobs done.

As the founder I can often be the bottleneck so I accept his role is an important one. It is difficult though with an attention span as small as mine as I often don't even finish my sen.... oooh look a butterfly!

 

[Excel Expert]

I think one of the main battles is understanding why you procrastinate and this will help you set the goals you need. There are a number of websites and books out that will help you identify the cause.

Procrastination has been a big problem for me in the past and the reason for it wasn't what I was expecting. Mine is down to a kind of an authority resentment where my subconscious does not like being told how, what and when to do things. So my mind sub consciously rebelled and let my jobs run to as close to the deadline as I dared.

There a couple of variations on the 60 day rule, where if you force yourself to do something for 60 days it reprograms your brain and I used that to get over it. I set up a spreadsheet with 60 rows and a column for each habit I wanted to start. Being in the office before 8am, procrastinating for less than an hour day etc. I used this to track things and so far (touch wood) it has worked for me.

 

[Excel Expert]

Here are the six main reasons find themselves procrastinating. Maybe knowing which one you are will help you get past it

http://success.oregonstate.edu/six-reasons-people-procrastinate

On habit forming, there are all sorts of theories on the number of days ranging from 21 days to 66 days. However, it just boils down to the person (as per this quick explanation)

http://lifehacker.com/5926583/why-habits-arent-actually-formed-in-21-days

 

[offthepegdesign]

I am often very focused! If i have a job to do i will work at it until its complete! BUT now with some many distractions (often work, calls, emails etc) its all to easy to find yourself wasting half a morning. Started 5 things and finishing none!

REWARDS systems work, if you dont CHEAT!

Personally, stick on the radio or good choons, shut down facebook / twitter etc.. and crack on!

 

[prosma1]

I do tend to see things through, but yes a reward system is always helpful!

 

[Excel Expert]

Solutions can very much be horses for courses. I have seen people succeed and I have seen people fail using both methods (reward and 60 day habit). I think the reasons for procrastination are varied and personal to the individual, so the actual solution has to fit the individual.

No matter what method is used I think understanding your own reasons why is probably the biggest step.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I don't even know what procrastinating means . It might be very rude and if I google it ,it would appear on my history or link me to something that I may not wish to be linked to

Some mornings I wish I went to university instead of being such a dosser at a young age

 

[integrity Rules]

"After all is said and done, more is said than done."

~Anonymous

Thanks for reaffirming that all accomplishment is actually dependent on actually ‘doing’ something. One thing I have found useful is to have an immediate mental response at the site of procrastination.
For example “There’s no Substitute for Action”.
Or " what small action can I take here to create/maintain momentum?"

 

[integrity Rules]

edited

…. if you force yourself to do something for 60 days it reprograms your brain and I used that to get over it. I set up a spreadsheet with 60 rows and a column for each habit I wanted to start. Being in the office before 8am, procrastinating for less than an hour day etc. I used this to track things and so far (touch wood) it has worked for me.

Benjamin Franklin famously describes his method of Self improvement in his autobiography ; easily found in a Google search. Quite inspiring read.
It worked for him.
I find myself less able to followthrough on this kind of day by day measurement , but catch phrases and self created "call to actions" work well for me, i.e. like in the post above.

 

[integrity Rules]

Edited

For what its worth concentrate on listening to what people say to you, not for the sake of taking a contrary point of view, but to understand what they really have to say. Hopefully through this process you will appreciate the good stuff better and avoid the empties.
.

The American Indian leader Rolling Thunder said something along the lines of "Speak for good purpose only".
What you are outlining is equally important, " Listen for good purpose".
You've made a really important point. Thanks.

 

[Nochexman]

The American Indian leader Rolling Thunder said something along the lines of "Speak for good purpose only".

It is something the Japanese used to be noted for when they ruled world trade

 

[integrity Rules]

Here are the six main reasons find themselves procrastinating. Maybe knowing which one you are will help you get past it

http://success.oregonstate.edu/six-reasons-people-procrastinate

On habit forming, there are all sorts of theories on the number of days ranging from 21 days to 66 days. However, it just boils down to the person (as per this quick explanation)

http://lifehacker.com/5926583/why-habits-arent-actually-formed-in-21-days

Thanks, these are useful links.
The number of days to create a habit varies. In Kundalini Yoga , there is whole hierarchy of benefits assigned to different numbers of reps ( Of a yoga practice ) as well as different time periods/ durations of reps. 21 days, 31 days , 90 days , 120 days. Different physiological and chemical changes in the brain are postulated( and there is research to validate some of the claims )
Any how the point is that Mastery will require a different quality of repletion , frequency and duration than does entry level competence. I know It sounds simplistic said this way, but its all too easy to disregard !

 

[sirearl]

If only there were more procrastinating.

Maybe a few less wars.e.t.c.

At least it gives one time to think things through.

 

[Excel Expert]

There is of course the other end of the scale, where people create work for themselves that really didnt need doing in the belief that being busy is best.

 

[integrity Rules]

I don't even know what procrastinating means . It might be very rude and if I google it, it would appear on my history or link me to something that I may not wish to be linked to

Some mornings I wish I went to university instead of being such a dosser at a young age

Jeremy, I wasn't quite sure whether you were facetious ( so I thought I'd throw another long word at you_!
If you are taking the mickey in a lighthearted way, then what I would say is that :
"Procrastination is the thief of time, but then...so are a lot of other long words!"

If your point is being made in seriousness, I d say,( having looked at your business on your website), that your lack of an university education clearly hasn't stopped you forging ahead in business.
The first Henry Ford barely had any formal education to speak of. Famously, in a court case he was involved in, the opposing counsel tried to make him look foolish by asking him a question " any school kid would know the answer to".
Ford simply said to him : " Why on earth would I want to clutter my head with facts like that? If I wanted the answer to a question like that, I would only need to press a button on my desk , and there would immediately be a 100 people who would answer the question for me"

You've been on this forum a long time, and are a well respected member, with heavyweight followers.
"Dosser at a young age "? I hardly think so.

 

[MikeJ]

Here are the six main reasons find themselves procrastinating. Maybe knowing which one you are will help you get past it

http://success.oregonstate.edu/six-reasons-people-procrastinate

On habit forming, there are all sorts of theories on the number of days ranging from 21 days to 66 days. However, it just boils down to the person (as per this quick explanation)

http://lifehacker.com/5926583/why-habits-arent-actually-formed-in-21-days

When I first saw that, I thought "I'll read that later". I've just realised the irony

Getting on a plane in a minute, so have just downloaded them.

 

[Excel Expert]

LOL - When procrastinating was a problem for me I downloaded a book on it and it took me 6 months to get around to reading it.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

As it is time out I can say what I like even I am jumping on another horse !!

I notice the lack of my univers

Jeremy, I wasn't quite sure whether you were facetious ( so I thought I'd throw another long word at you_!
If you are taking the mickey in a lighthearted way, then what I would say is that :
"Procrastination is the thief of time, but then...so are a lot of other long words!"

If your point is being made in seriousness, I d say,( having looked at your business on your website), that your lack of an university education clearly hasn't stopped you forging ahead in business.
The first Henry Ford barely had any formal education to speak of. Famously, in a court case he was involved in, the opposing counsel tried to make him look foolish by asking him a question " any school kid would know the answer to".
Ford simply said to him : " Why on earth would I want to clutter my head with facts like that? If I wanted the answer to a question like that, I would only need to press a button on my desk , and there would immediately be a 100 people who would answer the question for me"

You've been on this forum a long time, and are a well respected member, with heavyweight followers.
"Dosser at a young age "? I hardly think so.

Very good !!!

Well I did not really need to go to Uni ... There are thousands of people on this site that answer the questions for me . !! All I have to know is how to move something from one point to the other !!