Posts tagged Roadblocks
How to Become a Master Procrastinator
Sep 29th
Just like anything, procrastination takes work. Here are five insider strategies to help you take your natural laziness and develop it into something you can really be proud of. Adhering to these principles will allow you to rise above the ranks of obnoxious accomplishers and become a true master of the procrastinational arts.
1. Never plan. Planning is one of the single biggest enemies to procrastinators. Always avoid the temptation to schedule your weeks and days. Avoid calendars and day planners like the plague they are. No master procrastinator has ever mingled with them. Remember the old procrastinator’s adage, “If you plan, you’re only planning to fail at your procrastinational goals.”
2. Never prioritize. This is another annoying idea which has thwarted many procrastinators’ best efforts. True procrastination is best practiced when you are facing a chaotic jumble of work and becomes much harder when you are dealing with organized tasks. If someone tries to help you prioritize your tasks, find a tactful way to get as far away from them as possible. Despite their good intentions, they are roadblocks to your goal of becoming a master procrastinator.
3. Never work with others. The last thing a procrastinator needs is a group of motivated individuals offering friendly support. Nip this problem in the bud by refusing to collaborate with others. Find a dark, cluttered office you can use as your base of operations, and avoid dreaded “worker ants.” The only time you should make contact with others is to watch television, play Xbox and other procrastinator-friendly activities.
4. Never seek out fun projects. The danger associated with exciting projects is that you might get lost in the work and end up with a finished product. Many a procrastinator has fallen into this trap and done irreparable damage to their reputation.
5. Never reward yourself for accomplishing tasks. This is a horrible practice that can devastate your procrastinational goals. Your brain will remember the reward and you’ll be more likely to get the work done the next time. Veteran procrastinators don’t wait until the task is done-they do what they want, whenever they want. It’s much more enjoyable.
Be Your Own Cheerleader and Believe in Yourself
Aug 28th
When asked, most of us can rattle off a whole list of things we believe in. But if I were to ask you the most important question of all: “Do you believe in y-o-u?” you might come to a screeching halt.
Many times, we go through life picking up the belief system of our families and the values of our friends, without asking ourselves whether the ideas are truly meaningful to us.
You might go along for years without any real problem, and then suddenly hit a wall. Maybe you don’t get the job you wanted or the relationship you hoped for. Suddenly you’re filled with self-doubt, and it’s confusing.
One of the biggest causes of stress and unhappiness is an underlying lack of self-confidence. When you doubt yourself, it’s hard to make decisions because you second-guess yourself all the time, trying to please others and trying not to make a mistake they will criticize or condemn.
Life is full of mistakes! That’s how we learn what doesn’t work, so we can discover what does. At least, we have the potential to learn if we don’t get stuck in regretting the mistakes we make. Looking back over your shoulder all the time means you are going to stumble on the path today because you won’t even see the roadblocks in front of you.
Have faith that you are capable of growing and learning from the things you try that don’t work out so great. Be inspired by the stories of people who surmount their struggles and go on to excel. You can do it, too, even if you aren’t an Olympic champion or a celebrity or an award-winning business person or artist.
Take a few minutes now to make a list of your best qualities. Some of them might be that you are kind-hearted, friendly, generous with compliments, a good team member. Everyone’s list will be different, so don’t worry about whether the list sounds “good enough” – you are enough just the way you are.
Now realize that if you don’t have faith in your own ability to succeed, then who will?
In your own world, be a winner. Focus on your goals and keep striving to learn from what doesn’t work, so that you will find the things that do.
