- organizing your work area
- beginning a healthy eating plan
- preparing a will or investment plan
- deleting the 645 emails in your inbox
- cleaning out that cluttered closet
- starting an exercise program
- writing a
report
Well, you're not alone. We all procrastinate!
In fact, you may
have noticed I'm sending my July tipsheet on July 30th! I procrastinated so long that
I decided to just WRITE about procrastination!
I've always justified my procrastination by saying, "Pressure
creates diamonds!"
But, the reality is, "Procrastination creates
stress!"
We create tension and
distraction in our lives when, instead of doing
something that needs to be done, we offer excuses, like:
++I’ll do it when I have more
time
++I'm just
lazy
++I don't know where to
start
++I'm not disciplined
4.
Quit telling
yourself that kind of garbage because it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy!
”When you are a disciplined person and when you get done what you
should and must get done, you will be able to play without guilt, without hiding out.” Mike Brescia
That is so true! So reduce your stress and guilt by following these 4 easy steps:
Step 1. Ask yourself: “Do I
really need to do what I’ve been putting off? If I didn't do this at all, would anyone even notice?”
Step 2. If your honest answer is “No,” then take it off your
mental “TO DO” list and forget about it already!
Step 3. If your answer
is “yes,” then do ONE little itty-bitty thing RIGHT
NOW for just 10 minutes. For example:
Healthy eating:
Set an alarm (you can use your cell phone) for 10 minutes
and get rid of all the unhealthy foods in your kitchen, for example, anything that ends in the letter “O”:
Chee-tos, Fritos, Ho-Ho’s, Oreos, Doritos … you get the idea!
Don't give it away. Just dump it. Your family and neighbors
don’t need to eat this stuff either.
Deleting Emails:
Start at the
bottom of the Inbox (the ones dated 4/22/05) and RUTHLESSLY delete for 10 minutes. If you MUST,
you may put these emails in a folder marked "I-know-I'll-never-look-at-these-again." Just get them OUT of the INbox!
Cluttered closet:
Set the timer
for 10 minutes, take everything out of the closet and put each item in either a KEEP pile or GIVE IT AWAY pile. When the alarm rings, stop what you’re doing.
Writing a report:
Type your thoughts about
the report on a blank document. Don’t worry about how it sounds or looks. Just get your thoughts on paper for 10 minutes and then stop!
After spending no more than 10 minutes on one of those activities, STOP what you’re doing and congratulate
yourself for getting STARTED.
Step 4. And now you have
a choice. You may:
++ Set the timer for another 10 minutes and keep doing what you started, or:
++ Do something else.
Remember: it’s
always your choice! The most important thing, when it come to procrastination, is to just Get STARTED!
FUN FACT: Procrastinator Otto Titzling invented the brassiere but never got around to
patentng it. Phillipe de Brassiere
did!
So, if you want STOP procrastinating,
›
Forget about excuses
› Don’t wait for the perfect
circumstance
› Quit worrying about the
outcome
› Stop thinking about it and just Get Started!
Until next month...... Keep smiling and stay in
The
Zone!
Susan
P.S: If you need someone to nag you, you'll love this website! Just click here and tell them what to hassle you about, and they'll nag you via
email at semi-unpredictable intervals! I signed up for
emails that nag me to "Write your book, Susan!"
P.P.S:
Don't procrastinate if you want me to turn your next meeting or workplace into a high energy Positive Zone! My 2007 calendar is full (except for a couple openings in Nov/Dec) so click here and learn how to schedule a
program in
2008!
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About the
Author:
Susan Miller has been helping create low stress, high energy workplaces for over
a decade. An author, internationally acclaimed motivational speaker and corporate trainer, Susan has presented over 700 speeches and
seminars throughout the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Susan's message of "Working in the Positive Zone" is a guaranteed hit with Healthcare, Education,
Sales, Government, Business and Women's Groups.
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A Sample of Susan's Upcoming (and diverse!)
Audiences:
+++Crete-Monee School System, Chicago, Illinois
+++Southeast Kentucky Community College, Harlan, KY
+++The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY
+++Chittenden South School System, Shelburne, Vermont
+++KY Assoc. of Homes and Services for the Aging, Louisville, KY
+++Dental Boot Kamp Reunion, Las Vegas,
Nevada
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If you enjoyed this Tipsheet, please forward it to a friend. They'll appreciate it and so will
I!
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© 2007 Susan Miller, All rights reserved. If you'd like to use material from
Susan Miller’s Quick Tips From The Positive Zone in whole or in part, please send Susan an e-mail to request permission.
