Category Archives: Pulling the Plug on Procrastination

I have done a lot of thinking lately on the difference between goals and intentions. Intentions are something that we share with other people, often involving them, through our thoughts. Goals are something that we plan and execute to carry out our intentions. When we intend to visit someone, and we make plans with the person, it sets expectations in play. The trouble with goals with no intention (without a real desire) is that procrastination grabs us, until we feel like taking action. Frequently, we delay making plans to follow through until we feel forced by outside circumstances. On the other hand, we may simply change our mind and let ourselves and other people down, causing guilt or conflict.

Sometimes in life, we make choices that require a certain amount of sacrifices. At times like these, it can feel as if we must force ourselves to do things we don’t want to do. Consequences follow each decision and the choices we refuse to make as well. We may dislike our job but enjoy the luxury of the income it provides, for example. One day we decide that it is time to move forward and look for other opportunities. Then our thinking takes on a new set of circumstances. At times like these; the “what if” thinking can drive us to do what we shouldn’t and back down from the challenges of transformation. The thought of living in a smaller apartment or driving a used vehicle rather than a new one can cause us to reconsider. In the end, we know that we will be happier in another job, even a lower paying one. However, the concept of losing the conveniences we may have become accustomed to can wear on us.

Several weeks ago, I wrote an article expressing that I will stop, ignoring things. Sometimes I see negative things going on around me and think it doesn’t matter. As I started working on changing this in myself, I came up with something that really works for me. Do you ever hear yourself think, “It doesn’t matter?” I have come to understand that I think this way. It may be because I am trying to dismiss how I feel about something. It may be because I think I should do something, and I can accept that it is unimportant. Not everything can intensely matter to us, or we will drive ourselves insane with concern and worry. However, because procrastination causes so many adversities in our lives, we can benefit from one simple question.

I think that we all unmistakably understand that if we want to live a happy life, we must do certain things. Most of us have read that we must think positive, focus on what we want, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and implement action. I have been doing some thinking the past several days and discovered something that may help you. We all have heard that we must redirect our thoughts when we are thinking negatively. One method of achieving this is to transpose our thoughts when we observe ourselves thinking about what we don’t want. You may have realized that rephrasing your thoughts when they are in this direction is challenging. There are several ways of doing this. I have learned a new method that works for me.

Today as I scrubbed my bathrooms, which is something that I am not very fond of doing, I meditated. I began asking myself why I had postponed doing it for such an extended period. As I accomplished the task, my mind freewheeled into all the incentives that cause us to procrastinate, and I came up with several that apply to me. I had to ask myself though how I allowed my bathrooms to get so dirty. I am an ambition person, and I know what I want and what I like when it comes to my home. I thought that, I should clean the bathrooms; then I looked to find another task, which seemed more important. This is one way that I unconsciously justified my procrastination in the past weeks.

What prompts you to take action? Many of us seem to delay taking action until forced by outside circumstance. The natural outcome of procrastination is a hardship. I think we learn to postpone when we are growing up. Our parents literally have to force us to accomplish things that we do not want to do. Actions like cleaning our room, brushing our teeth, or sharing our toys are good examples. Of course, we need to learn to do these things, but we may forget or wait until the parent controls the action. The parent may even have to impose consequences in order to motivate us in the right direction.

Have you ever noticed that after you do something, it is as if it never happened? You may ponder and rethink doing something many times before you finally begin. The mental list of pros and cons builds in your mind with each excuse that you create. Even the legitimate reasons for jumping in and getting started cannot seem to motivate you. The negative thinking about what you will go through can seem, severe, and irritating.

As you begin to do what you “should” you become more motivated and your energy level skyrockets! When you listen for the word “should” and willingly direct yourself, you respond rather than reacting. The law of attraction (like attracts like) is always working and yes, this includes energy. The busier you become, the more you achieve. You will also draw busy people, into your life! Too often, we plan and schedule in an attempt to organize our lives and this limits our time. Without spontaneity in our lives, our dreams go unmet, and we end up placing other people’s priorities above our own.

We wanted to tear out a wall and some closets between two bedrooms and turn the space into an office. Each time that I thought about doing it, I thought, “we should”. However, added to that, thought was – but I don’t want the mess. The conception of the disorder quickly turned my thinking toward a different direction, from “we should” to “we shouldn’t”.

When I began to grasp the magnitude of this concept – the greatness of this idea – this idea listening for what you hear yourself think you “should” do, I phoned my mom. She answered the phone and I practically shouted, “Mom, I have a secret. Do you want to know what I think I have figured out? I really think that I have come up with an idea to help unmotivated people.” I could hardly contain my excitement. I just had to find out what one other person thought of this idea.