Procrastination

**Daphne** · 01-06-2004, 05:57 AM

I was looking through my favorites file and I came across www.homemadesimple.com and found some interesting tips and articles about cleaning and organizing, etc. Here is one I thought was interesting.....

It's easy to avoid seemingly mundane, everyday tasks. We all know we have to clean the bathroom, update our résumé, or pay bills, but for some reason, we avoid doing so. We might not know the reason for procrastination, but we can suggest some ideas to help. Here are some tips for overcoming procrastination so you can get on your way to a more organized life.

If a seemingly large, insurmountable task is at hand, break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Tackle one thing at a time, until you finish the project.

Schedule activities. If you have to give your house a thorough scrubbing, set aside the next free day to do it. Then take it a step further and schedule the one-hour slot of 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. to clean your bathroom. Or maybe you have a problem keeping up with your bills. Schedule specific times on specific days two or three times a month for bill paying. Then pay your bills during this time period—no excuses. (Don't forget to take them to the mailbox right afterward!) Remember, no time commitment is too small—increments of five, 10, or 35 minutes are better than no time at all. By making the commitment, you'll feel like a weight has been lifted, and like you accomplished something toward your larger goal.

Reward yourself. If you committed spending Saturday to organizing a room in your house, treat yourself to a slice of pizza at noon after you've reorganized your linen closet. At 3 o'clock, after you've reorganized your kitchen pantry, take 15 minutes to call a friend and chat. It will give you a much-needed break in the day and rejuvenate you to get the job done.

If you hit a roadblock—you just cannot pick up that broom one more time today, or you can't write one more sentence for your work project—think of something else, no matter how small, that you are willing to do. Then do it.

When going about your day-to-day activities, stop every once in awhile and think to yourself, "Could I be doing something more valuable with my time?" If the answer is "yes," write down the top five things you need to get done and work on those tasks instead.