How To Stay Motivated And Avoid Procrastination

I want to really thank you guys for coming here and leaving helpful thoughtful advice I'm certain that if we share enough advice we can all help each other no matter how big or small of an effect. This place has proven time and time again to be a wonderful outlet for me and I feel better knowing there are so many like minds out there trying to tackle similar battles.



PS To those who want to release their negative energy here keep trudging along with your bitter self because this is a thread for people to come together and overcome something almost everyone has or will encounter at one point in their lives. I for one am not the kind to "kick anyone when they are down" if you are then you should seek out the anger management threads and probably help beyond that.

i am also procrastinating everything until it is nearly too late.

but: i need the stress factor to work efficiently.

life would me much more fun if i can´t stop procrastinating and do things in time, not on the last possibility.

i need the stress to focus on what´s relevant and what is not.

no good tips, sorry, need some myself..

I agree with everything you said above. I am the same. I want to be a minimalist but I have trouble keeping it up. Stuff just accumulates.

I also found out that the less I eat the more energy I have. In today's USA I think eating too much of the wrong foods affects us. I was very sick for about 4 or 5 days couldn't eat, could barely drink a tblspoon of water every so many hours. When I got better, everything tasted amazing and I had so much energy. That got me thinking we eat so much we are like a python after a meal. We get lazy and want to sit on a hot rock to digest our food. So now when I get lethargic I try to fast a bit or eat way less. It does help to get things done. I'm not worrying about cooking and eating so I have more time to do whatever needs done.

Just my 2 cents. Hope this helps someone.

do something simple on your list immediately- you can even set a timer and try to beat it!...... then, when done- reflect on the feeling and the amount of time it ACTUALLY took to complete it! work your self into a gaming state where you don't worry and just do. Perhaps a small pressure or reward for a simple act - ramp up the feeling of reward for accomplishment- reflect on just how easy or quick the goal ACTUALLY is when you ler go of your worry, anxiety etc///




give yourself compassion with kind self talk along the way

and always remember
Jesus endured much for you and loves YOU as his own child

I think this can be true for some- tis for me

That is excellent advice thank you!!!! I need to fast again I don't know why I didn't think of doing it again. I did a juice fast for 6 or 7 days. The 2nd day was literally painful but by the 3rd or 4th day food had lost all it's appeal. I felt great towards the end and very clear minded.

I almost didn't post. Thought it sounded stupid.

I'm glad you think it may help.

Hey Op,

I know how you feel. I am a full time web development freelancer and the one issue that I face more than anything else is procrastination. The problem lies with both distraction and avoidance.

Usually the distraction fuels the avoidance to some degree but the avoidance comes for many reasons. Maybe the task at hand seems far too daunting or big. Possibly you don't think that you have the gusto/skill to actually do the task at hand and end up stressing about it.

Stress is what fuels avoidance. The distractions like TV, social networking, and even cleaning your house are ways for you to avoid said stress even if the way you are avoiding it is unhealthy to the progress you are trying to make.

Some Tips:

1. Make a longer list of small things.

I know someone said make a smaller list earlier and I half agree with him/her. I do believe you need to cut out a lot of in between but do break the important big chunks into more manageable bites. This will allow you to accomplish a micro task quickly and give you a boost of accomplishment.

2. Get away from distractions

Go to a coffee shop if you can or at least turn off your tv and close any distractive tabs in your browser. Turn your phone on silent if you have to.

3. Finish Tasks First, Play Later

If you finish a certain number of tasks, reward yourself. This work towards reward system works well for most people. Reward yourself with a snack, some social time (30 min or something), or if it is a big goal then a night out. At the end of the day you will thank yourself.

4. Take breaks

This was the hardest for me to realize but taking breaks is proven to boost productivity. You don't want to get burnt out on the task at hand.

5. Log your time.

By doing this you will know how long it takes approximately to finish a task. This will allow you to build better lists in the future :)

6. Get some rest

Sleeping is necessary. Don't overwork yourself or you are doing yourself some injustice. You need energy to stay focused and alert.

7. Eat well

The way you eat will affect your mood, energy levels, and even the way you think. Don't go out and pound down an energy drink or soda expecting to stay awake for eight hours doing work. It will only to serve a nasty sugar crash directly to your brains door step. Drink some black tea, a LOT of water, and maybe a small cup of coffee if it is a must.

8. Organize yourself.

This means actually writing your list, noting any calls you need to make, working around your daily schedule but most importantly it means a clean and clutter free space. As humans we stress in an environment that we find uncomfortable and will not work efficiently nor happily. Make stuff easier for yourself and put stuff in easy to access areas, clean that space up and clear the clutter.

9. Don't Re-invent the wheel!

Unless your job is inventor and you are coming up with new gadgets, there are tools out there to help you. If you are a writer, web developer, or other you can find great online tools. Even if you are a cook, baker, tanner, etc there are great online resources and tutorials out there for you. Make your work life as easy as possible. Your work isn't a proving ground for anothers scrutiny but a place for you to craft your best and provide the best possible product or service. Why not make it easy on yourself? :)

10. FORM GOOD HABITS

It is all and well to say that this list is good and you will do them but actually acting upon them and/or remembering them is the hardest. Actually try to put each item into your daily work routine to easily integrate it. Habits are the hardest things to form but also the hardest to break. Take time to strengthen a good habit.

If you find this list useful, throw me some karma points or something ;)




Last Edited by Nyarlathotep on 12/30/2012 11:37 AM

Think about something you want. Something you really want, not something easy and simple to get. Write it down on a piece of paper, with the date you want it.

Now carry it with you every day in your wallet, or your pocket, everywhere you go. Read it when you wake up, all throughout the day, and at night before bed. Every day.

The universe will arrange itself in such a way that opens up opportunities for you to achieve this goal. And since you are reading your goal every day, all day, your mind will be focused on this goal at all times, and it will happen.

It's really as simple as that. That's all that you need to do.

What is Procrastination?

[link to en.wikipedia.org]

WORD!

Updated with a few more items. Maybe I can think of a couple more and make it 10 :)

Made it to 10 :) There we go :D

Good thread OP...

Nice to see some positive on here for a change.

I would like to help you but I am in the same boat.

Bookmarked for Later Reading

OP, if no one else here has a better list, you can add this to your OP to help boost your thread :)

Yeah, but I'm bored, I'll tell you tomorrow...

Suggestion #1, stop coming to this website. It can be toxic and misleading.

#2, go to cassiopea site and intake info. Higher probability of finding truth and useful info there.

#3, be open to the possibility that you have been messed with and don't know it.

#4, dietary changes are important

#5, if you have any toxic people in your life causing repeating stress, look for patterns and analyze. Find ways to separate from them or minimize contact.

It sounds like you are dissociated a lot of the time. Make one of your objectives to be in full consciousness as often as possible. Eating sugar will cause mental dissociation. You may have been given a directive by someone, unknown to you, to consume it. I too have been addicted. I am trying the experiment of eating apples when I get cravings. It is working. I am finding them satisfying and they don't send me into sugar stupidity. Gradually eliminating the sugar until when I do eat it, it tastes way too sweet now and there is a real sense that it's poison!

Organization, discipline, purging out things you don't need are all better alternatives than paralysis, if those things get you moving. That's about where I am too right now. Is taking me forever to purge out stuff I don't need but at least I have begun the process. Along the way, many things have been turned up that lead to further insights... Old documents, letters from people now seen in a new light. If one goes exploring into ones stuff, one finds a doorway into the past. Sometimes a lot of understanding comes from this process that may surprise you.

And realize you're not alone. All humanity is stressed to a painful degree right now. You are not flawed. You are merely over stressed like everyone else.

Music

Doing something that motivates you. seek and you'll find.

Mine didn't manifest (or we didn't realize it) until I went to boarding school and had the most disgusting roommates. My mother was a clean freak, and we were expected to maintain her standards (she didn't beat us or anything, but my God could she be relentless about our chores).
They found me a suitable roommate and we always passed the White Glove Inspection test and could take leave on the weekends. So I guess it came in handy!

My sons pediatrician finds it hilarious actually, because he's not a cranky little guy about it. He will get a diaper wipe and clean his hands off, or stick them in my face and say 'Sticky.' The doc says to just go with it, don't indulge him or applaud the behavior, but to not make a big deal about it either. We're still trying to get him on the potty, and have enough to worry about. He's pretty independent for a 2 year old.

These sound interesting!!! How long have you tried them and do you see an improvement?

I procrastinate whenever I'm reading GLP.

Thant's a great list!!! Thank you!!!

It can be toxic if you are here for the wrong reasons. I heavily filter what I look at now.

What is cassiopea?

#3, be open to the possibility that you have been messed with and don't know it.

What do you mean?

I agree about sugar! It actually burns my throat and makes me feel ill but i can't seem to kick the cravings. I am going to try your apple recommendation!!!

It can be great to go through things and revisit the past and like you said sometimes we might see things in a new light.

I hope the stress lessens soon and things improve for everyone!

Thank you!! I'm very glad I posted it I got some wonderful insight today!

Fantastic thread Obsidian! Thanks for starting it. :)

It seems like the pace of the world, no time to connect with nature and each other. I personally get overwhelmed and need time to myself to recharge & get motivated.

OK, these tips are going to sound strange but they really help me and they are worth a try.

Go to a place with nature around, be it just grass, stones, though sitting with your back against a tree helps even more, and just getting quiet and feeling that connection with the Earth and world helps to drain any feeling of overwhelm which leads to a lack of motivation for me.

Also, this is stranger still, but keep a pencil on you shut your eyes and "feel" the pencil, and hold it in your hands when you feel overwhelmed or unmotivated. I like to think it works because it is made of wood, lead and metal, all natural things that slowly have been filtered out of life in the US.


Strange as it seems I'm energized and ready to go after a few minutes. And no matter how nutnut it may seem I keep a pencil in my purse for times when I need to focus and keep on track. I just touch it for a seconds or bring it out like I'm contemplating using it.

Great post!!!! I love being in nature!!! It's probably one of the only things that centers me. I love going to the mountains!!