If you are the type of person who procrastinates a lot it can really stop you for completing simple tasks and even more in depth projects, like building your business for instance. I’d like to share with you here how you can stop procrastinating and start getting things done!

Procrastination is simply resistance. It is the part of us that resists completing those things that we need to do.

There are many ways to procrastinate over tasks, such as delaying getting started on tasks, avoiding tasks, doing anything except the task we are meant to be completing (we all have our own ways of procrastinating!)

It is usually those things that hold a strong emotional charge for us that we procrastinate over. You know, those tasks we feel fearful or bored by.

Okay, so if you want to stop procrastinating (and begin getting things done!) then you need to get to know your inner procrastinator. I would even suggest naming this part of you.

Why not begin by asking yourself these questions:-

When do you procrastinate?

What tasks do you procrastinate over?

How do you feel about these tasks?

Are there any common strong emotions that underlies the task you’ve identified that you procrastinate over completing?

How do you procrastinate?

What other activities do you find yourself doing to avoid completing a task?

Do you feel anxious or any sense of urgency when you are avoiding a task?

Take a moment to write your answers down on a piece of paper. I’m sure you will get some helpful insights.

The next step in conquering your procrastinating habits is knowing how it distracts you from accomplishing tasks that matter to you.

Then you need to have a strategy to be able to keep going and not give in to this part of yourself.

It can be useful to think of completing a task as completing a race. The race (or task) has a start, middle and end. You need to know where along the race you might get stuck or blocked by your inner procrastinator so you can keep going and complete your task (thus winning the race!).

If you typically find yourself delaying beginning tasks, you might lack a sense of urgency. It could help you to get going with your task if you journal about how completing this task will benefit your life.

If you get stuck in the middle of tasks because you lose motivation, get distracted or don’t know where to go next, then you could benefit from writing a simple plan on a single sheet of paper. You just want to outline the beginning, middle and end of your task. If you get stuck you can refer to this plan to get back on track.

If you are the type of person who has a problem finishing tasks. This could be because you are afraid of succeeding. Consider if you are being blocked by saying to yourself, “What will I do once this task is finished?” or if you are worrying if others will judge what you have done.

To overcome your fear of success you need a shot of self belief (pretty obvious huh!). At this stage you need to do whatever it takes to get the task completed. So take a moment, a few deep breaths and visualise yourself completing your task. This will help.

At the end of the day just keep going…keep going no matter what. Be both loving and firm with yourself and affirm your ability to complete the task or project to hand.

Once you have completed the task give yourself a pat on the back. Don’t gloss over your success, take time to celebrate that your success…you battled and fought your way through from beginning to end.

Acknowledge this fully and this will help you the next time you find yourself doing battle with your inner procrastinator!